'Nuther lube question.

Oh, nooooooooooo, NOT yet another lube post!
'Fraid so.
CRISCO.
It's been used ever since there's been Crisco for black powder bullet, patch, and revolver lube.
Lymans 1975 edition of the Black Powder Manual used Crisco exclusively.
That being the case, why is it not more popular today?
Why do we have such a plethora (nice word what?) of lubes on the market? Why do we brew our own lubes when Crisco is available everywhere, inexpensive, and it works?
Why is there such a proliferation (there I go again) of lubes on the market when Crisco was once about all you saw on the shooting range.
Are home brewed lubes or new store bought lubes really that much better, and how can you tell?

 

[Rebel]

Well, i still use mostly Crisco for a lube. Have used it since the 70's and it has always worked ok. Have treid Lehigh, Murphy's mixes, and a few others, but for a hunting lube, when the weather isn't REALLY cold, i use Crisco. Why fix it if it ain't broke?

 

[Stumpkiller]

Yee HA! Lube, my favorite. Crisco = Pork Lard!

Have used Crisco & beeswax for 15 years of M/L shotgunning (I roll the fiber wads in a thin puddle of it on a cookie sheet) and even longer for revolver lube. It's just a bit runny in summer for most applications, but mixed with beeswax is OK. But it does make your fouling flaky and tasty. Can go rancid, I'm told, but I've never had that problem. Will freeze solid in the winter and gall and be impossible to "spread".

Now it comes pre-salted and pre-butter flavor, etc., etc.

 

[vanstg]

Do you guys pre-lube your patches by dipping them in molten Crisco? Or simply smear some Crisco on the patch just prior to loading?

 

[Liver eatin’ Johnson]

I used Crisco for cap-n-ball but found it to get runny when the tempurature gets in the 80's - 90's As Stumpy said gets pretty rancid smelling if left in yer shootin' box for a while. But now that the world has moose snot there should never be a need to use anything else... :winking:

 

[Stumpkiller]

. . . gets pretty rancid smelling if left in yer shootin' box for a while.

I was thinkin that fer awhile, but then I traded for a shootin spot upwind o' Zonie and found it wasn't the Crisco a'tall.

Stumpy's Moose Snot: When you care enough to send the very best. ::

 

[Rebel]

I use strips of patching and cut at the muzzle. I melt some crisco, dip the strip in it then put it between a couple thicknesses of paper towels and pat it to get the excess out. Works for me.

 

[vanstg]

That's similar to what I've been doing. Except that I pre-cut my patches (squares). I cut them all, dip them one by one in molten Crisco, then get the excess out with some paper towels just like you said.
I was wondering how other people do it, out of curiosity. Many shooters in my area use Bore Butter, and they usually smear some lube on the pre-cut patches with a knife or something. I've seen some guys put their bore butter lube on a can, and rub the patch on the lube prior to loading.

 

[Claude Mathis]

Crisco = Pork Lard!

:huh: "Crisco was introduced by Procter & Gamble in 1911, to provide an economical alternative to animal fats and butter. Crisco, the first solidified shortening product made entirely of vegetable oil, was the result of hydrogenation, a new process that produced shortening that would stay in solid form year-round, regardless of temperature."

 

So Crisco appears to be popular to this day.
With good reason.
I've left small tins of Crisco in the garage for more 'n a year and didn't notice ANY change in texture or smell.
I just read a recipie for pie crust. It uses lots of Crisco.
Anyone use pie crust for an over powder wad? ::

 

[Stumpkiller]

Oop! You're right. I don't know why my brain said "lard" instead of "shortening." I'm slipping - and I wasn't even around in 1911. ::

 

[Dave Poss]

My son uses olive oil all by it's lonesome...soaks a strip of ticking, blots dry...only does enough at a time for the shooting match . He swears it is cleaner on the bore than anything he's ever used. I can attest that when we shoot together, I suddenly get a yearning to go the "olive Garden" for dinner!!! But,I tried it and it didn't seem to affect my limited accuracy and my ol' flinter. DID seem easier to clean. Anybody else ever use olive oil? Don't want to break the thread.......CRISCO....there, I said it! :sorry:

 

[Claude Mathis]

Anybody else ever use olive oil? Don't want to break the thread.......CRISCO....there, I said it! :sorry:

Here's a great thread about olive oil. -> Olive Oil

"CRISCO" ::

 

Interesting side note about shortening used as patch/bullet lue.I have an e-friend (yes I DO have some friends) in the Republik of South Afrika. They use 'Holsom' as a lube. It's a solidified vegetable shortening much like our Crisco.

 

[Dave Poss]

Thanks Claude that thread from April was all the info I needed....the way things have been going lately, I half-way expected to see Popeyes girlfriend!!! :thumbsup: