Olive oil for patches?

[benvenuto]

I've tried a couple of commercial products, and pure Jojoba oil (apparently chemically similar to Sperm whale oil) but never found anything that beats olive oil and beeswax.
Plus its so damn cheap...

Currently using 1/3 melted beeswax, 2/3 olive oil by volume.

Spanish and French shooters have used olive oil for centuries. If you ever see the movie "My Mothers Castle" theres a scene where the menfolk are loading cartridges (this is the 1890's) prior to a hunt and they are "cooking" the wads in oil over a low fire.

 

[Swampman]

For patches and leather gear, I use 1/3 each olive oil, bees wax, and hog lard. Deer tallow can be used in place of the hog lard. In the winter I add a little more olive oil to make it easier to work with. I string a stack of pre-cut patches using a needle and thread and dip them in the hot mixture. when they cool, I peel them from the stack as I need them. Olive oil works fine on barrels and wood by itself. Never use petrolem based products on muzzleloaders.

 

[Stumpkiller]

I am trying to understand why products such as Young County Lube 103 and Ox-Yoke Wonder Lube, specifically designed for ML shooting is not preferable to olive oil.

It follows along with casting your own lead balls and cutting your own cotton patches.

Because it's fun, it's an additional aspect to muzzleloading, it's a cost savings and it's one less dependency on plastic packaged modern solutions.

 

[shmrck1]

John,
A reason could be it's just part of this passion
that us B/P people have for trying out different things.
One may be just as good as the other, but as long as it don't
damage the gun its just fun making up different solutions
as both a lube and rust inhibitor. I have fun doing this
and trying them out, but when all is said and done i
usually come back to "Moose Snot" because it is so easy to
put together :imo:
snake-eyes

 

[shmrck1]

Stumpy,
We must of been typing at the same time, :sorry:
I'm just slower.
snake-eyes

 

[weirdjack]

Yep, I normally use pressed extra virgin olive oil mixed with murphy's oil soap for my patch lube.
Jack

 

[ladysmithtrading]

Mr. Beaverman,
Have you used your mixture at temperatures below 0 degrees F?
Best Wishes

No sir not yet, really doesnt get that cold here, although i think that with the oils and distialtes in both the murphys and the hoppes they would work just fine as an anti freeze, IMHO

 

[Peter A Meyer]

Stumpkiller has hit that nail fair and square on its head - because it's all part of the fun and satisfaction of doing things for yourself that people once HAD to do, instead of being spoon fed everything all the time. Also include the glorious mess and the wonderful smells of BP shooting and its associated activities. I also own and run a 7 1/4" gauge 13' long 1 ton live steam locomotive, and boy, does that smell great with stinky coal in it! I tend to be somewhat frugal too - plenty of time, not much cash, and enjoy the extra work involved, such that it is.

Thank you all for your input - I will try a 50/50 (or thereabouts) mix of olive oil and beeswax for patches. For wad lube and revolver over-ball lube I use an old mixture posted on Gunboards' "Smoke Pole" forum by a very helpful chap calling himself Gatofeo. It is 2 parts preserving/canning paraffin (supermarkets), 2 parts mutton tallow (Dixie Gun Works) and 1 part beeswax (wherever). Works exceptionally well. It might be a bit hard for patches when dry, but I will try this too when I get my rifle. (Long wait here in Australia as some distributors don't keep much stock, especially left-hand flinters!)

Pete.

 

[RJR]

I use olive oil strait out of the bottle and it works great. Don't lube too many patches up ahead of time, not more than two months worth, or it starts to get gummy. I don't get a fouling problem, 40 or so shots without swabbing. It hasn't froze in Northern Michigan on me yet in the dead of winter.

Rick. :results: