Question about Bee's Wax?

[Danny Ross]

I don't make my own patch lube, but I have seen many here use Bee's Wax in their lubes. What is the purpose of the wax in the lubes made. DANNY

 

[Black Hand]

It stiffens the lube and makes it less runny.

 

[coloradoclyde]

It's also natural, non-toxic/edible, has no offensive odor, and is period correct.....it also has a multitude of other uses.....from waterproofing to tool lubricant....

I wouldn't be caught dead without the stuff....

 

[BullRunBear]

I also use it in lubed felt wads for cap and ball revolvers. The stiffness makes them easier to handle and might (not sure about this) increase their 'scraping' away fouling.

Won't hijack the thread but Clyde got me thinking. I should do a search on uses of beeswax in colonial and early American eras. I can think of ten or twelve offhand. There are probably many more.

Jeff

 

[coloradoclyde]

Makes the best candles......

 

[kansas_volunteer]

The wax rings used to seal a toilet are chemically pretty darn near idinticle to beeswax and much cheaper per pound. Toilet rings ain't PC/HC but I haven't heard yet that the nit pickers are doing chemical analyses at shoots and 'vous. Toilet rings can substitute for beeswax in many formulas. True it isn't as hard as beeswax, it isn't meant to to be, but that can be a plus in cold weather. Toilet rings are natural, they are hydrocarbons and polymers. So is beeswax.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Bees wax is also VERY heat tolerant. It gets runny but doesn't carbonize or form tars in the barrel.

I use it to lube the hinges of my ball casting molds.

 

[BullRunBear]

Absolutely agree about the candles. Staying with the hunting category, besides patch and wad lube, beeswax can be used to seal a primed pan or capped nipple, it can waterproof a cow's knee covering the lock area and other leather gear, it can protect wood and metal from moisture (rust or wood rot)at least for a while. And if the weather is nasty while hunting it can serve as a lip balm or skin salve. :grin:

Jeff

 

[coloradoclyde]

The wax rings used to seal a toilet are chemically pretty darn near idinticle to beeswax and much cheaper per pound. Toilet rings ain't PC/HC but I haven't heard yet that the nit pickers are doing chemical analyses at shoots and 'vous. Toilet rings can substitute for beeswax in many formulas. True it isn't as hard as beeswax, it isn't meant to to be, but that can be a plus in cold weather. Toilet rings are natural, they are hydrocarbons and polymers. So is beeswax.

I'll stick with the real stuff....
Years back toilet rings were beeswax.....but now if you can find a beeswax one you better grab it...The ones I'm seeing are paraffin....

 

[Black Hand]

I use the wax ring material to seal my barrel channel because it is softer than actual beeswax. For all other applications, I use natural beeswax exclusively.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Yeah if you go to AC Moore or Michael's, you're going to need some personal lube before you buy the beeswax. :shocked2: I normally wait until February, and buy beeswax in bulk from eBay from honey producers in the Midwest. You can usually find beeswax for 40% less than at a craft store (and that's including the shipping costs).

I get from one to two year's supply depending on what I'm doing. I make candles for personal use as well as bullet lube.

IF you don't need enough to justify a bulk purchase, you could always get a couple of mini-loaf pans and make a bunch of one-pound blocks, which you can sell or trade at events, and recoup some of your money while still passing some of the savings on to the buyer.

I sell more beeswax pound-blocks to curious tourists visiting events, who want a pound or two of wax for crafting but don't want to pay $10-$15 per pound at the craft store, than I sell to folks doing living history. :grin:

LD

 

[smo]

I use a muffin pan to make small bees wax cakes. I fill the pan cavities about 3/4 full which makes a nice user friendly size cake.

PS: Happy Birthday Dave :thumbsup:

 

[Loyalist Dave]

THANKS

LD

 

[BillinOregon]

Hey, birthday wishes from Oregon, Dave.
Do you dip or pour your candles?

 

[zimmerstutzen]

bees wax melts at about 145 degrees f. adding it to other types of lubricants can both stiffen the lube and raise the melting point.

Lard melts at 86 degrees F and is a mess for muzzloaders on hot days. Crisco melts at 114 degrees and is not much better. Mixing with bees wax helps raise the melting temp.

 

[rushlake1]

I use a muffin pan to make small bees wax cakes. I fill the pan cavities about 3/4 full which makes a nice user friendly size cake.

PS: Happy Birthday Dave :thumbsup:

Smo...Do you add a cream cheese frosting with chopped walnuts to your cakes? :rotf:

sounds like a handy size.
under barrel sealer and patch lube for my wax.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Puts down a nice protective film on the bore that resists salts.

B.

 

[Danny Ross]

So lets say you use Crisco as a lube. How much wax would you use in lets say 2 cups, to raise its melting temp, but keep in soft enough to use as a winter lube.

I use a mix of Wonder Lube, Bore Butter, and Crisco. I had a 8 4oz jars of Remington Wonder lube, two tubes of Bore Butter, and thought why not mix them (Wonder lube was to stiff) and thought, I would add some Crisco. Put it all in a glass coffee pot and melted them as a double boiler stirred well, and poured it back in to the containers plus some others ones I had. Seems a little to soft for summer time use. Wondering now from what I am reading if adding bee's wax to the mix now, may thicken it up enough when it is hot out. DANNY

 

[coloradoclyde]

So lets say you use Crisco as a lube. How much wax would you use in lets say 2 cups, to raise its melting temp, but keep in soft enough to use as a winter lube.

I use beeswax and olive oil.
I have both winter and summer mixes....How stiff each person likes their lube is subjective.....I just mix up a small batch and let it freeze (harden)...If it is too hard or soft I just re-melt and adjust by adding more wax if too soft and more oil if too hard....

It's like rocket science without the rocket.... :wink:

 

[Black Hand]

Why is it so important to stiffen the lube - Why not just use it as it comes?