RCBS Case Slick and Wet Tumbling - greenish gray coated cases.

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IMtheNRA

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Rifle cases are coming out coated with a greenish gray waxy layer after wet tumbling with my usual mix of Lemishine, Dawn, and hot water. This reminds me a lot of the problem I had after experimenting with a home-made lanolin lube. I solved that problem by tumbling in rubbing alcohol, which dissolved the leftover lanolin, then throwing away my unused lanolin solution.

Now I'm experiencing a similar problem after using Case Slick. It seems that RCBS Case Slick is a lanolin solution, so wet tumbling will not be effective in removing this lube unless I tumble with rubbing alcohol, which is a smelly, messy, and expensive way of doing it.

If any of you successfully wet tumble after using RCBS Case Slick, please share your procedure.
 
More Dawn? Dishwashing liquid is made to cut grease.
Haven't had an issue with Frankord lanolin lube using car wash and wax and citric acid but I always give it a generous dollup o wash and wax.
 
Dudedog, I tried a ton of Dawn, but it didn't do any good. Turns out, lanolin is a wax...

I've been tumbling my resized cases with rubbing alcohol, but that's not a good long term solution.
 
Suggested for cleaning sheeps wool
1. Soak the Wool
Fill up the sink or washer with HOT water and dish soap. The amount of soap depends on your fleece, but a few squirts per bagful is just fine. Swish the water and soap a bit to get it mixed, but only before you add the wool.
Wearing rubber gloves to protect your hands and arms, gently place a mesh bag or two of wool into the water. Hold them under the water without moving them around, until the wool is fully wet.
2. Let it Sit
Let the wool sit for about 30 minutes; the water will have cooled somewhat, but it should still be warm. If you let the wool sit in water that cools all the way, the lanolin will just re-deposit onto the fiber. The water will become quite dark and dirty!
3. Drain and Repeat
Drain the dirty water and refill with more hot water and another couple squirts of dish soap. Don’t let water run directly onto the wool! If you’re using a sink, you can push the mesh bags off to the side while you add more water, but with a washing machine you may need to gently lift the bags out into a washtub while you refill.
Place the bags back into the water and soak again. Depending on how dirty your fleece is, you might want to repeat steps 3 and 4.

Might or might not be helpful
 
Life is so much simpler if you use a water based lube.

soak your fouled brass in mineral spirits, alcohol or some other such solvent. Then wash it with dish sop.
Throw out the RCBS case lube, Buy some Lee Lube, or Wire Pulling lube at Home Depot, dilute it with water or rubbing alcohol .Spritz it on.

JMO

But then we already went through this.

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ng-my-wet-tumbler.844915/page-3#post-10997701
 
Last edited:
For what its worth too much lemishine or too much time with lemishine can turn cases green. A lot of people find out the hard way (myself included). I went crazy trying to find out why mine did it when I accidently left them tumbling for 3.5 hours. They came out looking like dark greenish steel cases. Not once but twice.
 
Dudedog said:
Suggested for cleaning sheeps wool
1. Soak the Wool
Fill up the sink or washer with HOT water and dish soap. The amount of soap depends on your fleece, but a few squirts per bagful is just fine. Swish the water and soap a bit to get it mixed, but only before you add the wool.
Wearing rubber gloves to protect your hands and arms, gently place a mesh bag or two of wool into the water. Hold them under the water without moving them around, until the wool is fully wet.
2. Let it Sit
Let the wool sit for about 30 minutes; the water will have cooled somewhat, but it should still be warm. If you let the wool sit in water that cools all the way, the lanolin will just re-deposit onto the fiber. The water will become quite dark and dirty!
3. Drain and Repeat
Drain the dirty water and refill with more hot water and another couple squirts of dish soap. Don’t let water run directly onto the wool! If you’re using a sink, you can push the mesh bags off to the side while you add more water, but with a washing machine you may need to gently lift the bags out into a washtub while you refill.
Place the bags back into the water and soak again. Depending on how dirty your fleece is, you might want to repeat steps 3 and 4.

Might or might not be helpful
Click to expand...

The part you highlighted is exactly the biggest issue. The water you tumble in has to be almost boiling hot when you start to remove the lanolin. The Dawn dish soap does help it break down as well. Lemishine doesnt remove lanolin, but does affect the PH of the water, which in turn can "bleach" the cases almost white if you use too much.

Other considerations with lanolin:
Are you using too much? It honestly doesnt take alot to size even the most stubborn rifle cases, excepting maybe LC 308 brass that was shot from an MG. Or possibly case forming, which you may want to try a different lube anyway.
Is it too thick, as in too lanolin per ounce of alcohol? I ran 12-1 for a long time, seen these issues too. Switched to 18-1, and they went away.
 
Rule3 said:
Life is so much simpler if you use a water based lube.

soak your fouled brass in mineral spirits, alcohol or some other such solvent. Then wash it with dish sop.
Throw out the RCBS case lube, Buy some Lee Lube, or Wire Pulling lube at Home Depot, dilute it with water or rubbing alcohol .Spritz it on.

JMO

But then we already went through this.

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ng-my-wet-tumbler.844915/page-3#post-10997701
Click to expand...

You have raised some interest from me on this!
I would prefer to dilute in alcohol as that will flash off. What is the ratio of lube to alcohol? Does the lube separate out from the alcohol?
 
Kaldor said:
You have raised some interest from me on this!
I would prefer to dilute in alcohol as that will flash off. What is the ratio of lube to alcohol? Does the lube separate out from the alcohol?
Click to expand...

LEE says 10:1 (I think) but I just eyeball it. Yes, it separates out, but a few shakes and it is all good. I just use regular 70% alcohol
I spritz all brass and don't wipe it off.

Shaken not stirred, not heated.:)
 
Rule3 said:
LEE says 10:1 (I think) but I just eyeball it. Yes, it separates out, but a few shakes and it is all good. I just use regular 70% alcohol
I spritz all brass and don't wipe it off.

Shaken not stirred, not heated.:)
Click to expand...

I would mix with 99% iso alcohol. Ill have to buy a tube and give it a shot. Only out a few bucks.

Ill keep my pinky up, but I prefer my whiskey on the rocks :)
 
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