bear grease

[quiknot]

how many have used refined bear fat to lub their patches...and how did it effect your shooting / barrel residue?...recently got some that is as smooth and soft as any cream / lotion

 

[subknave]

Only thing I know about it is that it was mentioned as being used in some of the books and records I have read about early hunters and living. It was generally thought of as a good lubricant and preservative but I would think that like most animal fats it would smell after awhile.

 

[Skofnung]

I've used it a few times as patch lube, and yes it does work well. I also use it for other things such as leather dressing (grease and oil) parts lube (oil) and whetstone lube (oil). I don't do much blackpowder shooting anymore so I mainly use it for leather work.

Yes it smells kinda strong, but it works well and is traditional. I've been using it for so long that I find the smell to be rather comforting. It's not much worse than whale oil.

My father and a friend of his rendered a black bear years ago (I think I was 14 or 15 at the time) and I got two mason jars of oil. I'm 27 now and I've only used 3/4 of the first jar. A little goes a long way.

 

[oneshooter]

subknave,
The Longhunters swore on bear grease and whale oil. Yes it smelled after awhile, but so did those cleaning patches you peed on to clean your barrel when there was no other water available. And then put back in your bag, to be washed out and used again!! And you started to smell a little ripe after several monthes in the boonies! Times were diffrent, and the attitude was WAY diffrent then.

Oneshooter
Livin in Texas

 

[Mercerlake]

I have a large quantity of rendered bear grease and use it as patch lube, works fine. If the weather is hot it can be made more solid by adding bee's wax. If you just wick up enough grease to barely saturate the patch the wax would not be needed.
Bear grease mixed 50/50 with bee's wax makes a great lube for slugs.