MoreIsLess
Member
What is the best way to clean dies, specifically, the de-capping die. Can you soak them in something?
Cleaning dies
- Thread starter MoreIsLess
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I keep a "soak" on my bench in a covered plastic coffee can. It's mineral spirits, Marvel's Mystery Oil, and Kroil; about 60-30-10. I can drop my dies in there and soak for a day or two and it softens old lube, oil, case lube, etc. and if necessary I just run a bore brush throug once or twice. Normally, I just wipe the die off and store it. Also keeps rust off.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
I use the same pistol cleaning rod, brushes, patches and solvent I use to clean guns.
rc
rc
LiveLife
Member
+1. I use Hoppe's #9 solvent.rcmodel said:
After I clean the inside of the dies and wipe dry, to clean/polish the exterior of the dies (and remove any surface rust), I take apart my dies and toss them in the vibratory tumbler with fine grit walnut media treated with NuFinish. The fine grit walnut media does a great job of cleaning the threads and checkered parts of the dies.
I tumble for 30 minutes to one hour in Cabela's (Berry's 400) tumbler and dies come out clean and shiny. The residual coating of NuFinish on the surface keeps rust from forming for 6 months to 1 year+.
ranger335v
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Well, cleaning dies sure isn't rocket science so we use many methods. I find spraying some of Walmarts cheep carborator cleaner into the die and following that with a spritz of the same brand of light oil to be sufficent for most things.
If I want to do better I remove the guts and clean inside with a swab made of a pencil wrapped with toilet tissue and use a tooth brush on the outside.
If I want to do better I remove the guts and clean inside with a swab made of a pencil wrapped with toilet tissue and use a tooth brush on the outside.
GarySTL
Member
Hornadys one shot cleaner/lube. That's what hornady said I'd time use when I got my first press.
tightgroup tiger
Member
I hose them out with CRC degreaser and when they are dry put the hoppes 9to them, ramrod, patch, same as posters above.
jack44
Member
I either use Ballistol or if theres alot of lead in the seater die I soak overnight in tranny fluid.
FROGO207
Member
One on here ^^ BDS takes his dies apart and runs them through his tumbler with walnut media. I tried it overnight and it did a really good job getting the rust/crud off the two sets of dies (different times) I tried. I will do it again for sure. It made them look like new dies.
Hondo 60
Member
+2 - no need to reinvent the wheel.
Just some Hoppe's # 9 & a bore brush.
(once in a GREAT while - no need to over do it either.)
ArchAngelCD
Member.
I use whatever cleaner I'm using at the time for my guns on the dies when they need cleaning. Same cleaning tools too.
OP
OP
MoreIsLess
Member
Is that the same brake clean product made by CRC
Bush Pilot
Member
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Me too. I don't have the time to clean them at home and if I clip the coupons from the paper it isn't overly expensive.
LiveLife
Member
Dropping them in the tumbler to clean/polish is almost like dropping the dies off at the "Die Cleaners" ...Otto said:
Drop them off in the tumbler, go have lunch/dinner and presto, they come out clean and shiny.
beatledog7
Member
I use whatever gun solvent/preservative is on hand when a die needs cleaning. Take the die apart, spray it down, swab it out, wipe it off.
After I load any kind of bullet with an exposed lead nose (which includes a pure lead bullet, of course), I clean the seating die--there's no way it doesn't need it after that, and it's already in my hand, so that's the time.
After I load any kind of bullet with an exposed lead nose (which includes a pure lead bullet, of course), I clean the seating die--there's no way it doesn't need it after that, and it's already in my hand, so that's the time.
LOL - I really like your sense of hummor - LOL.
I use the small sonic cleaner from Harbor Freight, bought it for cleaning cases, not very good too small a motor, but it works great on dies and gun parts with water and dish soap. Two to three cycles and they are clean to go , about 5 to 10 min is all it takes.
Jim
medalguy
Member
I just use mineral spirits and Q-tips, maybe a toohbrush if there's a lot of caked-on residue from depriming a lot of brass. I generally try toclean the dies after a day's worth of depriming, so nothing sits on the dies for any length of time.
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