Die Cleaning?

[kalielkslayer]

Just looking for ideas to clean a couple of old dies.

I was thinking about brake cleaner with them still together? Or taking them apart and putting them in the dish washer?

I’ve used both methods for trigger assemblies and it worked well.

But I’m sure someone out there has the “go to” method.

 

[George P]

I never put anything in with my food dishware that might be contaminated with lead or other residue

 

[nettlle]

M-Pro7 cleaner works good. Simple Green Max works good. Kroil works good.

I think the dishwasher is a bad idea. Lead and primer residue in the dishwasher may make the wife a bit grumpy.

 

[westernrover]

Clean them just like a firearm with your choice gun cleaner. Brake parts cleaner is fine for stripping oil and grease. Either to clean them or once they're clean, my preference is to clean and coat them with Hornady One Shot Cleaner and Lube (actually DynaGlide Plus made by Multi-Marketing Corporation (an awful choice of name which always makes me think of multi-level marketing scams)). This is a polymer-based spray with hexane carrier. It has proven to be a good rust preventative and to offer some lubricity without oiliness and without attracting dust or grime. If you don't have One-Shot/Dyna-glide, there's nothing wrong about spraying it with RemOil or Ballistol and just wiping off the excess oiliness.

 

[NMexJim]

I use a lot of Rem Oil for cleaning - not lubrication though. Cleans pretty well, is cheap, and leaves a thin film. CLP, Ballisol, Krolls, Hoppes #9 on my shelf as well. Got One Shot too for reloader.

It's good to have some of this in aresoil to get in those hard places like dies.You can shake out Rem Oil easily.

I have military grade solvent as well, but I oil after. Wouldn't be without Simple Green and a brush, but that too I oil after.

 

[kalielkslayer]

Nobody likes the dishwasher idea, huh.

I have a set of RCBS .338 dies that I got in 1989. They’ve never been cleaned. I used RCBS lube on the cases for years. (I’m a Hornady 1 shot fan now) They’ve loaded over 1,000 rounds. That sizing die is my primary concern.

Guess I’ll take it apart, use hot water/Dawn/toothbrush and scrub it, put it in the oven at 150 for an hour, then lightly oil it with Rem oil.

Reason I asked was I tumbled some .338 brass today and thought, “I don’t want to put this clean brass in a dirty die.” Before that, I never gave it any thought.

 

[kalielkslayer]

I never put anything in with my food dishware that might be contaminated with lead or other residue

I always ran the dishwasher empty except the trigger assembly.

If I was concerned, I could do another wash empty, but I never did.

 

[Bcwitt]

If you load lead bullets, be sure to clean the wax out of the seater die. It can build up & seat the bullet deeper.

 

[Eugen]

A blast of Hornady One Shot (cleaner & luber) keeps my dies clean and working smoothly. If the dies are really filthy and grimy, I have used brake cleaner with a small amount of any type gun lube.

Using Hornady One Shot is quicker and easier, and less messy.

 

[FROGO207]

I take mine apart and clean all the pieces in SS pins just like they were brass. Dry in the oven at 200 degrees. Then spray them down inside and out with the lanolin mix I use to lube my brass. Let dry and wipe. Reassemble.

 

[WeekendReloader]

I take them apart and clean them with whatever flavor of gun cleaner I have at the moment. Right now it is Powder Blast and Breakfree CPL. This and some Q-tips and paper towels gets the job done.

 

[JFrank]

My flavor is carb or brake cleaner than light oil

 

[AJC1]

Disassemble and soak in mineral spirits. A light scrubbing with brass brush as required. Easy day.

 

[dcloco]

Brake cleaner leaves a residue.

Carb cleaner, scrub, spray again, push a good paper towel thru the disassembled die.

 

[Blue68f100]

I use the same gun solvent I use to clean my guns, Ed's Red. But only when necessary. Then I apply a light coat of Imperial Sizing Wax as a rust preventive. The dies that gets cleaned the most are seating die used to seat lead bullets, dealing with lube/wax removal.

 

[kalielkslayer]

I take mine apart and clean all the pieces in SS pins just like they were brass. Dry in the oven at 200 degrees. Then spray them down inside and out with the lanolin mix I use to lube my brass. Let dry and wipe. Reassemble.

That actually was one of my options but I forgot to put it in the original post.


Many said the seating die using lead bullets is the worst. I’ve never used unplated lead bullets, but I have a couple boxes so that may be in my future. My concern is my sizing die for .338, accumulation of lube after 1,000+ rounds loaded.

Thanks everyone for the input.

 

[LightninST]

Use a nylon brush , wipe with light oil or silicone works for me .

 

[Armorer 101]

That is what they make premium starter fluid for, it is ether. It leaves no residue and dissolves carbon, oil, grease and wax buildup, instantly. You need to oil or lube with a Q tip afterwards. You can buy big cans cheap at the auto parts store. Oh, If a dog gets after you, spray in face, it sulls a vicious dog instantly. Use it to clean your gas gun pistons.

 

[entropy]

Just looking for ideas to clean a couple of old dies.

I was thinking about brake cleaner with them still together? Or taking them apart and putting them in the dish washer?

I’ve used both methods for trigger assemblies and it worked well.

But I’m sure someone out there has the “go to” method.

I take them apart and spray them with brake cleaner. Q-Tips, and just a Hint of Slip2000EWL. I had some of my dies rust when my basement flooded some years ago, I took them apart, ran them in my case vibrator for a day, then re-lubed them. They look crappy, but still work fine. (I keep them as spares.)

 

[FROGO207]

Use something to remove the big chunks like Q-tips and carb cleaner or such then clean as usual. Make sure the parts don't get mixed up, do one die at a time if necessary. Take pictures of the parts layed out as they came apart if you need to. This is not brain surgery but how parts go together to make a complex tool.

 

[kalielkslayer]

Use something to remove the big chunks like Q-tips and carb cleaner or such then clean as usual. Make sure the parts don't get mixed up, do one die at a time if necessary. Take pictures of the parts layed out as they came apart if you need to. This is not brain surgery but how parts go together to make a complex tool.

Your comment identifies one of my concerns. I planned to only do one die at a time. Not one set, just one die. Once I tear something apart and put it back together a couple of times. I’m pretty good. But the first time I have a tendency to get something wrong.

 

[FROGO207]

A good camera and way to review the pictures is a failsafe to me. So much better than my so-so memory.

 

[NMexJim]

So, I have this friend that's always used brake cleaner because he's always got a bunch around. He buys a Browning auto with the cammo paint job or whatever it is, and he sprays her down good with the 'ol brake cleaner and all that paint comes right off! Then, he brings it out to the skeet range. Well, he hasn't lived that down yet - maybe in a couple decades.

 

[splattergun]

Nobody likes the dishwasher idea, huh.

No sir, I don't.
gun cleaner or brake cleaner followed by a light machine oil (gun oil or similar) to prevent rust.

 

[Random 8]

I use starting fluid with upper cylinder lubricant (outside) for dies, carburetor parts, trigger and bolt assemblies, pretty much anything with lots of little dinguses I don't wish to fully disassemble and thoroughly degrease. The UC lubricant provides a very thin anti-corrosion layer once the ether quickly dries off...and it's cheap.