What's in a Lube (for sizing brass)

[Shadow 7D]

What's the difference between the liquid wrench (or what ever I got in the toolbox) PAM, whatever I got in the cleaning kit (some form of gun butter, grease or oil) and all the fancy schmancy reloading lubes?

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I wouldn't want something petroleum based for fear of it fouling primers.

 

[Shadow 7D]

what what is Imprerial wax or many of the other resizing lubes, and don't many reloaders clean the brass after it's been deprimed and sized?

 

[FROGO207]

What is in a lube that works WELL for sizing brass would have the properties that would not hurt the primer/propellant years later after exposure and also make the brass case slide into/out of the die without sticking or galling. I use pure lanolin mixed with isopropyl alcohol mostly and for other hard jobs Imperial sizing wax. Most of the lubes use a mixture of lanolin and bees wax with other things like silicone----all these things are not damaging to primer/propellant. What ever you use it should be sticky/slippery on the brass when it is pressed in the die. I have tried wax from a toilet bowl seal, mustache/hair wax, silicone spray, STP, shey butter, Vaseline, axle grease, WD-40, neatsfoot oil, car paste wax, NU-Finish, Pam, and a host of others. Yes they all worked somewhat but some were really hard to remove after the resizing step or were as stated detrimental to the load. The reloading lubes are optimized for a particular use for a reason. After some investigation use what you will and live with your choice it's that simple.

 

[ranger335v]

"What's the difference between the liquid wrench ... and all the fancy schmancy reloading lubes?"

Film strength.

 

[Ky Larry]

I use Hornady Unique Case Lube because it's cheap. However, I've used all the major case lubes and a lot of the stuff mentioned above. Kiwi Mink Oil leather water proffer works as well as anything else I've tried. I lube the inside of the case neck of bottle neck cases so I always tumble my deprimed cases for 30 minutes or so.

 

[mdi]

Film strength (thanks ranger 355v) and viscosity. The lube shouldn't bee too thick (easily forms dents) or not strong enough to stay in place during sizing (stuck cases). I use Mink Oil Boot Dressing (I believe the lanolin is the important ingredient) and I've read of fellers using pure lanolin. Also clean-up is a consideration. I'd hate to try to clean some brass lubed with STP...

 

[ranger335v]

'I'd hate to try to clean some brass lubed with STP...'

When I started most - maybe all - commercial case lubes were STP sold in small bottles for a large markup. I sized and cleaned cases with a clean cloth moistened with paint thinner. It worked but it was still a mess to deal with. I'd been loading about 15 years when Lee offered their white lube in a tooth paste tube (a soap); I tossed my old messy lube pad and have never used any petroleum product again. Then I tried Imperial and haven't looked back, works great, easy to wipe off cases and my fingers clean with a paper towel.

About fifteen years ago I experimented with many cse lube substitutes and can say that the following work quite well: Mink Oil and Snow-Proof/Sno-Seal boot treatments, Neutral shoe wax (colors work too but stains fingers), paste floor waxes, KY Jelly, nursing momma's nipple creams, milk cow Bag Balms, Chapstick, some lipsticks (messy tho), most bar and some liquid hand soaps, toilet bowl sealing wax rings, sticks of auto door latch lubes, castor oil, lanolin, Star-Brite's teflon trailer hitch ball lube and others I can't even remember now.

All meaning there is no great value to any "fancy schmancy reloading lubes" sold for the purpose. But, if you use the wrong kind of stuff or fail to cover the cases propely you will immediately learn why there's such a good market for stuck case remover tools.

 

[jaguarxk120]

During the drawing process of making brass case's, I wonder how many times the brass is cleaned/washed, after all drawing the brass takes much more pressure than a simple resizing.

I have no problem washing my case's after resizing or any process that puts foreign material into the case (tumbling media).

So whats the big problem with cleaning case's after resizing???

 

[Canuck-IL]

Haven't seen wire-pull lube mentioned yet - cheap, works well, cleans easily, lasts forever.
/Bryan

 

[Shadow 7D]

Um, are you sure on the wire pull lube
what I found was 95+ water, dries, some complained of rusting

 

[ranydl]

I use a Very thin film of chain saw bar oil. It is so effective that you can just lube every 4th case if you want. Cheap and easy to find.

 

[1SOW]

To make lots of straight wall pistol cases easier to size and deprime, I use water soluable wax mixed about 30+ to one with rubbing alcohol. The water soluable wax is LEE Case Lube.

I put the mix in a small finger pump "Plant Mister". I lay out 50-100 cases "flat" and give them two quick pumps of the sprayer from above--none in the case mouth. The water-alcohol very fine spray dries fast. They are only sprayed on one side, but every case goes in the die differently. Handle pull force is decreased noticeably.

 

[traderpats]

I've found the homemade alcohol / lanolin lube works extremely well and it's all I use anymore. The "formula" can be tweaked if need be but basically it's 99% isopropyl alcohol and anhydrous liquid lanolin. Usually both can be found in farm supply / health food stores.

Mix in about a 10:1 ratio of alcohol to lanolin. Seems like it simply stays in suspension and is very slick. Haven't stuck a case yet with it. Buy right and it's cheap and will last...

 

[mdi]

Some report that Lee's case lube is the same as wire pull lube. As for cleaning STP; dip a screwdriver in it and try to get it all off, you'll see why I don't like STP for lube...

 

[jwrowland77]

+1 on the mink oil. I've only used Hornady one shot and mink oil. I liked the mink oil a lot more than the Hornady one shot spray.

 

[DeadFlies]

My first attempt at resizing/depriming rifles cases was just the other day with 250 pieces of 30-30 brass. Mink oil seemed to work great. You can apply it quickly, it's available everywhere and it smells nice too. Like most other good case lubes it contains lanolin and is devoid of petroleum products.

I'm sold on it; besides, I have a full tin which should last well into the next millennium.

 

[ranger335v]

Haven't seen wire-pull lube mentioned yet - cheap, works well, cleans easily, lasts forever. /Bryan

Actually, you have; wire pulling lube is simply a thick liquid soap...as is Lee's white stuff in a toothpaste tube.

The water in a liquid soap 'causes' rust only if the dies are put away wet. Once the soap dies the water is gone. Dry soap harms nothing.

"Mink Oil" has very little oil and what it has isn't mink; it's mostly a mixture of a hard wax and lanolin.

 

[1SOW]

ranger, maybe your talking about another product; BUT LEE Resizing Lubricant is "Non-Stick Water Soluble Wax-Base Lubricant".
Unlike oil, it also prevents dented cases when dry.

 

[wulf415]

I've used plain wax from the grocer's canning section for over 40 years for straight wall pistol cases, I just roll the side of every other case's mouth end before sizing and buff off any residue with a little naphtha on a clean cotton cloth. works for me. for bottle neck cases, Lee case lube, the lube that came with my press was just too messy.

Automotive anti-seize, graphite and PTFE engine additives have been tried by reloaders I know, aluminum base antiseize and graphite based oil additives stain everything they come into contact with, leave them in the garage. the PTFE was just engine oil with Teflon (R) added, also a reject.


Some good tips on here, never thought of using shoe dubbing as lube.


P.S. Cooking sprays are just vegetable oil with lecithin added as an emulsifier along with silicone oil, flavorings and in some brands, plain old water.

 

[Slamfire]

Haven't seen wire-pull lube mentioned yet - cheap, works well, cleans easily, lasts forever.

I have stuck cases with that stuff.

Stick to Mink Oil or Imperial Sizing wax. I can't tell the difference and they both work great.

 

[ranger335v]

ranger, maybe your talking about another product; BUT LEE Resizing Lubricant is "Non-Stick Water Soluble Wax-Base Lubricant".

It's been years since I bought any of Lee's lube so I accept what you say they say but "water soluble" and "wax" are mutually exclusive terms to me. I can belive they have emusified crystaline wax within the soap tho. ??

I only used wire pulling lube/soap (and KY Jelly) when it was wet, Both work but I sure don't recommend either one! Pam stuff works too but goodness, what a mess it makes!

 

[kennedy]

I take the lees lube, mix with water, pour into a baggie, pour in brass, seal baggie and toss around, pour out brass onto newspaper and let dry, seal up baggie and reuse on the next batch

 

[1SOW]

It's been years since I bought any of Lee's lube so I accept what you say they say but "water soluble" and "wax" are mutually exclusive terms to me

Google it. There are many forms of W.S. Wax.
It's used as an industrial lubricant and for making casting forms for two examples.
There is water soluble OIL in your car radiator. I was always a little skeptical of that one.