Homemade Sizing Lube

[Bullard4075]

In another thread sizing lubes were discussed (briefly ) but I'd like to return to the subject
from a slightly different direction.
I have been using RCBS Case Slick (and it works great) but am running out. I've tried the Dillon lube but stuck three cases
(first time in 40 some years of loading) , why I don't know as I used it just like the RCBS lube.
Reading labels I noticed Lanolin in the mix.
Early 70's I went to a drug store and for a dollar -yes a dollar- the druggst filled a 4oz screwtop
jar with Anhydrous Lanolin . I used that for many years and still have half the jar.
But using it is real slow , rubbing it on each case by hand (actually finger) one at a time.
Imperial Die Wax is the same slow process.
I'm going to buy more of the RCBS stuff but I'm a tinkerer at heart

Now for the question: I put a marble size bit of the Anhydrous Lanolin in a 5 oz or so spray bottle
filled it with 90% Isopropyl Alcohol (rubbing alcohol) . Shake. Shake. Shake........Alot.
Will the Lanolin ever dissolve in the alcohol ? Hasn't yet.

I just know some of you guys are bored and looking for a challenge.

[3leggedturtle]

Went to Dollar tree and bought a big jug of hand lotion for a $1 turns out it has lanolin in it, works great for resizing and lasts forever comes off with lighter fluid. Not needed but do it any way out of habit. Also reformed 444M cases to 35 and 30 cal wildcats with 0 losses or stuck cases.

[Bill_Rights]

No. Lanolin (wool fat) is a naturally occurring wax from, you guessed it, sheep's wool of some breeds. It is not like candle wax, however, which is almost pure long-chain hydrocarbons. Lanolin does have some oxygen in it in the form of esters and alcohols, but they all have very long hydrocarbon chains on them.

Short answer #1 is, it might dissolve in paint thinner (mineral spirits), turpentine or (God forbid! 'cause you gonna try it --> GO OUTDOORS) gasoline. (Don't use turpentine, 'cause it has some heavier resins in it that will leave a sticky residue after the low molecular weight stuff evaporates.)

Better, longer answer #2 is, this kind of molecule is the PERFECT thing to make a water emulsion of. Whenever you see lanolin as an ingredient in hand cremes, shave cremes, etc., it is in this emulsion form. The alcohol ends and ester linkages on the lanolin molecules will allow micelles (tiny spheres) of the lanolin to wet and hang nicely in water, with all the insoluable hydrocarbon chains interior to the droplet. You spray it on, the water evaporates, the droplets merge and spread to a nice thin film. Perfect. AND NOTHING CATCHES FIRE.

Strangely enough, water used like this will not rust your equipment, as long as you let it evaporate quickly (a few hours) and every surface the emulsion (water) touched is allowed to get coated with the lanolin left behind.

Trouble is, I don't know how to tell you to make an emulsion starting from a block of wax. I don't think its a home project.

Search around and order some lanolin emulsion (not anhydrous), as pure as you can get it - no perfumes, etc. If it too thick to spray, you might be able to cut the emulsion with more water, using a blender on ultra-blur setting.

[Grizz]

I use unique's case lube which seems to me mostly lanolin. yup, I dab it on one case at a time.

There's another more liquid product that is thinnable called Fluid Film. It's manufactured by Eureka Chemical Company in San Francisco. It seems to be a dissolved lanolin. I use it as a lube mostly, and wipe down the exterior of guns with it. I think you could do a little search and find out if it's sprayable. I don't think it contains water.

Grizz

[AmBraCol]

Lanolin is one of the main ingredients in my rust preventative/lube. About an ounce of anhydrous lanolin dissolved in a couple of ounces of ATF. The secret to dissolving the lanolin is to heat the liquid into which it's going to be dissolved. So try heating a bit of water and see if that lanolin won't melt into it nice and easy. I don't know that it will, not being a chemist or anything like one, but it'd be worth a try. I heat the ATF in a jar inside a pan of water so I know that the temp at which the water boils at 4,700 feet above sea level is hot enough to get the lanolin to dissolve into the ATF. My guess is that it would do the same in water, at which point you'd have a sprayable solution.

[Cliff]

A little different approach I have used is to use "Wire Pulling Lube" This is the same stuff as Lee Case Lube. Lee buys it in 50 gallon drums transfers it to the little plastic tubes. This stuff is water soluable if mixed around 10 parts water to one part lube, leaves a waxy coating when it dries. I buy the wire pulling lube in quart sized containers,measure it out, make a proper mix with water and immerse the cases, agitate, pour the mix and cases through a screen, saving the mix and separting out the cases. Once the cases are dry the cases then go through the loading process. I normally use this method when I have a bunch of cases to do, such as 1,000 30-30 cases. Never have had a stuck case and no clean up required to remove remaining lube on the cases. Just a thought. Check with an electrical supply store otherwise they want to sell you a 5 gallon bucket of the stuff. Some of the slickest stuff I have found. It is a wax based product. I imagine you could use it in a spray bottle but you have to let it dry before processing the brass in either case. Just a different approach. Good Luck.

[Modoc ED]

A little different approach I have used is to use "Wire Pulling Lube" This is the same stuff as Lee Case Lube. Lee buys it in 50 gallon drums transfers it to the little plastic tubes. This stuff is water soluable if mixed around 10 parts water to one part lube, leaves a waxy coating when it dries. I buy the wire pulling lube in quart sized containers,measure it out, make a proper mix with water and immerse the cases, agitate, pour the mix and cases through a screen, saving the mix and separting out the cases. Once the cases are dry the cases then go through the loading process. I normally use this method when I have a bunch of cases to do, such as 1,000 30-30 cases. Never have had a stuck case and no clean up required to remove remaining lube on the cases. Just a thought. Check with an electrical supply store otherwise they want to sell you a 5 gallon bucket of the stuff. Some of the slickest stuff I have found. It is a wax based product. I imagine you could use it in a spray bottle but you have to let it dry before processing the brass in either case. Just a different approach. Good Luck.

Make that 20 parts water to 1 part lube and you can put it in a spray bottle and use it that way. Very effective and the 20 to 1 mixture provides plenty of lubricity.

[TedH]

The RCBS case lube is good stuff. It's all I've used for years and see no reason to switch. One little bottle goes a long way if your using the RCBS case lube pad.

[Rusty]

I generally use carbide pistol dies or only neck size so I don't lube often. A shop teacher I had in high school told me to go to the stationary store and get a brand new ink pad. Put one drop of STP oil treatment on each side of it and I'd be good to go.

Thank you Mr. Davis where ever you are.

[Old Time Hunter]

Lanolin...maybe that's why those free little bottles of hand cream they give out free at motels works so good as a case lube....darn I'm cheap!

[Nazgul]

I googled lanolin, bought a 6oz. bottle for little, mix it with 99% isopropyl alcohol, about 1 lanolin to 10 acohol. Shake and spray. Dries fast, works well. The bottle looks to last about 10,000 cases at least.

[Paladin]

On this thought, does anyone know how to get bacon fat to stay on bullets that are not hollow points? I have to go back to work.

[Grizz]

On this thought, does anyone know how to get bacon fat to stay on bullets that are not hollow points? I have to go back to work.

I was thinking about that. I think we should always list pig fat as one of our ingredients, whether it is or isn't.

That's my plan, a little pig fat to smooth out the sheep fat. Then a spray on bacon scent. It'll get the bears roused if nothing else.

Grizz

[KirkD]

I mix lanolin and castor oil (60:40). This makes a light paste. I then take a popsicle stick and spread a gob on a piece of cloth like I'm buttering a slice of bread. I then wipe each case in one smooth, twisting motion. After sizing, I then wipe it off with a clean rag.

[3leggedturtle]

Lanolin...maybe that's why those free little bottles of hand cream they give out free at motels works so good as a case lube....darn I'm cheap!

My bro is a pilot and he had about 10 pounds of those little jand lotion bottles from hotels when he would lay over, he offered them and i didnt take them, always had nagging/lingering thought that i should have Todd