alanwk
Member
What do you use to clean your dies? Do you disassemble or use a spray of some kind?
Cleaning dies
- Thread starter alanwk
- Start date
BIZERKO666
Member
I clean mine like I would clean a firearm. Just NO metal brushes. Nylon brush, little Hoppes, follow up with a few patches.
.38 Special
Member
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I almost never do, as I rarely see the need. If they are getting gunky for some reason, I generally will take them apart and just push a patch or paper towel through, wipe off any other bits that need it, and then reassemble.
JohnMc
Member
What BIZERKO666 and murf said.
Plus: I only clean occasionally. I fully disassemble them to answer that part of your question. If I know they won't be used for a while, it's mainly to get a good coating of something to prevent rust. I like Hornady's One Shot gun cleaner for that, though I'll use whatever's handy if it's out. WD-40's specialist line has a dry lube that's OK and available at Home Depot.
I also clean when the OCD kicks in. YMMV.
take apart enough to clean working parts. I just use a patch and any gun solvenet/cleaner. dry with dry patches, wipe with lightly oiled patch just like a firearm. I don't find they carry much residue to clean off, but it is worth touching them up so they are ready to go for next time IMHO.
Zendude
Member
I just use a dry q-tip without any kind of solvent.
The Glockodile
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Just a wipe - down with shop towels wrapped around a dowel or something similar.
On a similar note - would it be better to leave wax on the dies?
Seems to protect them against surface rust.
On a similar note - would it be better to leave wax on the dies?
Seems to protect them against surface rust.
Blue68f100
Member
Yes.
I always apply Imperial Sizing Wax once I've cleaned them up. That way they are ready to go the next time you use them.
CQB45ACP
Member
Redding saId in an email to clean then wax their crimp die. Don‘t they make Imperial? Now I know why they suggested it.
AJC1
Member
I don't clean dies often but I soak them in clean mineral spirits. If there is any gunk left a few choose of chlorinated break cleaner removes everything. I use a stainless brush to clean any external rust, and only a brass brush on the inside. Never ever wet tumble a die with pins, it's trash after... budy ruined 2 sets that way.
GeoDudeFlorida
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- Dec 1, 2020
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Dish soap and hot water. Fully disassembled. About once every five or six years for the sets that almost exclusively see lubed cast.
CQB45ACP
Member
Even less frequently but more thoroughly than me. I clean mine about every other time there is a new tread on THR ( and for once I’m not joking).
I use jumbo barrel cleaning q-tips with balesterol (sp?) probably and then some wax. Then I just forget until next thread.
Nature Boy
Member
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- Apr 21, 2015
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- 8,256
I use brake cleaner
LiveLife
Member
A bit caustic but oh man, does it do a good job on really gunky gun for fast blast cleaning like Gun Scrubber - https://cleangunguide.com/gun-scrubber-vs-brake-cleaner/
This is what I have done the past 30 years. I noticed Hoppes #9 does a really good job removing waxy lube residue from dies.
Living at the coast with salt spray, WD-40 Specialist that's certified for salt-water humidity for one year gets sprayed on everything that could rust, including all reloading equipment and even stainless steel gun parts after cleaning with Hoppes #9 and wipe down.
Going on 9 years, no more rusting gun/reloading equipment parts. Great stuff - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/lubrication-cleaning-maintenance.925655/#post-12776120
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splattergun
Member
Dies don't need to be cleaned like your 1911 racegun. KISS. Just a mild solvent (like brake cleaner) and a light oil is all that's necessary. I'm more concerned about rust.
But frankly, I don't remember the last time I cleaned any dies.
But frankly, I don't remember the last time I cleaned any dies.
J-Bar
Member
The only dies that need cleaning on my Dillon 550 are the seating and crimping dies, when enough lube accumulates to affect seating depth. The dies are disassembled easily. I soak them in a bowl of mineral spirits for a couple of hours, wipe them off, and reassemble. Ta-Da!
Don't make it harder than you have to.
Don't make it harder than you have to.
What?
Clean my dies?
It seems a strange question since this is something I do about once a decade. I generally clean them like I would a rifle (with the additional step of cleaning out the vent hole on bottleneck cartridges) and then return them to service.
Clean my dies?
It seems a strange question since this is something I do about once a decade. I generally clean them like I would a rifle (with the additional step of cleaning out the vent hole on bottleneck cartridges) and then return them to service.
