Home made Lanolin based case lubes

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chas442

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If this has been covered I apologize.
I was attempting to mix some case lube using Now foods paste type pure lanolin dissolved in denatured alcohol. That didn't work to well.
I then attempted to mix now food liquid Lanolin, that is claimed to be water extracted, with denatured alcohol. It seems that it separates even after vigorously shaking the bottle and the lanolin sinks to the bottom.
Ratios were 12 to one.
I have seen that the mix should be made with Isopropyl alcohol. Is that were my problem lies or is the problem the lanolin I am using?

Any help will be greatly appreciated.
 
I mix mine 10 to 1 using Iso Heat (or equivalent) gas line antifreeze and Now liquid lanolin . The reason you use Isopropyl in the 95%+ range is it is less flammable than denatured or other liquids but still evaporates quickly. You also heat it gently (about 100*F) in a double boiler using an electric burner to keep it from catching fire as well when mixing. Heating it while mixing it keeps it suspended longer as well as allowing it to mix easier, also storing it in an airtight container after keeps it from absorbing moisture as it sits. After it sits a while it will separate a bit but shaking it usually works to mix it again.
 
I also made mine with the paste style lanolin, but I used the IsoHeat like FROGO recommended. I mixed mine in the spray bottle I planned to keep it in, and it took a while to mix. I ran the bottle under the hottest water I could get out of the tap, and that sped the process up. If I had to do it again I would have bought the liquid lanolin. It does separate some over time, especially if it has sat for a while between loading sessions, but a quick shake and we are back in business.
 
I have found that 95% isopropyl will allow the lanolin to separate, although it works fine if you heat it in the microwave for a minute and shake.

I have read that 99% isopropyl does not suffer from this minor inconvenience, and I will prove (or disprove) it after my current batch of 95% lube runs out.
 
The less water in the alcohol the better for mixing with lanolin (I've seen alcohol with as much as 23% water to some with 5% water, andt 1% is better). I tried the cheap 77% alcohol and the paste lanolin didn't mix, but the 99% and Heet mixed will...
 
1 oz. Liquid Lanolin (not paste or any other type) and 1 bottle (12 oz.) of HEET. As previously mentioned, you need 99% isopropyl, which is not readily available, and that is exactly what is in the red bottles of HEET.

Don
 
I use a similar recipe with excellent results. Need good quality alcohol at a high percentage. Get the lanolin on ebay.com
 
Can the paste lanolin in the tube e used as Sizing Wax? It is $8 a tube, not cheap. Just a thought. Seems like too much trouble to use it as spray lube.
 
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I am sure it can be used as sizing wax but be careful of using too much and getting lube dents. I find that the paste lanolin is much harder to remove after sizing though. The next time I need to mix a batch of spray lube I am going to try alcohol with wire pulling lube and see if it comes off the brass easier after.
 
Perhaps just buy a tube of LEE lube, Mix it with water or Iso alcohol Shake it up and be done with it. It;s cheap a tiny bit goes a long way.

It is water soluble you can mix it 10:1

It is the same as wire pulling lube which you can buy at Lowes or Homers and that amount would last several lifetimes.

Stay tuned for the best way to clean brass,:uhoh:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/482023/lee-case-sizing-lube-2-oz-tube
 
Does this mix have to be cleaned off? Does it create any problems with powder if not cleaned off?
 
Bang! said:
Does this mix have to be cleaned off? Does it create any problems with powder if not cleaned off?
Click to expand...

Which one? Lanolin or LEE?

I use a light spritz and do not take it off, You are not spraying inside the case, even if you di the LEE will not mess up powder once dry.

Heck I spray all my handgun brass even with carbide dies. 223/and 308 is a little bit more but when I done handling it there is little left.
 
Two question to those that use wire pulling lube. I see wire pulling lube and synthetic wire pulling lube. Will either work or does one work better than the other?

TIA
 
Amazon carries the pure Lanolin, the 99% alcohol and spray bottles - using a 16oz bottle of the 99% and 3 oz of the lanolin should net enough case lube to last a MIGHTY long time.
 
The Best Mix using Lanolin . Came from the 1937 Philip Sharp Book Complete Guide to hand loading .
4 OZ Paste Anhydrous Lanolin
2 OZ castor oil
1/2 OZ Needsfoot oil.
render the lanoilin In a Double boiler. add caster oil. and Needsfoot. Fill small bottle and Cools.. The Lanolin and The Caster Is very slippery . The Needsfoot. acts a release agent for Your die and when used sparingly prevents brass wrinkles. I have been Using This for forming 40 years
.
 
Does the 99% Iso and Lanolin need to be heated after being mixed, or can they just be mixed and shaken up at room temperature? Thanks-
 
Fatelvis said:
Does the 99% Iso and Lanolin need to be heated after being mixed, or can they just be mixed and shaken up at room temperature? Thanks-
Click to expand...

Why anyone would heat up alcohol (or any flammable substance)on the stove is beyond me. But I guess we play with powder and primers.:what:

Safety
Isopropyl alcohol vapor is denser than air and is flammable, with a flammability range of between 2 and 12.7% in air. It should be kept away from heat and open flame.[23] Isopropyl alcohol has been reported to form peroxides which may explode upon concentration.[24] Isopropyl alcohol is a skin irritant.[23]

#################################################
Case Sizing Lubricants

"One of the advantages of using sprayed on lanolin as a case lube is that, in the quantities used, any residual lube has no effect on powder or primers.


Spray Lube
The spray-on case lubes are probably the best thing to happen to reloading in years. You can make your own spray case sizing lube in bulk by mixing liquid lanolin and 99% isopropyl alcohol. (While you can (kind of) use 91% isopropyl alcohol, its higher water content causes the lanolin to settle out and it must be shaken frequently during use.


NOTE: The more common 70% isopropyl "rubbing alcohol" will not work at all as its water content is much to high, nor will
denatured alcohol. work. You need to use pure liquid lanolin as the fatty solids in anhydrous lanolin will settle out in the alcohol


Liquid lanolin, which is a refined lanolin oil with the solid fats removed (the reason why solid anhydrous lanolin doesn't work well in this application) is available from health food stores and sources specializing in ingredients for cosmetics. You want to get pure liquid lanolin without additives. Online sources include VitaGlo (http://www.vitaglo.com/7730.html) or try "Amazon.com" for other suppliers.


I just recently discovered that my local Safeway store carries 99 percent isopropyl in their drug/cosmetic isle for about $2.50 for a 16 ounce bottle. Ninety-nine percent isopropyl alcohol is also available from many large paint stores (used for some finishes), some electronics stores (it's used for cleaning electronics) or local industrial chemical suppliers.


A solution of 1 part liquid lanolin and 4 to 5 parts parts 99 percent isopropyl alcohol (4 oz of liquid lanolin to16 - 20 oz of isopropyl) works well. When mixing you may find that the lanolin mixes better if you warm both the alcohol and lanolin in a bath of warm water to about 105 - 110 degrees F before mixing. DO NOT WARM EITHER OF THEM OVER AN OPEN FLAME! Once the solutions are warm, pour together, mix thoroughly, allow the mix to cool (mix occasionally as it cools) and store in an air tight container to prevent water from being absorbed by the isopropyl.


For a spray bottle you can use an old commercial spray lube bottle or an old pump hair spray bottle that has been thoroughly cleaned. To apply the lube, spread the cases in a single layer on a clean surface like an oven tray (those disposable aluminum oven liner trays are great and prevent the wrath of your chef when it is discovered that the cookie trays were used) and lightly and evenly spray the cases. Allow the cases to sit for a couple of minutes, roll the cases around and lightly spray again. Wait until the alcohol has evaporated (about 5 minutes) and start sizing. Properly lubed cases will have a slightly greasy feel to them without feeling slimy.


Another neat idea for spraying the cases is to put them in a plastic bag, spray, and then mix the cases, dump out on some newspaper, and let dry. Less messy than putting the cases on an oven tray and less likely to get you in trouble with the head chef."
 
Both mix easier when they are warmed up, but you don't do it over an open flame. Heat some water up on the stove, turn it off, and then place them in the hot water prior to mixing.

Don
 
Fatelvis said:
Thank you very much for the warning Rule3! So I take it you just mix the two together 12:1, and start lubing?
Click to expand...

I don't use lanolin I use LEE case Lube diluted, I dont heat. If you heat do as USSR mentioned like a double boiler. Just on Warm not high the flash point of Iso is around 176. degrees F
 
Rule3 said:
I don't use lanolin I use LEE case Lube diluted, I dont heat. If you heat do as USSR mentioned like a double boiler. Just on Warm not high the flash point of Iso is around 176. degrees F
Click to expand...
Amen to that.

Note* Just don't use your wife's setup for melting chocolate. ;)
 
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