lsudave
Member
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2007
- Messages
- 1,042
Yeah, I know, buy gun oil for guns, automotive oil for cars, etc...
but anyway, I read Grant Cunningham's nice writeup on what a gun oil is and should be/do.
Of note, I saw he ended up recommending Lubriplate FMO-350-AW food-grade oil. As he noted, being listed as food-grade is good, as it's less toxic than some (a lot) of what we used, safer to be exposed to than, say, Mobil 1 synthetic. I see Lubriplate is actually now selling spray cans marketed for firearms,... at the price of $20 a spraycan.
So I did an online search, and found a different brand (I forget the brand, it's a German corporation), and found their straight replacement oil for the Lubriplate stuff. Also same food grade, also with antiwear additives, anti corrosion and rust inhibiters. $25 for a gallon. Turns out is is highly refined white mineral oil. with the additive packages, in a 20 weight thickness. Just mildly thicker than Ballistol, my personal choice. I've used it to lube up, wipe down, and for some cleaning after the range, and it seems to work just fine. But ... it doesn't smell. I've gotten used to my gun/snake oils having a smell. and Ballistol smells like Anise (black licorice, or sweaty gym clothes).
Did a little more research and found "choji oil", which is just mineral oil with Clove oil (or Camelia oil) added. Seems to be the oil to use on Japanese katanas. Got a girlfriend who's into aromatherapy, she found me some clove oil, and I put a bit into the gallon jug (probably not more than a third of an ounce). I figure at that ratio, it can't hurt any of the "real oil's" properties (and it's supposed to be very high in antioxidants anyway), and it definitely gives it a smell.
Now, in comparing to Ballistol- the MSDS for that is almost completely mineral oil too. But Ballistol emulsifies in water, what would that be (and consider that it's an old recipe, probably not too terribly hard to find and mix up). I do see Ballistol also contains oleic acid and some alcohols... anyone know what, exactly, these might be?
I'll use this stuff as normal lube for now, it can't be any worse than, say, Fireclean (which I understand is basically the same as the oil you spray in a frying pan to make it non-stick; and which I also understand seems to work just fine). I'm curious if anyone else has whipped up some home brew that they're using.
but anyway, I read Grant Cunningham's nice writeup on what a gun oil is and should be/do.
Of note, I saw he ended up recommending Lubriplate FMO-350-AW food-grade oil. As he noted, being listed as food-grade is good, as it's less toxic than some (a lot) of what we used, safer to be exposed to than, say, Mobil 1 synthetic. I see Lubriplate is actually now selling spray cans marketed for firearms,... at the price of $20 a spraycan.
So I did an online search, and found a different brand (I forget the brand, it's a German corporation), and found their straight replacement oil for the Lubriplate stuff. Also same food grade, also with antiwear additives, anti corrosion and rust inhibiters. $25 for a gallon. Turns out is is highly refined white mineral oil. with the additive packages, in a 20 weight thickness. Just mildly thicker than Ballistol, my personal choice. I've used it to lube up, wipe down, and for some cleaning after the range, and it seems to work just fine. But ... it doesn't smell. I've gotten used to my gun/snake oils having a smell. and Ballistol smells like Anise (black licorice, or sweaty gym clothes).
Did a little more research and found "choji oil", which is just mineral oil with Clove oil (or Camelia oil) added. Seems to be the oil to use on Japanese katanas. Got a girlfriend who's into aromatherapy, she found me some clove oil, and I put a bit into the gallon jug (probably not more than a third of an ounce). I figure at that ratio, it can't hurt any of the "real oil's" properties (and it's supposed to be very high in antioxidants anyway), and it definitely gives it a smell.
Now, in comparing to Ballistol- the MSDS for that is almost completely mineral oil too. But Ballistol emulsifies in water, what would that be (and consider that it's an old recipe, probably not too terribly hard to find and mix up). I do see Ballistol also contains oleic acid and some alcohols... anyone know what, exactly, these might be?
I'll use this stuff as normal lube for now, it can't be any worse than, say, Fireclean (which I understand is basically the same as the oil you spray in a frying pan to make it non-stick; and which I also understand seems to work just fine). I'm curious if anyone else has whipped up some home brew that they're using.