Oh, You're a Terrorist, not a Pervert !!!

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scout26

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Okay, I've seen the threads about Ed's Red and its wonderous properties, so I figure what the heck for $15-$20 bucks, I'll make a batch and give it try.

Boy, was I wrong. Not about the wonderous properties of Ed's Red, can't comment on that, still haven't been able to make a batch, as I'll explain why.
Keep in mind I live in Illinois, near Chicago, where the anti-gun brainwashing has been going on for close to 40 years.

Last weekend as usual I have the errands to run, on this weekend's list we have the Hardware store(s), Auto Parts store and the Pharmacy/Drug store. Hey, Trifecta I can get everything I need for Ed's Red, according to the instructions.

Load up the kiddos, grab the honey-do list and recipe for Ed's Red and we're off. First stop; Auto Parts store. Headlight for Mrs. Scout's "Pigmobile"- Check. Winter wiper blades for the Scout26mobile-Check. 1 Gal of Kerosene $3.82 (Ouch)- Check. Dextron ATF, GM spec. D-20265 or later, well, they got Dexron-III (approval #H-31674), I'm guessing that it's "later" so - Check. I asked the clerk about the other components, he says try the hardware or drug store, they don't have them. Thanks, I got 2 of 6, I'm 1/3rd of the way there.

Home Depot here we come. Screws, bolts, plumbing stuff, and some "Winterize the Festung" are in the cart and wheel it over to the paint section. Acetone - Check. Aliphatic Mineral Spirits, hmmm..... we got "100% Mineral Spirits", call it a "Check". Head on over the guy at the paint counter: "Do you have Lanolin or Stoddard Solvent ??" He types some stuff in the Bozoputer and out comes "Nope, sorry, we don't carry either one." No problem, thanks, 2 more items off the list so I'm 2/3rds of the way there.

Next stop Ace Hardware, they always was the stuff that I need that Home Depot doesn't carry. Go back and find the old guy at the key making/glass cutting counter. We wander up and down the aisles. "I remember seeing Lanolin over on the cleaning supplies shelf back in '67 or was that '77 ???" What's that other stuff again ??? Stoddard Solvent, never heard of it." Now, I'm worried, becuse this is same guy that can look at a rusted out, slime covered partial piece of busted plumbing and say "Oh, a flangeshooter from 1952 Chicago Faucet 1 & 13/16 inch "J" type pipe, those are right over here in aisle 6, you'll need two." And he's right dead-on.

Last stop Drug Store, I've got high hopes for the Lanolin, but I'm concerned about the Stoddard Solvent. I go and turn in the prescriptions, the kids go find the Halloween aisle so that they can push all the "TRY ME" buttons and try to scare each other (while annoying the employees and some of the other shoppers.) I ask the 20something, fresh out of pharm school, female pharmicist, "Do you carry Lanolin ?" She: "What's that ???" Me: "It's a lubricant." She gets this goofy smile on her face. Kinda of a combination of pity and knowing smile. "Sir, the KY Jelly is two aisles over, next to the condoms." Me: :what: :scrutiny: "No, not that *kind* of lubricant, this is for a rifle cleaner." She gets this absolutely horrified look on her face, that just screams "OMG, You're a Terrorist, Not a Pervert." She gets on the PA and calls the manager. She's practially hiding behind him when he gets to us. "Yes can I help you." he asks. "Well, I'm looking for Lanolin, either anhydrous, USP or Modified, Topical Lubricant and something called Stoddard Solvent." By the look on the face of the 20-something fresh from Pharm School female, I should have also asked for 200 lbs of Yellowcake Uraninium, some kryton detonators, a gallon of Liquid Sarin and is the Anthrax fresh today or is it yesterdays ??? :neener: :evil:
Manager answers; "We don't carry either one, although we have creams and lotions that contain Lanolin." Me: "Nevermind, I'll keep looking." Get the prescriptions and the kids and head home.

So here I sit, short 2 ingredients. I can get 16 oz of Lanolin off Evil-bay for $15 including $7.00 shipping, but I'd rather buy locally for $10 or less. Any ideas on what stores (in the Chicagoland area) would carry this ???? Oh, and the Stoddard Solvent. A quick search o' the interweb shows that It'd be easier to buy yellowcake uranimuim then this killer chemical.

Anywho, I'm open to suggestions/substitutions.
 
Last edited:
Scout 26,

The stoddard solvent is also known as Varsol, SS-25, Solvesso 100, and it is the same thing as regular drycleaning solvent. I think it would be your best bet to go to your local drycleaning establishment with a quart can and a few dollars and ask for a quart when there are no other customers around. If the guy asks what you want it for, tell him to get ink stains out of your white carpet.

Concerning the anhydrous lanolin, look in a store that deals with animals, a Farm and Family, etc., and you will find lanolin. It is used to cure sore udders on cows, and peoples hands. I believe it is also the only ingredient in Udder Balm, which is used for the above things, and comes in a green can for very little money. Get the big container (8 oz) as it will have many uses.

Hope this helps. Roy:)
 
Well, here is method you haven't mentioned for the lanolin.

Go find a nice sheep grower and buy a lamb from him. Feed it, raise it right, let your kids have a new pet and then shear him, boil its wool and make your own.

If you start now, you could probably get some decent wool next year, get the lanolin, and then invite some friends over for a wonderful spit roasted lamb.

So, in the spirit of helping a fellow shooter, a couple of links for you.

http://www.pbs.org/weta/roughscience/series3/shakers/handcream.html


http://bbq.about.com/cs/lamb/a/aa032704a.htm

Just don't let the kids get too attached to your new source of lanolin and food.

bob
 
Still got your receipts? Good. Take every thing back and get a refund.

Then go to the gun store and buy a big bottle or two of Hoppes #9. Problem solved.

:)
 
This recipe sounds about as easy as making lye soap.
It used to be common, but times have passed it by.
Surely there is a product on the market that can be obtained
and will do the job, without this much headache.
:confused:
Walter
 
It's a gun cleaner.

The recipe, as I remember it, is:

Deodorized (heating) kerosene.
Odorless mineral spirits
ATF III
Acetone (optional)
Lanolin (optional)

Never heard of it needing Stoddard solvent. And the Lanolin is optional, too.
Ace Hardware has all four of the liquid ingredients.
 
Oh, heck no. I've never seen any reason to make a homemade brew when there's a perfectly good product available on the shelf. Hoppes and Break Free are plenty good enough for me.
 
There's a much simpler recipe that I followed and the stuff works very well - and everything is available at Wal-Mart. :) I wound up using it mostly to de-grease car parts and use brake cleaner and Bore Snakes on the guns. I can't find the recipe but I'm sure if you search around it's available. :)
 
"Do you carry Lanolin ?" She: "What's that ???" Me: "It's a lubricant." She gets this goofy smile on her face. Kinda of a combination of pity and knowing smile. "Sir, the KY Jelly is two aisles over, next to the condoms." Me: "No, not that *kind* of lubricant, this is for a rifle cleaner."
Click to expand...

Once in a while a man needs to "clean his rifle." I'm sure she understands.
 
You can pay someone $8 per 4 oz to mix some industrial solvents, put them in small bottles, label them, and do some marketing. Or you can pay $20 and make enough gun cleaner for the rest of your life.

There's no magic that automatically makes store-bought good and home-brew bad. Evaluate the stuff on how well it works. If you're happy paying $8 for four ounces of solvents, and it works for you, there's no reason to change. But don't write off home-brew just because it doesn't have a fancy label.
 
Re: ED's Red

I made mine w/o the lanolin and it works fine. I do use the acetone as it cuts the crud better. If you insist on lanolin the pharmacy should have it as it is used by nursing mothers (human ones!) to sooth sore nipples. Anywhere that advocates breastfeeding should be able to tell you where to get some. See if your town has a chapter of the LeLeche League or go back to the drug store and look at the nursing supplies. As I said I have been using Ed's for years w/o lanolin and it's just fine. ER will not cut copper fouling, however if you first get your bore perectly clean and then use ER exclusivly you will get much less copper fouling as the ATF seems to "stick in the pores" of the barrell steel. ER is as good as Hoppe's and much cheaper. FWIW
 
Where are all the sheep...???

Slightly drifting from this recipe thread... It used to be you could go to any drug store or pharmacy section of dept stores and buy lanolin in tubes--or in a slightly liquified state for easier application. It's a topical skin conditioner of the highest order and has been used ever since sheep were invented (they exude it from their skin, and those that handle raw wool daily have the softest hands in the universe). However, it seems to be no longer available in a relatively unadulterated state (are we suddenly short of sheep these days or something...??!!) and my skin has certainly suffered for it. I, personally, would like to know where to buy lanolin any more!!:mad:
 
Whatever floats your boat. But, I seriously doubt it's any better than the many fine commercially formulated gun products you can buy with a lot less trouble. Has Ed's Red ever been through any *objective* tests for effectiveness?

K
 
Ed's Red

:D
Acetone 1 Part
Turpentine (or Mineral Spirits, or Deodorized Mineral Spirits) 1 Part
Sperm Whale Oil (use ATF, I use Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF) 1 Part
Pratt's Astral Oil (now K-1 Kerosene) 1 Part
An optional ingredient was Anhydrous Lanolin, USP, up to 200 grams per Liter. This is a thick and sticky semi-solid and in practice the Mineral Spirits should be slowly (a little bit at a time) incorporated into the Lanolin until a well-mixed Lanolin soup is formed. Then the rest of the stuff can be added by shaking.

Pratt's Astral Oil was essentially deodorized, acid-free Kerosene.
Sperm Whale Oil is no longer available and no longer legal to own.

As previously noted, there is no provision for a copper remover. However, it is said that the remaining copper is easy to remove with copper removers and regular use of Ed's Red seems to reduce copper fouling to an acceptable level.

Many people are tempted to make the brew without the Lanolin. After all, it is a messy process at best. However, using the liquid lanolin can be a help if one is squeamish. Moreover, the legend surrounding the use of lanolin in bore cleaners goes back at least to WWII, where soldiers in the Pacific Theater favored captured Japanese bore cleaner to our own-- supposedly, it is said, because of the lanolin content. (Taken from Gen. Julian S. Hatcher).

Mineral Spirits has found favor because it is supposedly less flammable than Turpentine. It may be, but turpentine brings added solubility to the party. Mineral spirits and Kerosene are very much like one another and really only differ siginificantly in molecular weight. Therefore, their solubility properties are more similar than different. Turpentine is refined from tree resin and the tree makes it from terpene units. That would bring additional solubility properties.

The acetone is problematic. Acetone is good because it is a different character of solvent, and it is of a lower level of toxicity than some replacement chemicals. Acetone occurs naturally in the body from the metabolism of fats and alcohol--it is, however, toxic in any event. I recently took a patch and soaked it in Ed's Red and took note of how long the acetone stuck around. It was about 20 seconds in the open air of my shop. It may not be of much use. Maybe there is another ketone that could be used somewhere.

Hope that helps.
:D
 
Anhydrous lanolin ,which you at least used to be able to get at drugstores,makes an excellent case lube !
 
I brought home a can of that "Bag Balm" stuff for my wife not long after the birth of our first child, having heard it was good for nursing women. Unfortunately, she took it as an implication that her breasts resembled cow's udders. Ouch.

I probably still have that unopened can someplace. Maybe I'll try it as a gun lubricant...
 
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