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inorganic viscosity modifiers for bullet lube (Read 1913 times)

rgchristensen Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1088 Joined: Jan 2^nd, 2014	inorganic viscosity modifiers for bullet lube Jul 11^th, 2020 at 7:51pm	Print Post
	Some years ago, I made some bullet lube from castor oil and "Cab-O-Sil", a colloidal silica. Interesting looking stuff, as it was crystal clear and didn't offer to melt. By varying the Cab-O-Sil content, it was easy to change the "stiffness" of the lube. It didn't seem to offer any improvement over conventional lubes, so didn't pursue it for long. I recently came into possession of some bentonite, which is a finely divided clay used in lubricating greases, and wonder if it might find some use in bullet lubes. Possible advantages are that one can vary the consistency of lubes over a wide range, and formulate lubes that don't melt off the bullets if you leave them in the sun. Has anyone experimented with additives of this kind? CHRIS RGChristensen


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rkba2nd Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1929 Location: earth Joined: Feb 16^th, 2009	Re: inorganic viscosity modifiers for bullet lube Reply #1 - Jul 11^th, 2020 at 8:42pm	Print Post
	Used a lot of cab-o-sil to thicken epoxy in laying up benchrest stocks, my only concern would be abrasion. I would think it would take a lot of exposure to cause much harm. Microcrystaline waxes have a relatively high melting point, 160 degrees F +-. I have some to try, but haven't got around to experimenting yet.

	rkba2nd
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rgchristensen Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1088 Joined: Jan 2^nd, 2014	Re: inorganic viscosity modifiers for bullet lube Reply #2 - Jul 11^th, 2020 at 8:58pm	Print Post
	rkba2nd wrote on Jul 11^th, 2020 at 8:42pm: Used a lot of cab-o-sil to thicken epoxy in laying up benchrest stocks, my only concern would be abrasion. I would think it would take a lot of exposure to cause much harm. Microcrystaline waxes have a relatively high melting point, 160 degrees F +-. I have some to try, but haven't got around to experimenting yet. Touch a little of it to your tongue and see if you can detect any roughness when you move your teeth together. The Cab-O-Sil particles are way down in nanometer sizes, too small to be abrasive. I think, but am not sure, that the so-called "microcrystalline" waxes are branchy polyethylene-type materials. Not the sort of thing I like to put in bullet lubes. They have the low vapor pressure that is required to keep them in place for preserving various surfaces, which is were they find much of their use. CHRIS


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rkba2nd Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1929 Location: earth Joined: Feb 16^th, 2009	Re: inorganic viscosity modifiers for bullet lube Reply #3 - Jul 12^th, 2020 at 12:27am	Print Post
	It sounds as if you are way ahead of me on the curve here. That said, I understood that a microcristaline wax was used to replicate the old Javelina lube by adding it to Alox 350 the replacement for Alox 2138 which was discontinued. Javelina lube was and is favored by many as I am sure you know. My intent was to see if I could, as close as possible, duplicate the old Javelina. It is my understanding that now Alox 350 is no longer available. That puts me back to square one, hence putting the project on the back burner. I have always used and had good results with Darr lube, but on really hot days it will melt. An ice chest was always the solution, but just one more thing to deal with. I use bees wax rather than paraffin which helps, but thought I would do some experimenting with other additives just to see what happens. I would like to use other easily sourced ingredients. I am all ears!!

	rkba2nd
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rgchristensen Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1088 Joined: Jan 2^nd, 2014	Re: inorganic viscosity modifiers for bullet lube Reply #4 - Jul 12^th, 2020 at 7:43am	Print Post
	If your aim is just to increase the melting point, a good way to do that is to incorporate some soap. I have used lithium stearate with good success in smokeless lubes, and others report that sodium soaps can be used. Has to get pretty hot to dissolve, however. It makes quite sticky lube, which I believe (but can't prove) is good for smokeless lube. My opinion, again based on no proof, is that BP lubes should be "slick" while smokeless lubes should be "sticky". The soap-base lubes are sticky-- you can put your finger in a box of bullets and come out with several stuck to your finger! CHRIS


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rkba2nd Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1929 Location: earth Joined: Feb 16^th, 2009	Re: inorganic viscosity modifiers for bullet lube Reply #5 - Jul 12^th, 2020 at 3:01pm	Print Post
	Thanks rgchristensen, I will give it a shot, so to speak.

	rkba2nd
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JLouis Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 10625 Joined: Apr 8^th, 2009	Re: inorganic viscosity modifiers for bullet lube Reply #6 - Jul 12^th, 2020 at 3:23pm	Print Post
	Chris out of all of the various lubes Charles Dell came up with is there one of those that you would consider to be your favorite. Reason I ask is some of those ingredients that you mentioned he also used in his lubes.

	" It Is Better To Now Have Been A Has Been Than A Never Was Or A Wanna Be "
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rgchristensen Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1088 Joined: Jan 2^nd, 2014	Re: inorganic viscosity modifiers for bullet lube Reply #7 - Jul 12^th, 2020 at 7:44pm	Print Post
	JLouis wrote on Jul 12^th, 2020 at 3:23pm: Chris out of all of the various lubes Charles Dell came up with is there one of those that you would consider to be your favorite. Reason I ask is some of those ingredients that you mentioned he also used in his lubes. JOHN: Charlie and I collaborated quite a bit on bullet lubes. I taught him some of the chemistry, but he was the one that did the development and testing of them. My favorite smokeless lube is his recipe that uses lanolin, beeswax, castor oil, and lithium stearate. It's described in his book, which is something that every schuetzen shooter should own. CHRIS RGChristensen


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Green_Frog Frequent Elocutionist Offline "It ain't easy being green" ASSRA Life #281 Posts: 4018 Location: Lynchburg, VA Joined: Apr 18^th, 2004	Re: inorganic viscosity modifiers for bullet lube Reply #8 - Jul 25^th, 2020 at 11:37am	Print Post
	Chris, Do you ever use carnauba wax as a hardener/temp raiser? When I was working with "Frog Guano" i used to add a few % (up to 5%, IIRC) to my mix to give it some hardness while letting it still stick to the bullets well since I was using a significant amount of anhydrous lanolin. Another function of the carnauba was that it seemed to "condition" the bore and make it slicker... after all carnauba is a component of car waxes. Froggie


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