Re: MtMan-List: Lube

[Dennis Fisher <dfisher@sbceo.k12.ca.us>]

I have been shooting black powder since 1963 and have never bought any patch
lube ever.  I mostly use spit patches but have made my own patch lube so I
could prelube patched balls in my loading block.  I use a mixture of beeswax,
parafin, and lard.  You can try different proportions to suit yourself.  It
works quite well during warm weather but tends to be a little stiff in the
winter.  I use bear oil when it gets below freezing.  Anyway, I put the
combined and melted ingrediants in a 2 pound coffee can and dip strips of
patching material in it while it is melted.  I pull the soaked patching
between two tightly held pieces of an old broken ramrod to squeege off the
excess lube and lay it aside to cool.  Once cool I roll the patching up and
put it away.  On hot days when you just seem to run low on spit, this prelubed
patching works out real well.  I have never tried to see how many shots I
could do without swabing the bore but I will give it a try the next time I'm
out.  Based on what I have heard on the list lately, I may try a batch without
parafin and see how that works.

              Dennis Fisher