Ballistol----Don't do it!!!!!

[Crow Choker]

Went out and did some major cap and ball (five guns)/Colt conversion-Open Top (three guns)-Win Model 66 (just one) shooting Labor Day afternoon. Shot until about 1/2 hour before sunset. Oh the cleanup and putting away. Just swabbed out the barrels of everything and sprayed cylinders and such with WD40. Gonna be having a mass cleaning day today. Anyway, amongst my various cleaning liquids, I had a bottle of 75/25% ballistol-water in an old Hoppe's #9 bottle. The old glass style with the small neck-wish they still offered it in those bottles. Anyway, it had been sitting around since last summer and had sort of solidified. The oil in the ballistol had separated, floating on top with a white cream cheese looking semi-solid on the bottom. Shaking and stirring did nothing to get it back, soooo, I had the bright idea to micro-wave it for 'just a bit'.

Took it to the kitchen, put it in the micro-wave (took the lid off, I ain't stupid) and set it for 30 seconds, but was only going to leave it in for 15 and check. Got busy giving a hot water bath in the sink to some 44 Colt and 38 Spec cases that I had shot black powder in and all of a sudden a loud POP went. Jumped over to the micro wave and stopped it, it had only been going 21 seconds. Opened the door and the entire interior of the microwave was covered with ballistol. Ah the aroma. I actually like the smell of ballistol and Hoppes, but the Mrs heard the noise and came to investigate. Not to happy with me. She hates the smell and I wish I was still in my shop. I consoled her advising that the interior of the microwave was not going to rust. Anyway she forgave me, but told me to keep that 'crap' out of her microwave. Lost 75% of the contents of the bottle. Just tellin ya, of the trials and triblulations of doing gun stuff in the kitchen, at least when the Mrs. is home. I did a super job of cleanup though and Famous Shoes (her nickname) was happy with that. Should have stayed right there by the mico wave though after I pushed the 'on' buttom. Oh ya, the process did reliquify the ballistol/water mix. Just tellin' ya!

[Thumb Buster]

Crow Choker...welcome to the club.    My incident involved making up lube using Alox and bee's wax.  "...But the microwave is so handy!"  It didn't explode necessarily as much as it stunk up the whole house.  Pleaded for mercy to no avail.  As the old Vietnamese man said 'Xin loi'!  Aw well, lesson learned and now I have my own hot plate out in the garage...as all such experiments and I are banished.  Of course this is where I spend most of my time outside of the range. 

[Jubal Starbuck]

Crow Choker;

     Perhaps the folks at home would enjoy hearing about how to cast bullets on the kitchen stove without spousal knowledge?

[Crow Choker]

Ya Jubal, that wasn't good. OK here it is-back in 72 or 73  upon my first foray into cap and ball shooting, my self and a friend both bought a EuroArms '51 Navy style Colt in 44 caliber. We went together and bought a brass handled double mold. One cavity was RB, the other was a conical. Not having a lead pot or anything else to melt lead in, we conscripted one of the Mrs' cast iron skillets one Saturday afternoon (she was gone of course) and proceeded to melt lead and cast balls. Went pretty good for a while until the brass handles heated up, numerous splotches of lead on the stove and floor resulted trying to master those brass handles with thick gloves. Anyway we were done before SHE got home, but the deed was discovered and a severe reprimand followed. We blamed Jubal as he had bought a cap and ball before us and told her if he (Jubal) hadn't got us interested, the deed would not have happened. Didn't fly. I did make a set of oak handles for that brass mold that worked good until the mold warped from excess heat.

One other indiscretion occurred when I blued a top strap Remington on the kitchen stove using some Belgium blue. Excellent stuff, but not for a kitchen. Severe punishment followed if I recall, thought I'd get away with that one as I had done an extra good job of cleaning up while the Mrs was away at work, but the bluing odor lingered and she noticed a strange color to her stainless steel roaster. As you can see, I'm no stranger to kitchen chores, but not the type you normally attribute to kitchens.
Those are the most severe that I can recall, can't think of any other accounts of my gun kitchen duties.

[Coffinmaker]

I would respectfully suggest, one also, not consider using a Microwave for drying your CAT.  Not Harmonious at all. 

Coffinmaker

[Bunk Stagnerg]

my cat would dry ME in the microwhatsis about as quick.

My shop is an old wood St Louis Southwest Railway (Cotton Belt) caboose rescued from the scrappers that reeks of Ballistol. All that stuff stays there by order of my daughter Victoria Whiskey and there is no higher headquarters to appeal to.

On gun cleaning day it is said the aroma of Hoppe's #9 and Ballistol has been reported in Winchester Texas about 15 miles north or Muldoon Texas about 10 miles south depending on the wind.
And now you know exactly where I live.
Yr' Obt' Svt'
Bunk

[Coffinmaker]

Bunk .........

PLEASE.   OH PLEASE..... POST a picture of your Caboose!!  Didja didja paint RED???

Coffinmaker

[Bunk Stagnerg]

Hello Coffinmaker
Yes it was red with the Cotton Belt Line  Logo and everything on the sides. Unfortunately I had to put on a new roof and sides because the thing was falling apart. It was built in 1950 some odd and it was moved here in the middle '60's from a scrap yard down in Houston. A lot of the interior is original. but i had to do some modifications to make it usable as a shop.
If I knew how to post a picture I most certainly would with my 100 yard range right out the back door...and ain't that a shame?
Or come by and see it any time
Yr' Obt' Svt'
Bunk

[Noz]

There is a rather lengthy story about a couple of friend who decided, with some degree of alcohol involvement, to cut up a frozen mule deer doe.
Momma was at work so they did it in her kitchen.
Cutting the frozen carcase was hard with standard tools so they decided to use a Skilsaw.
She came home to a kitchen liberally covered with blood and mule deer doe particles.
Not a happy woman. 30 years later she could still work up a pretty good mad when the subject came up.

[Crow Choker]

Bunk-I would like to see that too. Sounds like a neat shop, loading area, place to hang out. About as neat as having a log cabin for a shop. I'd like to see a picture to if possible. Nice to have a 100 yd range out the door. When I lived on my Dad's farm, I had a 20 acre pasture with a river running through it as a range, a lot of wooded area, plus a good 1/4 to 1/2 mile east and west, plus to the south to hunt , fish, and shoot. Landowners were ok with it. Now I live on a 5 acre plot with only a 50 yarder range. Can still go to my old haunts though, have to pack up everything and drive 6 miles. Farm still in family.
Noz-that would not be good, ie your story of the deer butchers. Heard a few similar stories of a fish cleaning marathon involving an adequate supply of beer in a kitchen.

[Montana Slim]

I have a great microwave tip.  no...I ain't gonna say "DON'T microwave.
Microwaves can be your friend...but don't get in a hurry.
Greatly reduce chance of such errors by using no more than 40% power.

I use it this way to reheat virtually anything exceptin' metal and such...as Crow already knew.

And...check the time remaining before entering the new time (= Waay more time than you wanted = smoke & fire).


Slim

[Dick Dastardly]

Ballistol was formulated before WW1.  It is a great cleaner/lubricant/rust preventative.  Also said to make a great pancake syrup and after shave lotion.  I won't testify for that, but it works great on my guns.  Now, consider the pre 1900 Germans making up a gun cleaner/lubricant/rust preventative without knowledge that some time a century later some dimwit would put his product in a micro wave oven.  Come on.  Think about it.  How many products that old will stand up to current technology???

Thanks,

DD-MDA

[Crow Choker]

Ah Jeez Dick, I don't know what to say , I mean, I thought we were cyber friends and I, Ah man, this is hard to type  , I'm goin into depression and I  , I mean You can call me Jay, You can call me Ray, but ya necessarily don't have ta call me a dimwit!

[Professor Marvel]

My Dear Monsieur Choker -

I thought long and hard on this topic....
then took a nap, had a sandwich and some aspirin, and remembered that I was cogitatin at length...

This remonds me of the times I tried to microwave (on separate occasions)  lard, butter, separated gravy, and honey.
Each time She Who Must Be Obeyed was able to query my actions ( ie: Just What The Heck Do you think you are doing?)
and with her advanced background in chemistry, biological sciences, and cooking, was able to  correctly advise me to

USE HOT WATER IN A BOWL  instead.

The technical issues apparently involve physical properties of multiple combined substances in a mixture; layering of such substances during heating and cooling; melting points;  heat of combustion; vaporization points; penetration of different substances by microwave radiation,  and other techno-issues

Having read all the horror stories amusing anecdotes , I would like to advise all readers to get thee to a thrift store and purchase the following used heating  items cheaply  for exclusive use ONLY IN THE SHOP:
hotplate
misc metal pots
couple of ceramic or glass bowls
crock pot ( for melting stuff and making glue)
toaster oven
very small microwave ( only to be used for coffee, sandwiches, pizza - not for workshop stuff!)

As they say, hindsight is 20-20.

yhs
prof (been there, done that, got the t-shirt) marvel

[Crow Choker]

Professor: I was advised by the Mrs. of using that route after the deed. In my eagerness to get back to my shop, not wanting to take time to heat water and wait for the mixture to liquify and wanting the instant heating of the ballistol/H20 mixture, I opted for the microwave. Figured just a few seconds would do the trick. I had intended to watch it a little closer, but it was not to be. I in my haste (haste makes waste), ignored the physics of the small amount of material to be heated, the total amount within the bottle (nearly full), plus that the narrowing of the bottle towards the top which acted as a natural funnel to increase the flow of the escaping material. I was thinking of all those black powder burnin, flame throwin, and smoke producing mechanisms of steel I had to clean and wanted a fast solution to my problem. Curious, have you ever had a ballistol/water mix solidify like I had. It was a 75/25 ballistol/water mix. Anyway lesson learned, of course its not the first time I've overheated things in the microwave. A bowl of beans will explode in quite a fanfare if not watched and stirred occasionally. 

[Dick Dastardly]

No offense meant Crow Choker.  My post was made with my tongue deep into my cheek. . .   Anyway, Ballistol heats up nicely in a water bath.  I usually use it mixed 1:10 with water at room temp.  My pistols go into a spa filled with that mix, called "Moosemilk".  I change the bath once a year, whether it needs it or not. . .

DD-MDA

[Coffinmaker]

Gentlemen,

It is with great fanfare and panache that I humbly (you believe that ... right??) submit a sublime and wondrous solution (literally) to
Crow Croker's malady.  A simple, 100/100% solution of water, dissolved in water.  Doesn't separate (unless heated really hot), Doesn't harden (unless cooled really cold) and readily available most places where there are faucets.  Or toilettes.  Or lakes.  Or rivers ......etc.

Just fill the sink and go.  Scrub-a-dub-dub.  PRESTO!!  Clean gunz.  Use hot water and they almost dry themselves.  Cut that mix to 50% white vinegar, and use it to clean fired cartridges.  And cruddy Carrier Blocks (Vinegar smells good too).  Just think, if you change your mind, and decide you don't really want to clean guns right away, heat it up and make Coffee.  Wondrous stuff, water is.

Plus, if you happen to over Microwave it, the residue helps clean the goo out of the machine left from the last time you re-heated pizza.

Your Welcome.  Any Time I can be Helpful.

Coffinmaker

[Professor Marvel]

100/100% solution of water, dissolved in water.

Ah My Dear Coffin -
the solution is a solution of water, dissolved in water? I can never get my water to dissolve completely....

Curious, have you ever had a ballistol/water mix solidify like I had.

Info:
---------------------------------------
Ballistol contains medicinal grade mineral oil, alkaline salts of oleic acid, several alcohols,
Benzyl Acetate and an oil from vegetable seeds.

The chemical is a yellowish clear liquid with a consistency expected of a light oil. However, when it comes in contact with water it emulsifies, becoming a thick creamy white substance.

Benzyl acetate is an organic compound with the molecular formula C9H10O2. It is the ester formed by condensation of benzyl alcohol and acetic acid.

Benzyl acetate is found naturally in many flowers. It is the primary constituent of the essential oils from the flowers jasmine, ylang-ylang and tobira. It has pleasant sweet aroma reminiscent of jasmine. Consequently, it is used widely in perfumery and cosmetics for its aroma and in flavorings to impart apple and pear flavors.[1]
---------------------------------------

Neat stuff, you can almost eat it ....

biggest problem as you pointed out was the bottle size vs neck & opening!

iterestingly, you get the emulsion ( ie thicker goo) after adding water.
with a little age, the emulsion could gel into a soft buttery like substance with water and alcohols
in the liquid on top. then it can go "poot" like the beans :-(

bottom line, old tech double boiler "good" --- high tech mircowavelets "bad"
the double-boiler method is a slow soft heat that promotes outside-in convection whilst the microwaves
work "too fast" and go "inside out" -  often penetrating inner layers sooner...

SWMBO just now related a simialr story of a PhD in one of her labs that did exactly the same thing
except trying t melt "auger" in a large erlenmeyer flask , nd the PhD LEFT THE GROUND GLASS STOPPER ON.

it blew exceptionally well. blasted the door right off the hinges. dang phuds. :-)

yhs
prof marvel

[Crow Choker]

No offense meant Crow Choker. 

None taken Dick, If I wasn't expectin' some rib pokin', I wouldn't have posted original post. Makin fun of meself to!!!!

Gentlemen,

It is with great fanfare and panache that I humbly (you believe that ... right??) submit a sublime and wondrous solution (literally) to
Crow Croker's malady.  A simple, 100/100% solution of water, dissolved in water.-----  Cut that mix to 50% white vinegar, and use it to clean fired cartridges.  And cruddy Carrier Blocks (Vinegar smells good too). 

Hey Coffinmaker, that's sounds like a 'top shelf' idea, water and water. How do ya mix it, ie what ratio do I use in the mix?    In regards to vinegar, I hate the spell of white vinegar, rather stick my head in the 5 gallon bucket I keep in my shop by my bench for garbage that currently has the results of cleaning 12 rifles and 8 hanguns in it. Gun patches, 3 varieties of Q-tips, paper towels, et al. Has the combined odors of Ballistol, Hoppes#9, CLP, WD-40, Brownell's Miltec Oil, and everything else that has worked it's way in there. Ha''', now that's smelling good. Came in the house the other day and the wife said I smelled like a gun!!!! Was doing a marathon cleaning session cleaning all those black powder percussion/conversion shootin' firearms, plus 44 Yellow boy, plus all my WW 2 style bolt military rifles and Garand, plus a couple of .22 rifles. My two son-in-laws and I had a marathon shootin session the day before Labor Day shootin those WW2 guns. Gonna go through my whole safe and swab out all. Now cider vinegar I can tolerate some. Even take a shot of it once in a while, suppose to have some health benefits. Like drinkin cheap whiskey though!!!

Info:
---------------------------------------
Ballistol contains ..............

Hey Professor-Thanks for posting Ballistol info, haven't read all this in some time-like being back in chemistry class!
Yep, that small neck opening on that small glass Hoppe's bottle was a major undoing. If the bottle had been laying on it's side with a cork in the opening, when the contents reached critical temp, the bottle probably would have taken off, crashed through the glass door, and ended up ?! Sort of like a jet engine with the combustion of the fuel being forced into a smaller chamber, providing thrust on exiting the exhaust nozzle. OK, enough Werner VonBraun stuff!!! If you really want to read something ya shouldn't do, go into the "archevy's" and read the first post I ever did CAS-about myself and a couple other guys making black powder in a Chemistry/Quantitative Analysis class in college. Not to smart, but interesting. Yep- Double boiler would have been the way to go, but then ya wouldn't have been able to respond to my original post-what fun would that have been!!!
You guys all take care. Got to get ready and go to a comination swap meet, flea market, gun show, critter sale, et al (Devonia its called, south of Osage, Ia-then go to a Civil War Reenactment, and finally end the late afternoon/evening at a Gospel Sing at my Church. Keep yer powder dry and yer boots shinney!!!!!!
Crow Choker