Crisco?

Doc, you're just using modern versions of traditional items. Substituting Crisco for bear grease and toilet rings for beeswax.
 
That brings up an interesting question.

Can one go the other way in substituting? If the modern 'equivalents' truly emulated the performance of the old time materials then it would seem we could use those old materials in the modern day design applications of the modern materials.

For instance, has anyone tried using bear grease or mutton tallow in place of a toilet ring? How about in place of Crisco in the kitchen?

Just wondering...:rolleyes:;)
 
Good point Mykeal...

...I don't know about toilet rings but there are plenty of folks out there who use lard for cooking instead of vegetable shortening. Little difference between lard and bear grease.
 
I use what works for me with accessible materials. I'm sure that's the same mentality of people from the past. I tried the tallow recipe but didn't see an improvement. Doing things the old way is fine but I see no advantage to it. I'm not compelled to burn whale oil either.
 
Hawg and Noelf

Hawg,

True dat.

Neolf,

Yes.. I think that is where I am coming from. Now I must hasten to add that my standards are probably not finely tuned to be able to detect the difference. I don't shoot nearly enough to be called an expert on this topic or just about any other for that matter.

I never let not knowing about something prevent me from talking about it as though I do.
 
For instance, has anyone tried using bear grease or mutton tallow in place of a toilet ring? How about in place of Crisco in the kitchen?

Hmmm. Why don't YOU try it Mykeal? Be sure to let us know how it works out for ya. :D
 
Great thread.

The only question I have on the "toilet ring" use. I've read by some that they are not good to use because modern ones are made out of different stuff than the old ones. Is this true?

I've been warned about using anything petroleum-based because it will make a gummy mess. I don't know this personally, but I certainly DON'T want to find out. So, I bought beeswax instead.

But, the "toilet ring dilemma" doesn't seem like it's botherin' Ol' Doc in anyway though. So, I'm totally confused. The toilet rings are cheap and easy to get.
This is my only hold up in using a cheap toilet ring instead of beeswax.

Thanks
 
How is it in a thread this long we have had no pontification upon the virtues of using butter flavored Crisco over the regular stuff?

At least it makes it look like the more expensive! :p
 
Hello, everyone. Concerning that butter flavored Crisco..probably Ok in a black-powder arm if using a water-based cleaner.
However...several years ago, at a schuetzen match..there were a couple of guys who had pitted bores from substituting the flavored stuff for the original. It seems the butter flavored has salt in it.
They were using single shot .32-40's with smokeless, and only cleaning with smokeless type cleaners.
 
The toilet bowl rings are NOT made of beeswax anymore but, as I understand, the fouling caused or intensified by petroleum products depends on just where in the process the product is drawn off. Petroleum jelly and petroleum wax are drawn off a such a point that hey do not react with the black powder residue as do the more volatile products.
I've been using the mix with the toilet bowl rings for several years now with no problems.
 
Going to have to check into the toilet ring idea as they are pretty cheep vs beeswax. Sounds like the new ones are just a more tacky paraffin and not a more refined product so should do fine.
 
Sounds like the new ones are just a more tacky paraffin and not a more refined product so should do fine.

:confused: Refined is what you DO want when it comes to petroleum products. Anyway, they seem to be refined enough, according to the good reports I've been hearing regarding their suitability for BP lube.
 
GREAT answers!!!

So much good information in this string! Thank you guys for teaching me so much!
I am just a recreational shooter, I shoot up to 4 revolvers at an outing and out of each maybe up to 20 shots, Sometimes I concentrate on just one revolver and shoot the heck out of it with intermittent wipe-down's with Windex. It really works well for those quick wipe-downs! a quick re-lube of the Cylinder pin and the hand notches on the cylinder and I am back in business!
"Wicking" is the perfect description for the migration of the hot Crisco. It does get all over in the little nooks and crannies and gets pushed into the spots that actually need lubing anyhow!
With all the fire and heat, it's no wonder the excess Crisco gets melted off and blown away inti the recesses that need lubing anyhow
My main concern is to prevent Chainfire and so far Crisco has worked well! Frankilly, I much prefer to use a Wad to reload with as it's a lot less messy and you are SURE that you have the powder load closed off. They don;t seem to affect accuracy but the velocity figures I have read in the book "Black Powder and the old West" (An EXCELLENT referance!) It's an out of print production but readilly available.In the book velocities are recorded on charts with both substitute oiwders and real BP with and without CRisco and/or Wads. Crisco seems to aid the speed of the ball!
Like I said my main concern is Safety! Crisco alone seems to work and mixed with some of the concoctions stated probablly works even better! Often, the old mixes were good mixes!
In conclusion I think that in place of pre-lubed Wad's, a guy is pretty safe with a dab of Crisco when he either runs out of Patches or chooses to just use grease.
Thank you for all the help again! Youguys arw a wealth of info for a new shooter like myself!
ZVP
 
Um--are we cooking or shooting. Got a great recipe for fried okra. There ain't nothing wrong with ceiling cylinder chambers with crisco if you want to as long as temperture is cool and it doesn't melt and run down thru holster on your britches:) Actually, if you fire it at night it throws a pretty good flame!

WBH
 
I used to shoot a BP revolver back in the 1970's. I used white Crisco. It worked great. Never had any problems. Back then there wasnt all the new concoctions of now days. No internet.
Regretfully the pistol rusted up because i got lazy after a shoot and forgot about it for a couple weeks.
 
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