The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

On the original question.

WD40 is horrible stuff which some people mistakenly think is a lubricant when in fact it is very good at doing what it is designed for displacing water. As a protectant it fails miserably in my experience and clots and thickens quickly.

To remove it and other oils from moulds then most degreasers work. Acetone is very good as is isoprophyl alcohol and meths. brake and carb cleaners also do the job, however my favourites are to stick the mould in boiling water with a few drops of washing up liquid for 5-10 minutes and scrub with an old toothbrush or the one I use most often scrubwith neat Simple Green using the old toothbrush and cotton buds.

Simple Green instructions say that it will eat into aluminium and I suppose some of the others will say the same and as has been alluded to salt is also corrosive to aluminium however in my experience over the years using such products I have noticed no degradation to my aluminium moulds.

Thanks Si, will pay you later

hobbesy wrote:Thanks Si, will pay you later

...makes a nice change for folk to owe to Si instead of the other way around!!

What make of die is it? Lee or something else?

What shotshell press are you going to be using?

Not sure I'm liking the idea of using anything that could wreck the Ali, especially if it depends on me cleaning thoroughly every little bit with a toothbrush. I think I'll try the brake cleaner first as I have some in the shed.

As to the other part of the thread, the 'advice' has been heard and will be adhered to .

'side kick' Hobbesy

saddler wrote:

hobbesy wrote:Thanks Si, will pay you later

...makes a nice change for folk to owe to Si instead of the other way around!!

What make of die is it? Lee or something else?

What shotshell press are you going to be using?

It's a Lee mould and I'll be using the Loadall

You'll still need your toothbrush and cotton buds to scrub/clean it with the brake cleaner as well.

saddler wrote:

hobbesy wrote:Thanks Si, will pay you later

...makes a nice change for folk to owe to Si instead of the other way around!!

I owe Si loads after all the info I've knicked off him and grief I've given him since we've known each other. Although some would say he deserves it party2

dromia wrote:You'll still need your toothbrush and cotton buds to scrub/clean it with the brake cleaner as well.

OK will have to find an old one

hobbesy wrote:

saddler wrote:

hobbesy wrote:Thanks Si, will pay you later

...makes a nice change for folk to owe to Si instead of the other way around!!

Although some would say he deserves it party2

...I doubt you'd find anyone that's ever met him that'd disagree.

He's not changed much since he was excommunicated from the North a la Kray Twins technique (via mail sack on a special train) for insisting that the pubs served his beer warm & with a maraschino cherry, paper umbrella & a sparkler. His "On The Buses" handbag WAS bang on trend though...but that was the late 80's for ya!!

Ya could have avoided a lot of bother if ya'd announced that you were one of his dance partners from the Blue Oyster police social club.
He's said for years that the main thing missing from his life was a nice fireman as he's always had a strong desire to form a Village People tribute act.
I pity the person who has to break the news to him that the Indian is supposed to be of the feather variant, not the dot type...
(The only reason he's in the line of work he is, is that he needs that level of income to pay off his lasses monthly account at Greggs the pie emporium.)

At the risk of digressing WD-40 is certainly not a good corrosion inhibitor as it evaporates of a period of time and does not leave enough residue to act as a barrier from moisture, I speak from bitter experience having used to WD-40 to protect some chisels one year and luckily catching them just as they were starting to rust. I have also read of issues where WD-40 has partly removed bluing from older rifles however I have not experienced this myself.

I agree with Dromia, hot soapy water is ideal for degreasing as is a dish washer if you have one and acetone does a wonderful job. Avoid the stuff from chemists as it is pricey and often contains lanolin. Our acetone comes in 5 litre cans and comes from same people as our polishing stuff does.