Mink Oil at -45 Degrees Below Zero

[Bearbait2]

Howdy Folks,
The Mink Oil (from TOW) seen in the photo has been cold soaked to -45 degrees below zero F.
By the time we got around to taking the photo, the sun was shining and warmed the thermometer up considerably. Ambient temperature was still fairly brisk.
As you can see, the Mink Oil has become a solid brick. Rubbing the patch across the surface would not transfer any of the "oil". The oil could be gouged out by a small amount of pressure and would then adhere to the patch in clumps. By exposing the bare hand, enough heat could be transfered by rubbing the oil into the patch via friction. Not a practice I recommend, in such temperatures.
A simple solution is to pre-lube the material under more favorable conditions; either precut patches or cut at the muzzle roll.
The above is not intended to show Mink Oil to be an inferior product but merely illustrates that even the best of substances have practical limitations. Let common sense prevail.
Only 4 1/2 months till spring!
Best Wishes

 

[mazo kid]

WW, I would think that most any lube would be solid at 45 below! That's a good argument for carrying the lube next to your body to keep it soft and usable; even pre-lubed patches. Coldest I've seen it here in Wis. was 39 below zero several years ago. Emery

 

[BiscuitJ]

I am a few hundred miles north west of you in Kotzebue Alaska where the temps lately have been -55 and below. I use Bees wax and olive oil for my patches. Works really well in the cold :hmm:
DOC Johnson

 

[Stumpkiller]

I'll have to remember that.

Note to self: "Don't use mink oil to lube the patch when you have to shoot yourself rather than existing in 45º below zero temperatures."

I've been hunting in 15º below, killed a buck with a muzzleloader that day even, but I don't know if I would do it again now. Brrrrrrr!

Say, that's not one of them Canadadian thermometers that reads in centipedes is it?

 

[John Ezra Jest]

Doc,
Do you have any cleaning problems w/ the olive oil & beeswax? I gave it a try after using lard & beeswax quite a bit. Didn't need to clean between shots much but, it was a real bear to clean. Me & my buddy both had the same problem. Left a coating that was a bite to remove. Tried it in rifles & smoothies both. Kind of a shame. I liked the idea of making my own lube. On the bright side, it makes some mighty fine leather & wood dressing.. Warm up the wood or leather a bit & rub it in. Works great.

 

[BrownBear]

Dandy capote, Windwalker! Did you weave that sash?

 

[Bearbait2]

Mr. BrownBear,
We purchased it from Crazy Crow, a couple of years ago as I recall. It is made of wool. Unfortunately, I do not have the skill necessary to make such an item and am too lazy to pursue it. (Shame on me!)
Mr. Stumpkiller,
It is in Fahrenheit but it doesn't make much difference when it is this cold. Heh, heh.
Doc Johnson,
It was running at -70 degrees in Tok last night.

As others have stated, just where is that Global Warming?
Best Wishes

 

[Tkendrick]

I was shooting in Wickenburg yesterday. Man it was cold there , too!

Almost down to 55.

Had to use two fingers AND MY THUMB!! on my tube of bore butter. :blah:

BTW, and all kidding aside, it's mid Feb, so I figure you had what, 90 minutes of daylight today? That's why we left there when I retired. The wife could handle the cold, the rock hard seats in the car, and all of that. But she couldn't handle the dark 22 hours a day. :surrender:

 

[Frank/Pa]

22 hours of darkness would give me a serious case of cabin fever.

 

[shmrck1]

windwalker,
I really don't worry about such things,
these days. When it gets below 0 degrees, me,
my patch lube and guns will be inside.Bones just
are not real happy with cold weather
these days:surrender::hmm::rotf:
snake-eyes :wink:

 

[jdstrang]

Two hours of daylight and 45 below zero. Suppose that's maybe why bears hibernate?

People should be so smart as bears! :surrender:

 

[Rat Trapper]

I spent 5 years in Alaska at Ft Wainwright (Fairbanks). Darkness wasn't a problem, we had lights on the trap and skeet fields! When it dropped to -40 or colder we held a 40 below shoot And all who shot got a 40 below patch.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Brrr, that brings back some Alaskan memories.

Seeing that tank in the background, how much is heating oil running a gallon there this year?

I remember in the 1970s up there, in winter we had to add five gallons of gasoline to 50 gallons stove oil to keep paraffin from congealing.

And surer miss those days of colder than -35 below, when the propane would not boil off without tank heat taped & blanket wrapped.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

22 hours of darkness would give me a serious case of cabin fever.

Don't know about today, but there was a time in AK when cabin fever was a prime defense when one offed their spouse in the winter.

 

[Bearbait2]

Mr. TANSTAAFL,
Heating oil is over $3.00 per gallon, even with our seniors discount and paying cash in advance for an additional discount.
Best Wishes