Slixshot nipples, homemade caps, old Canola oil, and thou.

[user 54092]

OK, just for fun I'm taking out my stirring stick.
Took my little Pietta out last week and busted some of the very corrosive caps (Sharpshooter's home brew) through the Slixshot SS caps. As of late I've been soaking the nipples in oil and using wet/dry sandpaper to restore the luster to the nipples after a time at the range.
Now being a true American I hate seeing anything wasted, and some time ago my wife was going to toss a half bottle of old Canola oil, so I figured I see how it did as a patch lube in my flintlock. Experimentation is an attraction that this hobby sates. And so, as my wanderings through the fields of liquid experimentation in regards to different applications as concerning the use, care and cleaning of all things black powder, I happen to meander to soaking my (scratch that) THE nipples in Canola oil. It did hinder the nastiness of the mess left by the home brew caps whilst I cleaned the rest of the pistol, still needing to take wet/dry sandpaper to the nipples after the rest of the pistol had a proper cleaning.
Until today, a week or so after firing the pistol and (this is hard for me, a former Marine, to admit) I remembered I had forgotten to address the nipples and they had been soaking in that old Canola oil all week. So I got to them and, as usual, I wiped the oil off and ran a pipe cleaner down their throats. Then I noticed that the crud was coming off with just the pipe cleaner, almost like it was sliding off, like the skin off a rotten peach. The luster was restored without any need for sanding 5 out of 6 nipples. The one that had the stubborn staining needed a bit of sanding but it wasn't anything like before when I would clean the nipples, usually a day or two after firing.
Now this doesn't fit the scientific method of proof, I only conducted this "experiment" (accidental as it was) once. But if this works I wonder if I could sell Canola oil under another moniker.
Again, stainless steel, not sure of it's validity for mild steel or Tesco.
For those that haven't used caps made with the Sharpshooter compound, well, you don't know what corrosive is until you use these things. Even the old Finnish(?) corrosive ammo I fed my M1 was mild compared to this stuff.

 

[necchi]

And, “voilà”,
A "new" 21st century discovery,
Thank's @Trgt ,
Does it work right away or do ya gotta wait a week?
Why not just soap, water and a tooth brush instead of sanding?
Does the Canola work as a solvent? Or does the stuff just stop oxidation?
aka; exposed to air and ambient moisture,,,

 

[ROA457]

I can’t quote the source but I was told soaking in Diesel does the same thing. A friend of mine way back used to drop his revolver in diesel and then a couple of days later take it out and wipe the crud off.

 

[Bad Karma]

I can’t quote the source but I was told soaking in Diesel does the same thing. A friend of mine way back used to drop his revolver in diesel and then a couple of days later take it out and wipe the crud off.

Diesel gets into everything! I swear, fuel up a tractor and smell it for days… I can imagine it would clean every nook and cranny.

 

[user 54092]

Remember, the use of home made caps is the key phrase here, the manure it leaves is like no other.
Besides, as a CG man I found out that diesel exposure can have detrimental health effects. Again, can have.

 

[Griff093]

What's the composition of the cap material that makes it corrosive? The tar left on my SlixShot nipples is bad enough, but if going to homemade caps is going back to a corrosive priming mix... I'll forgo that pleasure.

 

[tgfrench]

After 1year of shooting almost exclusively 22 sharpshoorter homemade caps I for 1 have not experienced any corrosive effects. I guess my cleaning habits correspond to my observations.
On the subject of canola oil you definitely don't want it to dry on any surface. I think I would use diesel before using any type of vegetable oil.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Been using Cornola oil for bullet lube for decades, for BPC that is.

 

[1stnamebassist]

Been using Cornola oil for bullet lube for decades, for BPC that is.

What's the composition of the cap material that makes it corrosive? The tar left on my SlixShot nipples is bad enough, but if going to homemade caps is going back to a corrosive priming mix... I'll forgo that pleasure.

It’s called HP48. It is corrosive if left without cleaning. It leaves a reddish colored residue, like the color of Rustoleum spray primer, so it kind of looks like instant rust!

 

[Bad Karma]

Remember, the use of home made caps is the key phrase here, the manure it leaves is like no other.
Besides, as a CG man I found out that diesel exposure can have detrimental health effects. Again, can have.

I’m 78 and may be dying of exposure to diesel fuel. And other stuff, probably mostly the other stuff.

 

[CaptainVane]

I’m 78 and may be dying of exposure to diesel fuel. And other stuff, probably mostly the other stuff.

You better not croak on me. You’re the only one who posts a ‘like’ on my poor attempt at humor posts!

 

[Bad Karma]

You better not croak on me. You’re the only one who posts a ‘like’ on my poor attempt at humor posts!

I have a fine sense of humor! Be proud of your posts and don’t let these unwashed heathens get you down!

 

[CaptainVane]

I have a fine sense of humor! Be proud of your posts and don’t let these unwashed heathens get you down!