Ed's Red

rodmkr

Temecula California
Have a few minutes in a long day so thought I would ask.
Need to make a new batch.
Mineral spirits are banned in California.
Ed's original recipe called for turpentine instead of mineral spirits.
Has anyone ever made it with turpentine?

Also would like to know if it would have adverse conditions if added to your case cleaning media(turpentine that is).
Often see where you add a cap full of mineral spirits to your media.
I never have so have no knowledge of how it acts.

Jim
 

462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
Jim,

That's news to me. I bought a can of Klean Strip brand odorless mineral spirits just a couple months ago.

Is this something that went into effect on 1-1-19?

Michael
 

rodmkr

Temecula California
Here in the inland empire it has been in effect since mid july 2018.
Governor Moonbeam signed it into law in early 2018.
Haven't had any in any store since then. When they sold what they had it was no more.
Hard to believe they outlawed mineral spirits and allowed MEK and acetone to stay on
the shelves as an approved substitute.
 

Chris

Well-Known Member
I use turpentine in the formula. Works fine, smells great. I think if you look into it, that either Ed Harris or Glenn Fryxell, I think the latter, spoke to the matter. Polar vs. non-polar solvents, whatever exactly that means. However, I take it that turpentine is fine if a bit pricey.
 

Mike H

New Member
I am in Australia,I have always used Pure Turpentine,I have seen no problems using it and have been using it for many years.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
ask Outpost 75
if he don't answer you over at Boolits PM me, I talk to him on another forum pretty frequently.
 

Ian

Notorious member
Two polar and two non-polar ingredients. Acetone and paraffin oil like Dexron III ATF are examples of polar opposites and in combination are also the best penetrating oil on the planet.

Mineral spirits (Varsol, naptha, safety solvent with 140F flash point, Ronsonol lighter fluid) shouldn't be too hard to find in some form. How can they outlaw mineral spirits and not gum turps or gasoline?
 

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
Ian, not to put to fine of point on it, it is California. Now OR nor WA can not have VOC's above a certain vapor pressure, kill the ozone layer remember. "Motor fuels" are not gasoline, so they are exempt.
 

L Ross

Well-Known Member
Wait wait wait, acetone and ATF are polar opposites?Aren't they both non polar? Water is polar I thought.
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
I adore the smell of pure gun turpentine. Takes me back to the old cabinet shop across the road from my home when I was young or the pine sheds at the lumber yards. Ranks right up there with Hoppes 9 for me. Acetone would likely work in place of mineral spirits in Ed's Red, but it evaporates very quickly. For the amount you need for a quart, lighter fluid might be an option.
 

rodmkr

Temecula California
I have the turpentine and will give it a try.
And yes it is California!!
There a lot of things that are banned here that are fine elsewhere.
I have learned to live with most of them ,(usually finding a substitute, like turpentine for mineral spirits).
They actually make a water based mineral spirits that is sold here.
It is either green or white in color and as most save the environment products sold here doesn't work and is a waste of money

Jim
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Wait wait wait, acetone and ATF are polar opposites?Aren't they both non polar? Water is polar I thought.
Acetone is polar. And non polar which is why it can mix with water after yet work as a solvent for oils and grease.
Has to do with the shape of the molecule and electro negativity.
 
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L Ross

Well-Known Member
Thanks Brad, I've learned some new again today! I guess I have a little reading in store.
 

Jeff H

NW Ohio
I've read up on Ed's Red, both Ed's own articles and forum discussions, yet am still in caveman mode on this topic. I've blindly combined the ingredients in specified volumes and used it.

I've read a lot about what could be omitted/substituted (Ed says you can skip the lanolin, an I have) but I've not figured out if I can skip the acetone, which I have wanted to do, but now Brad has me rethinking this.

I'm still up in the air on acetone. I understood that it was there for the purpose of dissolving plastic wad residue and I don't shoot enough shotgun shells to ever build up plastic residue. One wet patch, one dry patch and then Break-Free, CLP in the bore because I store my shotgun where it is pretty humid and it gets cold in there in the winter as well.

If I'm shooting nothing but plain old lead "alloys"* with mostly 45-45-10, and occasionally the old "NRA Formula" traditional lube, could I eliminate the acetone or should I keep it? I don't clean to bare steel except on a "new" gun and could hardly call what I do "cleaning" thereafter.

I'm not trying to be cheap, but to keep everything as simple as practicable and the acetone tends to evaporate on me over long periods anyway. I mixed a pint of Ed's Red (minus lanolin) a few years ago and haven't used up a quarter of that pint yet.

*remember, when I say "alloy," in reference to my bullets, I am using the term loosely for the sake of clarity and brevity (ha!) because I go to no significant trouble or expense to derive legitimate alloys.
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
I was given some Ed’s Red. Used very little. I didn’t care for it. I use so little solvent that cost just isn’t a factor. A pint of solvent will last me almost a decade so I ignore cost to a large degree.
 

Jeff H

NW Ohio
I was given some Ed’s Red. Used very little. I didn’t care for it. I use so little solvent that cost just isn’t a factor. A pint of solvent will last me almost a decade so I ignore cost to a large degree.

That's about my usage level and the cost is in fact not an issue. My "thing" is that when I drop a bottle of store-bought stuff on a concrete floor, I'm out until I can get to a store, which I've given up on. Drive an hour to find out they don't have what you want. I will say that it irritates me to pay what they want for some of that stuff even though it's spread over years though.

Having the ability to use something I keep around for other applications is more important to me. Sort of like gas checks - I spent a considerable sum on tooling, but I will never be out of them. Sometimes I need a 'check, sometimes I don't, but when I do, I have them or can make some quick. No waiting for UPS, waiting for stock levels to be replenished or paying ridiculous shipping costs.