plastic spoon for smoking mold cavity's

[DanOH]

I have heard of service rifle competitors burning a plastic spoon(or any such cutlery) to smoke their front
sight. I have tried it but it was always to windy to do much good during a match, but it makes BLACK soot if you can stay out of  the wind.
Anyway, I was wondering what your thoughts might be for doing that with a stubborn mold...

[geezer56]

My advice is don't do it.  The plastics evolve some pretty nasty chemical compounds when combusted.  It may not contain enough to form the HCL's and other acids, but it most likely will form various salts that will combine with moisture in the air and make a nice brown coating on any iron based components of the mold. 

[Czech_too]

I have to agree here, I wouldn't do it.
In what way is this mould stubborn?

[DanOH]

 My question was really just an "I wonder" proposition.
Lee recommends smoking the mold cavity's, so I was just thinking of an alternative to a match.
I have heard that using a candle for soot can be problematic in that it can inhibit mold release.

[Dee]

That one I've never heard of, but there is a much better method for doing front sights at a match, and molds. It called: MASKING TAPE. It isn't toxic, and produces a fine soot making the front sight black with ZERO glare. The same can be used to smoke a sticking mold, but may or may not help depending on the cause.
On very fragile fingerprints at a crime scene, I have used it, and a feather brush to get the print to come up, whereupon, I photographed the print, and sometimes was able to lift it.
 

Pull about 10"of tape off the roll, double it, then twist it, then light it. It burns easily, smokes readily, no fumes, and is not too hot.

[geezerbiker]

I've found the best thing for sticky moulds is to lap them out.  The first time I tried this I used 600 grit and the process was very slow.  I switched to 360 grit (the next courser grit I could find) and it went a little faster but it was still a slower process.  I don't think I took off more than a couple ten-thousandths but it was enough to make the mold shine and the bullets come drop out with out any effort.  I don't smoke my molds or use and lube spray at all anymore.

Tony

[SHOOTALL]

use a candle ( plumbers candle works best and some hardware stores still carry them) for molds . For front sights I use a carbide lamp , it is made to smoke front sights . A few pcs. of carbide , a little water flip the striker and smoke your sights. 

[Lloyd Smale]

i personaly dont want anything in my mold cavitys but lead.

[mdi]

I use a "magic marker" to blacken sights, etc., and don't put nuttin' in my molds other than lead. Clean molds, good alloy and proper temps are all that's needed to drop good bullets...

[Iowa Fox]

Sounds greasy and petroelum to me. Smoking causes more problems than it solves. All I use is a tooth brush with hot water and Dawn for aluminum or brass molds, tooth brush with Zud or Comet for Iron molds. Good clean alloy in good clean molds.

[SHOOTALL]

Candle smoke and plumbers soil have been used for who knows how long to keep lead from sticking. With a mold the candle smoke has no ill effect on the bullet other than to help it fall free.

[mdi]

Candle smoke and plumbers soil have been used for who knows how long to keep lead from sticking. With a mold the candle smoke has no ill effect on the bullet other than to help it fall free.

Don't know what "plumber's soil" is, but it sounds nasty. Soot from a candle can reduce diameter of a bullet mold up to mebbe .002", if a heavy "coat" is applied,  and the finish on the cast bullet can be rough. Been there, done that...

[SHOOTALL]

you had a different experience  than I with a candle , did you use a standard decorative candle or a plumbers candle ? there is a difference. The plumbers soil comes in a tin and is wiped on lead pipe to limit the flow of lead as you wipe a joint. I doubt you could find any of new manufacture as it is seldom done today with OSHA standards making it almost impossible to do and masking tape will work. But candles are often seen in hardware stores still.

[res45]

i personaly dont want anything in my mold cavitys but lead.

+1 I used to smoke my Lee molds years ago but discovered later it's just not necessary.   Haven't smoked a mold in years.