Jason, are you heating it a little before you use it?
I just waft a lighter flame over the top and it softens up a treat. Just remember to push it up beforehand or you'll scorch the container (don't ask me how I know that....)
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Jason, are you heating it a little before you use it?
I just waft a lighter flame over the top and it softens up a treat. Just remember to push it up beforehand or you'll scorch the container (don't ask me how I know that....)
I think there's something wrong with my mind.....
It must be time to call it a night ;)
Yup. I also tried it for using a sen (Japanese scraper) while making a sword... Didn't help on the cutting in that case, but the plumes of smoke coming off the work were impressive.
I usually use cutting & tapping fluid for drilling & sawing larger pieces; for some stuff the thinner WD40 is better. Used tapping fluid while engraving steel too, it depends on the steel - I don't usually bother lubricating gravers. The (a) traditional lubricant was oil of wintergreen, which is fairly nasty stuff - as with most essential oils.
I usually only use Burr Life on burrs; unwarmed to start with, but once I've used the burr a little it will have warmed up enough to melt some on.
Safety in the workshop is a good point - although anyone using brake cleaner as a lubricant is destined for a Darwin award.
A fellow swordmaker eh?Quote:
while making a sword...
I dabbled with weapons in my younger days before I heard my calling for Titanium rings.
Nothing exciting though - I used to make Aluminium practice Chinese broadswords for Kung Fu students and I once had an order for 300 freemason preceptors - I didn't want to make another sword after that order for some reason +o(