Fireclean, aka Crisco?
- Thread starter PewPewPewCo
- Start date
PAM is just a blend of oils with silicone added to keep it from gelling up. So maybe fireclean = PAM???
No idea, but I doubt it. PAM will cook down to a sticky residue on a baking sheet at less than 375°. FC has stated that they don't use soybean oil, so anything containing soybeans is out also. Whatever they are using doesn't appear to be a repackaged off the shelf oil. It appears to be a unique blend of three different vegetable or seed based oils. That means that they actually did the R&D, and found a formula that worked. It's no different than a motor oil company developing a new blend.
This whole thing blew up because of how The Firearm Blog titled their repost of Andrew Tuohy's original article. TFB used the comparison to Crisco, not the original author. In fact, he has clearly stated that FC is an effective lube and it does what they claim. But that's not what the Internet pays attention to. So far, there's no evidence to indict Fireclean as to its efficacy. The only valid complaint is that it's more expensive than others on the market. If you think it's too expensive, just use something else. Simple.
To the point of whether or not FC is something as simple as canola oil, a couple of guys have already tried experimenting with it. The guns ran fine, but within a couple of days the oil had gone rancid, stunk badly and gummed up into a sludge after use. Fireclean does none of those things.
On the other hand, the smoke test still seems shady. But LAV has stated that they were using reloads.
I'll keep using the supply I have until I run out. The main reasons are that it really does work well, doesn't burn off as fast as others, more or less stays where you put it, doesn't gum up like other popular non-toxic lubes and it's non-toxic. That's important to me because I usually shoot suppressed and I don't really want to breathe in vaporized motor oil or ATF.
True. I wouldn't be surprised if Fireclean was designed for some other purpose initially.
At one time you could buy what Oxyclean is at the hardware store in a 5 gallon bucket for $10.
Here's an interesting follow up to the ongoing Fireclean debate. Based on these results, it is safe to say that Fireclean is NOT just plain old Canola oil. The results actually cast quite a bit of doubt on the reliability or accuracy of the tests performed by Vuurwapen.
http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=176065
http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=176065
Andrew Tuohy, the author of the original article posted on Vuurwapen Blog. TTAG reposted his article.
Ok so Fireclean isn't just Canola oil, we've known that from the start. But. What has been proven now is that rather than spend $15 on a lil lube we can go buy a gallon of olive oil or some Crisco or whatever and have something to cook with and lube our sh!t with.
That is if you weren't already using your left over motor oil or grease from when you service your car.
That is if you weren't already using your left over motor oil or grease from when you service your car.
There was always an understanding that it was processed. Fire clean doesn't spoil. He question is how different is it, obviously enough that using crisco seems damaging to finishes, probably due to Ph level/acidity since nickel boron doesn't like acid from what I've read.
Not sure if you read the linked thread, but that doesn't work. Cooking oils, so far, have been shown to develop a bad odor and leave behind a sticky residue. Fireclean does not exhibit these behaviors.
Right. The only reason I posted the update was in an attempt to dispel the quickly growing myth that it's simple off the shelf canola or vegetable oil. As Laufen alluded, the patent indicates that it is likely a blend of up to three different bio-oils. The company has been portrayed as if they simply rebottled an off the shelf product. But evidence is mounting that this isn't the case. Granted, the raw materials are likely very inexpensive compared to the product cost. But the guys that developed it, apparently did spend some time doing actual research and testing in order to determine what formulation actually works.
It's really no different than how other companies develop petroleum based lubricants. They haven't exactly reinvented the wheel.
