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Dans Club
December 5, 2008
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I've been looking into Froglube and also Ultrasonic cleaners. Froglube is fairly expensive so I'm wondering if any forum members have used it enough to share what they think of it. Seems to be mostly positive info on the internet, but there is some negative experience there too.
Ultrasonic cleaners seem to do a great job and I have other uses besides cleaning guns and brass to justify the cost. Recommendations on "how to's" and solutions for cleaning and lubing would be welcome.
One specific question: Has anyone tried using froglube as a cleaner and lubricant in the Ultrasonic cleaner in order to accomplish cleaning and lubing in one step instead of two?
Thanks for any input!
Dans Club
April 18, 2014
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I use like mean green or something like that. I will add some detergent and lemon juice when cleaning brass. the lemon juice makes nice and shiny. you can find several mixes on line for brass. But I just use the degreaser for parts and a scrub brush of different sizes.
Never tried the froglube yet..
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July 2, 2011
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I use an ultrasonic cleaner for brass, bolt assemblies, barrels that will etc. with very good results. I tried some web based DIY concoctions that worked OK, but lacking the patience I use a commercial product. Both Hornady ONE SHOT and Lyman TURBO SONIC worked very well.
My tips for cleaning brass:
1. Deprime
2. Preheat the solution and leave heater on.
3. Save some commercial inner carton ammo packaging. Preferably the kind that will let the casing hang with primer pocket up. Make sure the casing isn't resting on the bottom of the sonic chamber. A little clearance yields the best result.
4. Line up as many of the #3 configurations as your cleaner allow. No stacking and make sure they are completely covered by the solution.
5. Run as many timed cycles as needed to achieve your desired level of clean.
6. Take them (don't forget #2 like I did the first time..... 
hot brass
!! ) out to rinse and cool.
7. Sometimes I'll run a quick last cycle with just plain hot water.
This works really well for pistol casings. Longer rifle casings may require some reconfiguration.
Don't know a thing about Froglube. If you are talking about lubing for reloading using non-carbide dies, I kind of doubt there is a one step solution, but I just don't know.
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Dans Club
December 5, 2008
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Thanks guys.
I've been using a wet tumbler with stainless media for my brass and I do like it, but the ultrasonic sounds easier & quicker. I especially like the tip about using the plastic cartridge holders from ammo boxes - inspired!
The question about lubing after sonic cleaning stems from info saying that if you use the sonic cleaner on steel gun parts, you need to dry the parts and then lube them asap in order to prevent corrosion/rust. Many of the sources on the internet recommend running the parts through a second time in the sonic cleaner (after rinsing and drying), but with a lubricant solution in order to really get the lube in all the crevices etc. I had a brainstorm that since froglube is supposed to be good at penetrating the metal etc. why not just use it as the cleaner and save a step. The biggest drawback I can think of is that froglube is so expensive. I would definitely plan on filtering and reusing the froglube for multiple cleaning/lubing operations.
Guess I'll just have to jump in and try it myself.
April 20, 2014
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You might want to do more research on Frog Lube. My local gs called the company and asked to speak to someone who could answer some detailed questions about the chemical make up. What he got in response to "what makes FL harmless to the environment?" was very surprising. The employee he spoke with made reference to FL as being "food service grade". WTF???( what the frog). His follow up to that was "so you are saying I could eat it?". The response was "yes, if you really wanted to". Again WTF?? So add this to the company suggested protocol of applying FL to "pre-heated metal surfaces" ( this is how I was taught to "season" a cast iron fry pan) and MY conclusion is that FL is mint-scented old- fashioned Crisco. Now I really hope that I am way off base here, but if I'm not?? This could be the "snake oil" scam of the new millennia. Read the instructions and think about it. Pre-heat the metal so the product can penetrate the micro pores? I was not impressed with my purchase, and I bought it before this came to my attention But it does make historical sense. Before there was carbon based gun oil , animal fat was used for all manner of lubrication and rust prevention..
The only other products I can think of as being marketed as "minty fresh" are tooth paste and toilet cleaner.
Just sayin'
June 8, 2009
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snake-eye: There was a l-o-n-g posting on the Alaska Outdoorsdirectory site over testing of various gun car products. It's a great read, includes Frog Lube. I think he tested about 40 products and Frog Lube came in 2nd as I recall.
Alaska Ourdoorsdirectory / subforum: Alaska Shooting / about 5 pages back / posting: "Results of Gun Care Product Evaluation" by Rancid Crabtree.
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Dans Club
February 22, 2009
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I haven't treated any of my firearms with fl, but I do use it regularly as a cleaner because it's the one product my wife doesn't mind the smell of. No issues and I think it works pretty well, actually.
Technically, the glass is always full; half liquid, half air....
Dans Club
December 5, 2008
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Thanks for the input guys. I will continue my experimenting and post with any notable results.
June 8, 2009
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Some time ago I did some looking at these products and read that SEAL 1 was just about the same product, but smelled like bubble gum instead of pine and was of a different color. MidSouthShooters sells the stuff by the gal.
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June 25, 2013
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I've read elsewhere that the use of any detergent that creates foam or bubbles in an ultrasonic defeats the action of the ultrasonic collapsing vapor pockets. I use a little salt and powdered citric acid to do the cleaning. Works for me.
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Dans Club
February 22, 2009
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Never tried salt but Lemishine detergent works well on brass. A rinse in baking soda and water afterwards, of course...
Technically, the glass is always full; half liquid, half air....
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