Lee "Deluxe" carbide dies my A... - The Firearms Forum

Mac0083 · 05-24-2009, 03:40 PM

Two weeks ago I finally got some of my lee reloading equipment order. While I'm waiting on the rest, I went ahead and set it up. Yesterday I returned to find the dies RUSTing in a hurry. I brushed them down with wd40 and some of the rust came off. The lee turret press also was showing some rust.
We live in an age of "made in china cheap" tools that are all stainless steel. I make an All-American purchase and it rusts in two weeks.
What do you gentlemen use on your equipment to...
(A) stop the rust from occuring
(B) remove the current rust w/o harming the dies
(C) should I wear disposable gloves while handling lee products

Thank You Gentlemen, for all of your responses and sharing your knowledge.

broomhandle · 05-24-2009, 04:06 PM

I keep a lightly oiled sheepskin pad on my reloading bench to wipe off dies after using.

312shooter · 05-24-2009, 04:59 PM

One thing that will keep rust out of your reloading inventory is auctioning the Lee equipment on Ebay!

Insulation Tim · 05-24-2009, 05:02 PM

I've reloading with Lee Kit with their 45 acp dies for 6 months. I have had no problem whatsoever. The biggest problem I had was trying to understand their instructions. YouTube fixed that.

cycloneman · 05-24-2009, 05:12 PM

i have real old lee equiptment. no problems. sorry to hear about this. i guess buy someone else.

Blackout · 05-24-2009, 07:41 PM

How is the humidity in your reloading room?

My reloading room is in a dry upstairs room. But I have a hobby room in the basement that I need to run either a space heater or dehumidier to keep dry.

JLA · 05-24-2009, 07:59 PM

The guy lives in florida blackout. Car frames dont stand a chance in a muggy gulf coastal climate. I have NEWer lee equipment now for 4 years that have yet to rust. I clean and oil them after each use with rem oil. FYI, stainless steel is actually a mislabeled material. They should officially rename it to rust resisitent steel. The ingredient added to obtain its rust resistent properties is nickel. The amount of nickel will have a direct effect on its rust resistence but the more nickel you have the less strength the dies will have. Nickel is a very brittle metal so if they made solid nickel dies, which could withstand 100 years at the bottom of the sea, they would probably cost far more than they are worth and shatter on the first case. If I were you mac, Id get some dessicants to keep in the boxes with your die sets and keep your reloading equipment well lubed. or move to a drier climate

Mac0083 · 05-24-2009, 08:15 PM

JLA, I hear that Texas is reaffirming their 10th amendment State rights. I'll be right there, with my rusty lee press in hand!

JLA · 05-24-2009, 08:17 PM

bring it on brother, the more the merrier. We can sit back in a cloud of pistol smoke while the rest of the country falls down around our ears

05-24-2009, 03:40 PM	#1
Mac0083 Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Florida's Gulf Coast Posts: 45	Lee "Deluxe" carbide dies my A... Two weeks ago I finally got some of my lee reloading equipment order. While I'm waiting on the rest, I went ahead and set it up. Yesterday I returned to find the dies RUSTing in a hurry. I brushed them down with wd40 and some of the rust came off. The lee turret press also was showing some rust. We live in an age of "made in china cheap" tools that are all stainless steel. I make an All-American purchase and it rusts in two weeks. What do you gentlemen use on your equipment to... (A) stop the rust from occuring (B) remove the current rust w/o harming the dies (C) should I wear disposable gloves while handling lee products Thank You Gentlemen, for all of your responses and sharing your knowledge. __________________ NO MORE CHANGE! -->

05-24-2009, 04:06 PM	#2
broomhandle Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 25	Re: Lee "Deluxe" carbide dies my A... I keep a lightly oiled sheepskin pad on my reloading bench to wipe off dies after using. __________________ Semper Fi NRA Patron Member

05-24-2009, 04:59 PM	#3
312shooter Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Las Vegas NV Posts: 1,148	Re: Lee "Deluxe" carbide dies my A... One thing that will keep rust out of your reloading inventory is auctioning the Lee equipment on Ebay!

05-24-2009, 05:02 PM	#4
Insulation Tim Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Ohio Contributor Posts: 2,295	Re: Lee "Deluxe" carbide dies my A... I've reloading with Lee Kit with their 45 acp dies for 6 months. I have had no problem whatsoever. The biggest problem I had was trying to understand their instructions. YouTube fixed that. __________________ Tim *"Remember the Ark was built by amateurs....Professionals built the Titanic"*

05-24-2009, 05:12 PM	#5
cycloneman Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Louisiana Posts: 7,401	Re: Lee "Deluxe" carbide dies my A... i have real old lee equiptment. no problems. sorry to hear about this. i guess buy someone else. __________________ Who are you going to serve today?

05-24-2009, 07:41 PM	#6
Blackout Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 16	Re: Lee "Deluxe" carbide dies my A... How is the humidity in your reloading room? My reloading room is in a dry upstairs room. But I have a hobby room in the basement that I need to run either a space heater or dehumidier to keep dry.

05-24-2009, 07:59 PM	#7
JLA TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Heart Of Texas Contributor Posts: 17,315	Re: Lee "Deluxe" carbide dies my A... The guy lives in florida blackout. Car frames dont stand a chance in a muggy gulf coastal climate. I have NEWer lee equipment now for 4 years that have yet to rust. I clean and oil them after each use with rem oil. FYI, stainless steel is actually a mislabeled material. They should officially rename it to rust resisitent steel. The ingredient added to obtain its rust resistent properties is nickel. The amount of nickel will have a direct effect on its rust resistence but the more nickel you have the less strength the dies will have. Nickel is a very brittle metal so if they made solid nickel dies, which could withstand 100 years at the bottom of the sea, they would probably cost far more than they are worth and shatter on the first case. If I were you mac, Id get some dessicants to keep in the boxes with your die sets and keep your reloading equipment well lubed. or move to a drier climate __________________ It takes 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 3 for proper trigger squeeze. The latest caliber or gear is no substitute for experience and skill. Rifles and cartridges don't make hits -- shooters do. Fact of life: After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF!

05-24-2009, 08:15 PM	#8
Mac0083 Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Florida's Gulf Coast Posts: 45	Re: Lee "Deluxe" carbide dies my A... JLA, I hear that Texas is reaffirming their 10th amendment State rights. I'll be right there, with my rusty lee press in hand! __________________ NO MORE CHANGE!

05-24-2009, 08:17 PM	#9
JLA TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Heart Of Texas Contributor Posts: 17,315	Re: Lee "Deluxe" carbide dies my A... bring it on brother, the more the merrier. We can sit back in a cloud of pistol smoke while the rest of the country falls down around our ears __________________ It takes 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 3 for proper trigger squeeze. The latest caliber or gear is no substitute for experience and skill. Rifles and cartridges don't make hits -- shooters do. Fact of life: After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF!