Cleaning carbide dies?

[Kahyne]

Hey Calgunners...

I was just wondering how do you guys go about cleaning your carbide dies?

Thanks for all the advice in advance.

[Broccoli Killer]

I spray mine with a little spritz of Break Free CLP and clean it with a rag and some Q-tips. I really only do this after loading a significant amount of lead cast boolits, since the lube tends to collect inside the die after a few thousand rounds.

[GeoffLinder]

Depends on how swarfed up a die is. If I am just doing a general cleaning, I spray some WD-40 in and then swab out with some cue tips and do a visual inspection to make sure nothing is still caked in place.

If a hefty cleaning is needed, I use some brake cleaner and douse the whole die liberally, let sit for a few and then use a nylon of fiber brush to scrub, then compressed air to blow the solvent and swarf out. Visual inspection, if all good, a shot of WD-40 to lube it back up (brake cleaner removes all oils) and then a wipe with a cue tip to remove any excess WD-40.

In an extreme situation, you may need to fully disassemble a die to get it clean, plugs, inserts, etc... This means you will lose the die's settings though.

If dies are on a Dillon progressive and need heavy cleaning, I take the powder measure off, remove the tool head and do the cleaning without removing them from the tool head to keep my settings.

There is no difference in cleaning methods for carbide or plain steel dies. You just don't want to use metal on metal tools like dental picks and so on which could scratch them no matter what type of die.

[Yerman]

Full disassembly and hose down with Hornady one shot cleaner and dry lube.

[bzzz]

Thank you OP for bringing this up.

I know I gotta clean up my Lee carbide .38/.357 dies because I mainly load lead semi-wadcutters.

What if I mainly load 9mm FMJ in a Dillon 9mm carbide set? Is cleaning the dies mainly to get rid of lead stuff?

Happy Reloading!

[GeoffLinder]

Thank you OP for bringing this up.

I know I gotta clean up my Lee carbide .38/.357 dies because I mainly load lead semi-wadcutters.

What if I mainly load 9mm FMJ in a Dillon 9mm carbide set? Is cleaning the dies mainly to get rid of lead stuff?

Happy Reloading!

I cannot remember ever having to clean a seating or crimp die after using jacketed bullets of any type, in any quantity. Only time a seating or crimp die will get dirty is with lead bullets.

Size dies tend to stay pretty clean too if you clean your brass first and don't use lube (pistol cases in carbide dies). Otherwise, a cue tip wipe out once in a while is all that is usually needed from lubed cases. Maybe pull the expander ball stem once in a great while and do a more thorough swabbing.

[uhlan1]

Occasional spray down with Hornady One Shot cleaner and dry lube, wipe down with cotton patches and Q-tips.

[Kahyne]

Occasional spray down with Hornady One Shot cleaner and dry lube, wipe down with cotton patches and Q-tips.

Will this procedure work with the sizing/decapping die?

[Yerman]

It works very well for any die.

[Kahyne]

It works very well for any die.

Is this the one you are talking about?

http://www.amazon.com/Hornady-All-Purpose-Cleaner-Conditioner-Lubricant/dp/B007TNXJ0E/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1376800414&sr=8-3&keywords=hornady+one+shot+gun+cleaner

[Yerman]

http://www.amazon.com/Hornady-Shot-Cleaner-DynaGlide-Aerosol/dp/B000LC9YM2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1376801575&sr=8-2&keywords=hornady+one+shot

[Kahyne]

Thanks Yerman!

[Yerman]

No problem...check out this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rQ05lDZRwo&feature=c4-overview-vl&list=PLF03D19C53ABAEE1A

[wxl]

About once a year I hit the sizing die with WD40 or fuel injector cleaner and maybe with a 38 cal mop. Usually there is not much junk in them just some powder residue and lube.

[damndave]

For a quick clean, I spray a little Hornady One Shot cleaner and dry lube. If I feel like it, I clean them up real good in the ultrasonic.

My pistol dies get cleaned every 1000-1500 rds.