Jack;
As I understand it many greases use a soap as base. I believe Grease is not a natural product in the refinement process of the crude, but is in fact a heavy oil combined with a carrier. Modern day Lithium Chassis grease for instance use a Lithium Soap as it's base. As to exactly what type was in the old cup grease I have no idea but as I recall, it was of stringy fibrous nature, unlike modern greases. As to it's effect in the stock finishing process, I just don't know. This was discussed on this board some time back as I recall, & seems as if someone here with a chemical background did address that. Don't think I saved it though & may have been too far back to find now. The post referred to that I have on the Lefever board was sent to me by another member here & was made here first. Don't recall the circumstances now, but he couldn't figure out how to get it poasted or something & I did it for him. Don't recall the name but pretty sure I listed it in the post itself, as he was the one who found the info.
Just went over to the lefever board & looked up the post, here is the lead-in;
Thanks to M D Christian for the following;
"This was submitted to Handloader Magazine (Jul/Aug 1970) by Harvey A Donaldson who said it was told to him by Frank Lefever, son of D M Lefever. He stated this was the method used in finishing stocks by Dan Lefever & other U S Gunsmiths as Billinghurst, Brockway, Morgan James, A O Zischang & others. Will try to cover the basics to keep as short as possible."
Thinking back I believe he wasn't set up to post pics at the time & I told him if he would e-mail it to me I would type it in & post as text, so all the credit for the post goes to MDC.
