Punch drift lube fail

[Mossy]

I found a brake grease that claimed it was fire proof up to 3000°. It is silicone with ceramic. So I thought it would make an amazing punch lube. Wrong! It caught fire, gummed up and like all silicone made everything within 5 ft. slick. After a wipe down with contractors solvent I pulled out my old can of anti-seeze compound. WOW!! Need I say more? Don't waste your time or money. I hope this helps at least one person. Hammer On!

[canada goose]

So would the opinion on here be that never sieze is the best easily available punch lube?

[Lou L]

I've used a little ash before but more often I use nothing.  Then again, I haven't punched and drifted anything large like a hammer. I'm curious to see what the really experienced people say.

[TwistedCustoms]

No lube punching hammers, just bees wax to cool the punch. Drifts arent hardened so no worries with them.

[Alan Evans]

I found using graphite halves the tonnage required to push a punch and drift through...makes the job go a lot easier all round...

I mix flake graphite with Renaissance wax or with Molyslip Metal Lubricant both of which hold the graphite on the surface of the punch.

The Renaissance wax smells nicer when it is burning off, but the white spirit in it evaporates and means the pot needs thinning down now and then, the Molyslip Metal Lubricant seems to stay liquid for months.

If you intend to do any finishing with paint or lacquer do not use silicone based lubricants in your workshop. Silicone has a a smaller molecule than industrial thinners...nothing can get under it to lift it, making it virtually impossible to remove in order to prevent orange peel finish surfaces.

Alan