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Old May 15, 2014, 04:43 PM   #1
H20FOWL
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Froglube anyone use

Thinking about trying out Froglube. Just wondering if anyone has used it and if they have what there experience was with it. Does it work in the extreme cold, dust, and other environmental situations.

Last edited by H20FOWL; May 15, 2014 at 04:43 PM. Reason: miss spelled word
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Old May 15, 2014, 04:45 PM   #2
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See this thread for impressive testing...
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Old May 15, 2014, 11:11 PM   #3
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I am on a tactical team and our firearms are subjected to all environmental conditions including water submersion, dirt exposure, and extreme heat. We tried Frog Lube and found that it pretty much does not cut it for us. Slip 2000 EWL works well. Militec is good. 10w40 syn blend motor oil is good.
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Old May 16, 2014, 12:05 AM   #4
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Why not be more explicit rather than saying it didn't cut it for you.
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Old May 16, 2014, 06:24 AM   #5
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I've never used it but after seeing the test by DIYGuy last week I'll give it a go.
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Old May 16, 2014, 08:21 AM   #6
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I used it for a couple of years and have since gone back to good old Hoppes for cleaning, and depending on the gun, either Tetra oil, Lubri-Plate, or TW25b for lubes.

One thing I started to notice more and more with the Frog Lube was, how things that were cleaned and put away for even fairly short periods, were starting to gum up and become sluggish. I always followed their directions, and as with any of them, used it very sparingly as a lube.

Another thing I noticed with one of my revolvers was, light rust forming in the chamber mouths, and only a few days after cleaning. I hadnt had that with any of the other guns Id used it with, so I dont know what was up there.

One other concern I had with FL was copper removal, which as far as I could ever discern, it didnt. I also tried their solvent", which I didnt think did anything at all, and was pretty much worthless, and a total waste of money.

Since going back to what I was using before, I havent had any of the above issues, and Ive got a few extra bucks in my pocket, as Im not spending what I was on the Frog Lube, which is pretty pricey and seems to get used up a good bit quicker.
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Old May 16, 2014, 10:14 AM   #7
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I use FL on my semi-auto pistols. I like it. I haven't noticed any gumming up.

I have also put it on a new AR upper to compare it to my other ARs, but I haven't been able to get out shooting since. Curse of the new gun, I guess.

I think that one consideration of any cleaner is your local environment. For example, if you live in Minnesota, you will have to consider the cold temperature properties of a cleaner/lub. In Florida, that won't be as important. If you do buy FL, maybe just start using it on one firearm and see how that compares to another in your safe.
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Old May 16, 2014, 10:53 AM   #8
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I started with two, a Glock and an AR, two guns I shoot quite a bit, the Glock weekly, the AR 2-3 times a month.

I was told by the guy selling the stuff, that I would see cleaning get easier the more I used it. I guess its the same theory the makers/sellers of electric razors use to gain converts.

I never found that FL made cleaning any easier/quicker, and I seemed to use more of it to get the same (and in the case of copper, less) results as other cleaners.

When I started using it on my revolvers is where I really noticed things gumming up and not moving as freely, especially the cylinders. The autos werent as noticeable, but they also tend to not have the tighter tolerances.

Since going back to the more traditional cleaners and lubes, things that sit a week or more, seem to move a lot more freely now when picked up again.

I agree, the only way youre going to know is to give it a try. $25-30 will get you one of the starter kits of the CLP, the paste, and a micro fiber cloth. You dont get much for that, but its enough to get an idea.
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Old August 1, 2014, 04:35 PM   #9
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from what I have heard the only issues are with cold. I am unsure of the gel but the paste can freeze under the right conditions, basically prolonged exposure to cold. I tried it, put some in the freezer at about 14F and it froze solid. Seems like a good lubricant for pretty much everything else, stays put, does not burn off, lubricates well.
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Old August 1, 2014, 06:08 PM   #10
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I did not like that it would become 'gunky' and would cause issues with cycling until it heated up enough to actually be viscous. For that reason, I stopped using it, and would never use it on a carry gun.
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Old August 1, 2014, 06:49 PM   #11
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I used the gel. I had a problem of it gumming up if I used it after cleaning with Break Free CLP. I got a buddy who swears by the paste. He puts thick layers of the paste on all his firearms. We shot 500 rounds through his Costa M&P, and glock 19 this past weekend and they ran without a hiccup. I dont use it anymore.
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Old August 1, 2014, 08:13 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AK103K
One thing I started to notice more and more with the Frog Lube was, how things that were cleaned and put away for even fairly short periods, were starting to gum up and become sluggish. I always followed their directions, and as with any of them, used it very sparingly as a lube.
I have read so many similar reports about Frog Lube that I have never been tempted to try it. One or two sour grapes reports are anecdotal -- a bunch of similar reports starts to add up to "data."

I use Gun Butter or synthetic 5W50 motor oil for oil, and Lubri-Plate for greasing slide rails. I use Gunzilla for cleaning. Despite the advertising, I am not prepared to believe that ONE product can effectively clean AND lubricate AND protect. Just not possible IMHO.
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Old August 1, 2014, 11:55 PM   #13
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Have been using for about a year now. I have been VERY pleased with it (paste). I have used the heat treatment and applied it over all metal surfaces of my firearms. It is FANTASTIC for keeping the metal from rusting. I have always been a little leary of a complete dry lube and do use a little synthetic lube when I plan on shooting long periods on the range. I carry my CCW weapon pretty dry with Frog Lube, with total reliability. Cleans up nice and dust, sweat, water just wipes off. Key to success is heating up metal before applying it.

I have heard that some of the guys up at Gunsight had some issues in winter with it. Since it is water based, I heard it froze up in extreme cold....don't know this for fact or have first hand experience. Freeze up in Tucson is not a big concern for me.
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Old August 2, 2014, 12:29 AM   #14
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One of the biggest mistakes people make when using Frog Lube is to apply it too liberally.

One of the newer products that seems to be having great success is FIREClean..
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Old August 2, 2014, 12:43 AM   #15
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If you take the time to prep the metal with heat it makes all the difference. You can apply it heavy just like car wax but need to wipe it off. Let it dry to a waxy coating and buff it clean like car wax. Its about opening the pores of the metal with heat and sealing with the FL at in a molecular process opposed to leaving a heavy visible coating to lubricate. I think many that have problems with gumming are not using it correctly.
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Old August 2, 2014, 07:58 AM   #16
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Quote:
If you take the time to prep the metal with heat it makes all the difference. You can apply it heavy just like car wax but need to wipe it off. Let it dry to a waxy coating and buff it clean like car wax. Its about opening the pores of the metal with heat and sealing with the FL at in a molecular process opposed to leaving a heavy visible coating to lubricate. I think many that have problems with gumming are not using it correctly.
Copy that. Frog lube acts like PTFE or Teflon products where it soaks into the pores of the metal creating a friction free surface. I treated my 1911 and carbon AR-15 and run them both dry without any problems for two years. Carbon deposits wipe off with a dry rag. I did the heat-apply-let cool and wipe off two times initially and that was all. I used Teflon products in the past and really liked how they worked and left the gun dry but lubricated. Frog lube I place in the same category.
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Old August 2, 2014, 09:04 AM   #17
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Quote:
If you take the time to prep the metal with heat it makes all the difference. You can apply it heavy just like car wax but need to wipe it off. Let it dry to a waxy coating and buff it clean like car wax. Its about opening the pores of the metal with heat and sealing with the FL at in a molecular process opposed to leaving a heavy visible coating to lubricate. I think many that have problems with gumming are not using it correctly.
I agree 100%!!
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Old August 2, 2014, 09:12 AM   #18
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I did the heat thing early on, when they still recommended doing so in the instructions on the bottles (I never really noticed any difference either way). They havent had that recommendation in the instructions on the bottles for quite awhile now, and last I saw mention of it, was on their website, and it was aimed at long term storage.

Quote:
I think many that have problems with gumming are not using it correctly.
I tend to agree, to a point.

I think a lot of people do tend to over do things and as with any of them, to much is usually not a good thing.

With Frog Lube, I pretty much always followed the directions to the letter, and only ever used a very fine coat of the paste as a lube. Basically, I got a little bit on my index finger, and rubbed it between my finger and thumb, and then lightly applied it to what I felt needed it. You didnt see the paste, just a wet shine.

Where I noticed the sluggishness, was with close fitting things, like my revolver cylinders, etc. My autos for the most part, were never an issue.

One thing I noticed towards the end of using FL, was that the consistency of it seemed to be changing, and the last few bottles seemed a lot more watery than the earlier bottles, almost like it was being watered down. I was also wondering if that might not be the reason I was getting rust while using it.
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Old August 2, 2014, 09:44 AM   #19
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For the first application, you need to follow the directions closely.

The main thing is to remove any other products, such as oil or lube previously used on your firearm.
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Old August 4, 2014, 10:46 AM   #20
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totally anecdotal:
I last lubed up my DI AR upper and my piston AR upper with FL about 8/6 months ago respectively and haven't had chance to get to the range until yesterday. They both functioned terrifically.
For what it's worth.
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Old August 5, 2014, 07:06 PM   #21
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The trap shooters at my gun club swear by it. I actually ordered a small 4oz jar and will try it out this weekend on my Beretta.

I shoot at least weekly so I hope I can get a pretty good feel for it and how it works quickly.
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