Why can't they improve the "stench" to make it even better? My friend's wife gave me a "what for" last night - lol

I can't say I love the smell, but it's not that bad to me. Just an odd smell more than a terrible smell. Reactions seem to vary a lot. I don't use it in the house, but my wife, who has an acute sniffer, has been in the shop where I use it and has never mentioned it. She's probably just accustomed to odd smells there...
 
I’ve found that ventilation is the key when working with chemicals. When I’m using Balistol in an enclosed space it can be a bit irritating, making me cough. Luckily, my wife is an excellent indicator of what smells bad and she’s never complained when I’ve used Balistol, which is a good sign. However, her trigger is PB Blaster. Even when I use it at work and can’t smell it anymore, she homes in on it like a bloodhound as soon as I make it in the door. It’s like she has a superpower for detecting PB Blaster!
 
I think “wet dog” is the most accurate description. I’ve relegated ballistol to cleaning outside. Wife doesn’t appreciate the smell especially if we know we’ll be having guests. It’s hard to beat though for a good all purpose cleaner and lube. For smell though I much prefer H#9
 
chief38 said:
About 2 years ago I bought 2 cans and 1 spray bottle of Ballistol after hearing so many great things about it and about its non toxic formula. That said, the very first time I opened the can I KNEW it would only be a one shot use and in my shop for less than 1 day - lol. While using it my wife walked into my garage workshop and immediately asked, "what the heck is that stench"? I told her I was trying a new gun cleaner/solvent and that 's what it smells like. We both looked at each other and two seconds later I called one of my shooting buddies down the street and told him to come over and I'll give him 3 containers of Ballistol. He came over in a few minutes and was very appreciative. Apparently he had not used it until a few days ago.

Fast forward to last night's community bowling night. My friend's wife came over to me at the bowling alley and said, "what the heck is in that gun stuff you gave my husband"? It stinks!! I laughed my butt off and said, "that's exactly why I gave it away" - :p. She told me when he's out and about she's going to discretely ditch it in the trash - I told her I don't blame her and completely understand!

I really don't get how so many here use that stuff!! Yes, I know it has a great reputation for safety, works well and is useful on many different materials, but man oh man, ..... how does one tolerate the stench? I am shocked that they have not figured out a way to calm the smell down or eliminate it all together. Maybe it's just part of why it works well - who knows. While it's fantastic to come across a product that works well and is safe, to me smells, scents and odors resonate big time as well. That is my follow up Ballistol story!
Click to expand...
It could be WORSE...Just think of the people who work in the factory that manufacture it..
 

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I guess I'll have to be the oddball here and confess that I love the stuff. It has great lubricating qualities and is useful, not just on guns, but leather, holsters, boots, belts and penetrating oil situations. The Germans developed it as an oil that could be used on all the soldier's gear. It's non-toxic and you don't have to worry about getting the stuff on your hands. I have gotten used to the smell. It doesn't gunk up like many petroleum products and doesn't leave a residue. The most common use I have for Ballistol is mixing it with water as a cleaning solution for my military rifles (Mosin Nagants, Enfields and Mauser) to deal with the effects of corrosive priming ammo residue. I use a 90% water 10% Ballistol mix in a spray bottle to initially clean the bore. The stuff emulsifies in water and looks like milk. I have also used to attack corrosion on car battery terminals. The solution is slightly alkaline; just what you need for battling rust and corrosion.

Edit: If you really can't stand the smell, another great non-petroleum oil is ALG Go Juice. It has no smell at all. It's a great lubricant for the AR-15 platform.
 
Agree with those who think that it smells like a pair of crusty, dirty socks that had been in a PhysEd locker for years 😂 A friend who swears by it gave me some in a jar. After a whiff, I set it aside with a "Lubricant - For Emergency Use Only."

According to the website, "BALLISTOL is the ideal multi-tasking tool for woodworking, DIY, firearm care, gardening, auto maintenance, boat care and fishing. For over a hundred years, it’s been the go to solution for mechanics, electricians, plumbers, hunters, shooters and soldiers (I never heard of it until a few years back)." Imagine spraying all the door hinges in your house with this stuff--your wife will love you for it! 😀 And you can buy it by the gallon!
 

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I never understood the use of Ballistol other than it is not toxic. All it is Mineral Oil with some stinky additive. It does nothing exceptionally well. Many many other CLP type cleaners out there.

Contents
Ballistol contains medicinal grade mineral oil, alkaline salts of oleic acid, several alcohols, Benzyl Acetate and an oil from
vegetal seeds. The mineral oil is unchlorinated and conforms to the specifications of US Pharmacopeia XX
 
I started pheasant at about 10 years old and cleaning the shotguns with Hoppes #9 - it always brings back good memories. Love the stuff.
 
Well.... my olfactory senses are sensitive enough not to be able to tolerate Ballistol at all. My current go-to for 4 or 5 years has been G96 Synthetic CLP. Before that it was Breakfree CLP. They both are very very low odor products and both work well. The main difference I see between the two is that the G96 is a slightly better cleaner.
 
I've never heard of Ballistol before. I've been using G96 since 1977. That was what my gunshop (Creekside) in Holcomb always used. Back in those days you could "try before you buy" unless it was a top of the line Smith or Colt. After you brought it back from the range they would always wipe it down with G96 and clean them after hours. Back in those days G96 had a smell a lot like bananas. Actually quite similar to Bonomo Turkish Taffy, really dated myself didn't I. Sometime in the 80's I think they changed the smell to what it smells like today. Not as good as bananas but not offensive either. I have 3 large cans of the stuff. It's gotten very expensive for a 12 ounce can though.
 
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