TOTW Mink Oil lube smell

[Shopdog]

A silly question - I know many shooters who like the TOTW Mink Oil for their patch lube.  I've always used a variety of other things - bear grease, Wonderlube, etc.  Figured I'd give it a try.  I can't discern any odor just sniffing the contents in the tin but when I heated it (just melted it in a warm metal measuring cup) it gave off a rather unpleasant odor - like rancid bacon grease.  I have two tins of the stuff and neither have that odor till it's liquefied.
The subsequently soaked patches continue to smell rancid.  I would think if I got a bad batch it would smell regardless of being solid or liquid.  Is this the norm for the stuff?  I would hope not unless of course I'm trying to bait a bear

[Tilefish]

I have purchased several tin's from TOTW. And none have had what I would consider a bad smell even when melted. I recently purchased frontiers patch lube with bear oil. Seems to load tight loads easier than mink oil. Have not noticed any better accuracy. but has a pleasant smell.

[ScottH]

My tin is several years old from TOTW and it has no objectionable odor solid or warmed to liquid
I keep mine in the cool basement room where my powder is stored.

[mgbruch]

I've used TOW Mink Oil for many years, and I've always found it to have a distinctive odor. Mild, not unpleasant, but nothing I'd put my nose in and take a big whiff either. Best patch lube I've found, and it makes cleaning a breeze. 
also works pretty good on dry chapped hands.

[Darkhorse]

I bought a can for hunting and used it a couple of seasons then it sat on a shelf in a controlled environment for another couple of seasons. Then I decided to start using it again and it had turned rancid. You could tell just by looking at it even before the smell hit you.
I do understand that most have never experienced this but it does happen.

[JBJ]

So, if some are experiencing the "Mink Oil" going rancid, does that imply that it is an animal fat product of some persuasion? As much as they apparently sell, it would take a bunch of mink critters to fill all of those cans. I'm not knocking the product as I use it as well with good results. Just wondering what the stuff is actually made of!
J.B.

[Shopdog]

I compared my tin with another of same TOTW product and low and behold my  (much newer) tin of TOTW mink oil was noticeably darker in color.  Tried melting them both and did the smell test - sure enough looks like there was a rotten weasel in the batch I bought!  My bad luck but I'm happy to know it doesn't all smell like the bottom of a dumpster behind a fast food restaurant as I still want to try it as a patch lube. 

In answer to J.B.'s query, from what I read about it, yes it's rendered fat from minks presumably from commercially farmed mink as I imagine it would take a lot of trappers to catch enough wild ones for a tin of the stuff! The literature says it stays soft in super cold temps better than most natural patch lubes.  Not really an issue for me as I'm in North Florida but I'm still interested to give it a try.

[MuskratMike]

I use a lot of the stuff, to the point I buy it 10 tins at a time from T.O.T.W. When it arrives I put 9 tins in the freezer and open one tin and put it a small sauce pan (3/4 quart) with a lid on it that sits year round on a shelf in my garage. I have never noticed any "off" smell other than that of any product make from animal products. Kind of reminds me of pure Neatsfoot oil but not rancid. I smelled some patches i soaked in mink about 2 months ago and they are fine. Does the tin you are talking about look any different than this picture as this is the color is must be. if not call the good people at T.O.T.W. i am sure they will replace the product if it was in fact rancid.

[Shopdog]

Mike - I compared the two and yes they are different.  The tin contents that are odiferous are much darker.  I'll certainly mention it next TOTW order I do but I chock it up to just bad luck and not a black mark on them or their product.  If anything I could save the bad tin as a cure for chapped lips!  Put it on once and you'll make sure you never allow your lips to get chapped again

[Daryl]

Should keep you from licking them, certainly!

[Leatherbark]

About 5 years ago I bought a fresh tin of TOW's mink oil and it was rancid.  It was darker in color and smelled to high heaven. I sort of like the regular smell of TOW's mink oil.  Reminds me of Mutton tallow but that can was really bad.  I called them and they sent me a new can no charge.

Bob

[Bob McBride]

I’m a big fan of the smell of any sort of critter squeezins….

[Daryl]

Just checked a tin of Track's Mink Oil I've had for 4 or more years, non-used, however it has been in my shooting box all those years, however
is stored in my basement, in the box and it's only about 62F in the winter to 65F in the summer. Just opened it up and it smells just fine.
I guess you, Bob and Joe were unlucky in your initial purchases. Nice to see that Track would replace it.

[hanshi]

Since I haven't hunted all that much in the past few years I still have about 1/3 can of TOW mink oil in the basement.  It was almost pure white when I received it and still looks about the same.  Granted, I don't have the nose of a bloodhound but it has the same smell as it had when I first opened the tin as far as I can discern.  It may have an "adjusted" odor from storage but I can't actually detect any major difference.  All I can say about it is that it's good lube for the bush and I still use it.

[Panzerschwein]

Buy Frontier’s patch lube, it is the best we’ve ever used here.