Method for lubricating steel tubing prior to cold drawing

A method for the lubrication treatment of carbon steel tubing prior to cold drawing, said method comprising steps of:

• (A) contacting the exterior and interior surface of the tubing with a colloidal titanium containing liquid composition which has a pH in the range from 8 to 11 and which contains from 0.001 to 0.5 g/l, measured as titanium, of a colloidal titanium containing material formed as the product of reaction in aqueous solution of a water soluble titanium containing compound and a water soluble alkaline phosphate;
• (B) thereafter drying the tubing;
• and
• (C) subsequently applying to the thus treated exterior and interior surface of the dried tubing a liquid lubricating composition that has a viscosity at 20.degree. C. in the range from 100 to 3,000 centipoises and that consists of:
• (i) from 40 to 95% by weight of a first component selected from the group consisting of olefin/oil or olefin/fat compounds which contain from 23 to 30% by weight of sulfur and olefin/ester compounds which have 12-22 C atoms in the acid or alcohol residue and which contain from 23 to 30% by weight of sulfur, including mixtures of two or more chemical species meeting this description;
• and
• (ii) from 5 to 50% by weight of a second component selected from the group consisting of oil soluble polymer compounds, fats and oils, synthetic oils, mineral oils, C.sub.12 -C.sub.22 fatty acids, and the amine salts of C.sub.12 -C.sub.22 fatty acids;
• and, optionally,
• (iii) a phosporus containing extreme pressure additive component;
• (iv) dispersed solid lubricant;
• and
• (v) surfactants.