Disclosed is a lubricant for use in cold forming of a metal. The lubricant comprises a mixture of at least one lubricating compound and at least one starch. The starch adheres the lubricating compound to the metal surface. The present lubricant completely removes the need to pre-coat the metal with a zinc phosphate coating to adhere the lubricating compound to the metal. The present lubricant eliminates several steps required in processes that utilize zinc phosphate pre-coatings. In addition, the lubricant of the present invention is easily removed after the cold forming operations unlike zinc phosphate coatings.