Knife lubricating agents

[pantagana23]

I have a question for people who have been disassembling/reassembling their Spydies:

Do any of you use silicone spray instead of oils?

I found that mechanics in my company use Valvoline silicone spray for different kind of applications, and this seems like the right tool for pivot and other parts of knife:

https://www.valvoline.com/en-europe/our ... cone-spray

This is the link to the product.

So far I have been using Nano oil (red cap, have no idea what's inside, have seen it in Nick Shabazz videos), but it collects dirt extensively and my Native Salt keeps squeaking on the lock-blade, so I was thinking of cleaning and putting silicon spray on the parts I usually lube with Nano oil.

Do any of you have experience or more knowledge on this, if yes, please comment.

[JRinFL]

I’ve never found silicone to be a good lubricant other than the really thick stuff for garage door tracks.
I have used mineral oil, Ballistol, Militec One, Blue Lube, and various synthetic gun lubes like Slip 2000. My go to are mineral oil & Slip 2000. Nano oil I have avoided because if it is really nano sized particles, then is seems an easy way to contaminate yourself.
On the deck is a lubricant from down under called Fluid Film. It certainly helps on wheelbarrow wheels.

[PStone]

Silicone sprays typically have additives to thin them out. Who knows what those can be. According to the SDS sheet, that stuff is 88% VOC. That’s probably why we don’t have the same stuff in the US. 100% silicone oil would be much better.

[JD Spydo]

I’ve never found silicone to be a good lubricant other than the really thick stuff for garage door tracks.
I have used mineral oil, Ballistol, Militec One, Blue Lube, and various synthetic gun lubes like Slip 2000. My go to are mineral oil & Slip 2000. Nano oil I have avoided because if it is really nano sized particles, then is seems an easy way to contaminate yourself.
On the deck is a lubricant from down under called Fluid Film. It certainly helps on wheelbarrow wheels.

I like your line up of lubes "JR">> Militec is still my favorite all purpose lube for the moving parts of a folder. I also use Ballistol for a wide range of uses.
I've said for the past 4 years now that if anyone can show me something that works better than Militec I will immediately start using it. I've been really satisfied with Militec for a wide range of uses>> Militec also makes a superb synthetic grease as well.

I may just have to check out that "Nano Oil">> this is about the 4th time this past month I've heard good stuff about it.

[nerdlock]

Something about the weights of oil/lubricant... even on my mtb and road bikes, I don't use silicone spray for lubing the chain, but rather specialized chain lubes/wax.

[Blnd]

3-in-1 always works for me.

Something like corrosion-x might work too.

[JakeXman]

I’ve had good luck using Boeshield T-9 on my Tasman salt. From what I can tell it doesn’t wash off or collect gunk as easily as the gun oil I use on my other knives because it’s almost waxy.

[Lucabrasi]

I use rem oil, right combination of thin and cheap. Have liked it. My brother uses knife pivot lube, which works better. But several times the price.

[benben]

I’ve recently started using Breakthrough Battle Born, bought it at my LGS for pistol rails. I like how thin it felt and started using it on my knife pivots, I like it! The metal needle applicator is icing on the cake.
https://www.breakthroughclean.com/produ ... oz-bottle/

[gdwtvb]

I pretty much only use mineral oil. Food safe and I've never had a problem in the last twenty something years using it. I imagine there are other products that might do a marginally better job at lubrication, but I like the idea that the stuff on my knives is non-toxic.

Grizz

[pantagana23]

Silicone sprays typically have additives to thin them out. Who knows what those can be. According to the SDS sheet, that stuff is 88% VOC. That’s probably why we don’t have the same stuff in the US. 100% silicone oil would be much better.

Those volatile organic compounds should also be in Ballistol I suppose, and any other spray (aerosol and similar), but noone says anything against Ballistol, so I am not sure why not silicone.

Active compound is polydimethylsiloxane, which is food safe, so VOC should evaporate, and thin silicon oil layer should remain.

I think I should do a test run on a Byrd :D

[Salty Dog]

Im using Benchmade bluelube, its got a bit of a cough syrup texture, only need a tiny amount but it seems to work well if you use it sparingly.
First thing I do when I get a knife is lube the blade pivot.

I first searched to buy Spyderco lube before buying Benchmade, only to find there is none, I was surprised.
Anybody know why Spyderco doesn't make their own lube?
Id have thought lube, knife protector and cleaner would have been easy money and sold lots?

[bearfacedkiller]

I stick with mineral oil because it is non toxic, food safe and extremely affordable. I also always have some laying around so it’s convenient.

I have lots of gun lubes but choose not to use them on my knives due to the occasional impromptu food prep.

[JD Spydo]

3-in-1 always works for me.

Something like corrosion-x might work too.

Even though that wouldn't be my own recommendation I will admit that I find it incredible that 3 in 1 oil is even still around>> and it seems to still be selling pretty well too. I can remember when electricians would always prefer it way back in the 60s/70s when I was a youngster. But I find many of the newer synthetic oils to have much better lubricity than any of the older oils. But hey if it works for you then that's all that matters.

[JD Spydo]

I stick with mineral oil because it is non toxic, food safe and extremely affordable. I also always have some laying around so it’s convenient.

I have lots of gun lubes but choose not to use them on my knives due to the occasional impromptu food prep.

All of what you said about "mineral oil" is probably true for the most part. But there is no way that mineral oil has the lubricity that many of these newer synthetic oils have. You've got a point about the "food safe" aspects of it. However when I cut up food I most use a fixed blade these days. And if you're careful to only lube the moving parts and only use just enough to get into the moving parts then you should be OK.

Many of those newer gun lubes have come a long ways as far as lubricity>> they just seem to get better each year. I was told by a friend of mine that Frog Lube is food safe. And I've seen that claimed by quite a few people on certain websites as well. But again I mostly just use fixed blade knives on food so any type of lube is not an issue with me at all. I just want to use what has the best lube properties.

[bearfacedkiller]

How much lubrication do we need? It is just a pocket knife. These are not guns and they certainly are not internal combustion engines. I mainly lubricate to protect from corrosion and any improvement to the action is just a bonus.

As knife nuts I realize that we way overthink lots of things about knives but from my perspective lots of folks way way overthink the lubrication of pocket knives.

[pantagana23]

How much lubrication do we need? It is just a pocket knife. These are not guns and they certainly are not internal combustion engines. I mainly lubricate to protect from corrosion and any improvement to the action is just a bonus.

As knife nuts I realize that we way overthink lots of things about knives but from my perspective lots of folks way way overthink the lubrication of pocket knives.

Well, do we overthink knife aspects? We most certainly do :D
Step after is sharpening systems.
Then comes the lube.

[The Mastiff]

Yeah, I have to agree with Darby about overthinking things. I'm back to using dry teflon lubes on my knife pivots and lockback bearing surfaces. It doesn't collect gunk and provides enough lubricity ( is that the right term?) for my uses. I'm not an expert but it has been enough to keep my knives working some of which go back 20 years. The dry teflon also makes cleaning the lock area easy. Whatever makes it's way in there just brushes off without sticking.

[Blnd]

3-in-1 always works for me.

Something like corrosion-x might work too.

Even though that wouldn't be my own recommendation I will admit that I find it incredible that 3 in 1 oil is even still around>> and it seems to still be selling pretty well too. I can remember when electricians would always prefer it way back in the 60s/70s when I was a youngster. But I find many of the newer synthetic oils to have much better lubricity than any of the older oils. But hey if it works for you then that's all that matters.

I have no doubt there are better oils out there. 3-in-1 works well enough and is readily available.

I use reel-x and marine grease on my saltwater reels. I’ve used 3-in-1 on my guns and other things that needed a little oil for as long as I can remember. It’s what my dad used and it’s worked.

For a knife? I don’t think lubricity REALLY matters.

[James Y]

I very rarely lube my knives, and when I do, I do so very sparingly. Some of my folders I don’t lube at all. For the past several years, I’ve used Tuf-Glide. That’s mostly because I’ve had the same little bottle for well over a decade.

My most recently lubed folders were my PM3 and one of my PM2’s. I only used a minuscule amount to lube the ball detent areas.

Jim