Nano-Oil for Sal

[jackknifeh]

Still skeptical after not finding any information on Nano-Oil's site that wasn't happy user testimonials, I went on a hunt for papers. I hope you guys don't think I'm calling you liars with all the success stories, but most of the posts on here are similar to the things I've read on Nano-Oil's site, including conversations with the owner. I wish he'd give some specifics about the computer fan story he's telling. Maybe it really is that good, but I'd like to see some ASTM tests with numbers to compare.

Found this and thought you all would like to read as well (I know we're carrying knives and not scroll compressors):

http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcont ... ntext=icec

This type of nano-oil uses carbon nano-particles in an oil suspension, but the references also list Fullerene C60 nano-particles (the same carbon particles described in this paper?), nano Al/Sn particles, nano Cu particles and in another paper, nano Pd particles. I'm guessing that Nano-Oil's product contains carbon nano-particles, but I wish I knew better how each reacted with the surface to see if the claims of permanent bonding are true. Maybe it's just these carbon particles are small enough to get stuck in the microscopic flaws of the metal surface and lubricate that way.

The research produced interesting results that showed impressive numbers when comparing the oil with nano-particles to pure oil. Makes me feel better to see graphs, charts and data, this way I can finally determine how good is good. I might be ordering some now.

Clip, when I was 15 years old my Dad bought land and had the outside of a house built on it. He, me and my 14 year old brother did 90% of the inside work. Hard wood floors, carpet, elec. wiring, etc. The thing I remember is the door frames. Cutting them and making the angles line up was something easily noticed. After that every time I went into another building I noticed the angles of the door and window moldings. I didn't look on purpose, just noticed like a cop looks for suspicious activity without meaning to. That really bugged me. I had been able to walk into a room and be happy until I was introduced to all the imperfections and details of carpentry. :) I was thinking that knowing too much sometimes takes the joy away. The things I learned doing that house have served me well many many times because I could do a lot of small repairs to my own house including turning my car port into a room. The only thing I didn't do was poor the concrete slab.

I would love to have the knowledge you have especially since my recent interest in knives, blade steel, etc. Your posts have been very interesting and educational as well. I understand wanting the documentation to back up the claims about any product from the manufacturers or sales dept. Especially if it is a major investment.
Have you tried Nano-Oil yet? Have you called the company and talked to Christian? I'm not vouching for Christian or the company even though my contact has been only positive. He seems honest to me but so did Ted Bundy.

I'm not saying there is anything wrong with research, actually the opposite. But, for the small expense of a tube of Nano-Oil I'd be willing to try it out if I had several good reports from people I know a little bit about. We know a little bit about each other on this forum. Not much, just a little bit. But it's better I think than trusting the testimonies a company provides about their product. We don't know those folks (or even if they really exist). If there were negative comments I doubt they would print them.

Finally, what you do find out about Nano-oil I would like to get your input on it. It works really well for me but I'd like to know more. I'm interested in it but don't have the knowledge to understand what you would even be looking for. I apply it and see how it works. That's the extent of my research a lot of times. :)


Jack

[DCDesigns]

I use dry lubricants for my knives and surface protection of my guns. Particulalrly a CLP made by a very small company called Super QCG (the QCG stands for Quick Clean Guns), it is one of the best CLPs I have ever used, and it buts breakfree to shame. Great for protecting carbon steel straight razors too!

For actual lubrication of guns, there is really just one thing to use: Grease. Unlike dry or wet lubes, grease stays where you put it. This is invaluable for firearms.

You dont have to go buy expensive gun grease either. Go to autozone, pep boys, or something similar in your area, and buy a big ol 5 dollar tub of High Speed Wheel Bearing grease. Trust me, it is the exact same thing. Buy a syring from a wood store for use with adhesives, and you are good to go. I have been using the same tub for 5 years, and its safe to say even with a decent sized collection, I have only used 1/50th of it. Really a superb value, and it works as good as any gun grease made. I have gone over 800 rounds with my little sig p238 without cleaning/relube while carrying it every day for 6 months or so. Took it apart, the grease was still there and working.

[kbuzbee]

Certainly "nano" is a hot topic in many areas today, lubrication among them. I've been reading up on it. Interesting stuff. Nano particles in rod, tube and sphere shape are being used, both in the lab and increasingly in products. Most of this work is being done in high load environments where larger structures are subjected to large compression and shear forces. The ability to survive these forces is critical to the success of the lubricant.

Does any of this high load research apply to things like lubricating a knife pivot? Not really. Does that mean nano technology doesn't apply? Not at all. IMO we're all going to benefit from better lubricants. Just like we all benefited from technologies developed for Apollo even though we weren't using them in outer space

My perception is we're in the early phases and the next 20 years will yield revolutionary products. What we're seeing now a first generation. Much like we saw first gen partical metallurgy evolve to second and third generation.

Is the current nano oil the best oil that will ever exist? I'll go out on a limb and say no. But it's IMO darned good and I look forward to future developments.

Ken

[DCDesigns]

Clip, when I was 15 years old my Dad bought land and had the outside of a house built on it. He, me and my 14 year old brother did 90% of the inside work. Hard wood floors, carpet, elec. wiring, etc. The thing I remember is the door frames. Cutting them and making the angles line up was something easily noticed. After that every time I went into another building I noticed the angles of the door and window moldings. I didn't look on purpose, just noticed like a cop looks for suspicious activity without meaning to. That really bugged me. I had been able to walk into a room and be happy until I was introduced to all the imperfections and details of carpentry. :) I was thinking that knowing too much sometimes takes the joy away. The things I learned doing that house have served me well many many times because I could do a lot of small repairs to my own house including turning my car port into a room. The only thing I didn't do was poor the concrete slab.

Yep Jack, I have had similar experience with films. I Used to be able to watch any movie, and enjoy it for its plot and actors, regardless of how its cut together or shot. After having been a Film major for two years when I was in college (before the switch to industrial design), I find I may loose my place in whats going on in a movie because Im counting shots, or timing, or being bothered because there is something the camera operator did or did not do. Just one simple observation made it impossible for me to watch something without thinking about it for weeks: Almost every shot in a TV show or Film is an average of 3-5 seconds. Once you notice how many different shots are in just a couple minutes of otherwise uiniteresting film, it will make your head spin. Before someone pointed this out, I did not even notice the frequency of shot change.

Once you have really studied something, it becomes near impossible not to find faults with the work of others in the same department. I have had similar experiences in wood working and prototype building. You think angles on door jambs bother you, wait until youve been held to tolerances of 5 thousandths of an inch when constructing prototypes, and you bear witness to a project somone slapped together off a bandsaw by eye, its enought to make your hair curl.

[Clip]

Will, Jack, and others, glad you didn't take my post the wrong way. I think the biggest reason I'm hesitant is because the claims Nano-Oil's site makes are quite like the testimonials I read about Marvel Mystery Oil, Restore Engine Lubricant, Slick 50, Lucas additive, etc. There's almost constant discussion on Supramania about these additives, along with a very knowledgeable subject matter expert that took pleasure in breaking down each product and determining why they would or wouldn't work. Most contained high levels of PTFE or zinc that would either get filtered out if the oil filter was doing it's job or not help at all. In addition, most thinned or thickened the oil to give the illusion that the engine was making less noise (tapping, etc). On the engine I've rebuilt, I only run a Castrol 0W-30 at the recommendation of the SME, and on the old truck with the 302, I've tried one or more of the additives. None seem to do what they claim, and all are probably gumming up the engine making it harder to rebuild when I eventually take it out.

And I agree, once you've had formal training and a focus on a certain area of expertise, it drives you crazy to see others that aren't working to your standards!

Seeing everyone's great results here, coupled with a few research papers to verify performance gains in other applications, definitely makes me want to try a bottle. Once I get settled in and back to all my tools in the shop I'll try to put together a small test rig that more closely mimics the wear that knives would see, then test Tuf-Glide and Nano-Oil side by side.

Thanks guys!

[jackknifeh]

Will, Jack, and others, glad you didn't take my post the wrong way. I think the biggest reason I'm hesitant is because the claims Nano-Oil's site makes are quite like the testimonials I read about Marvel Mystery Oil, Restore Engine Lubricant, Slick 50, Lucas additive, etc. There's almost constant discussion on Supramania about these additives, along with a very knowledgeable subject matter expert that took pleasure in breaking down each product and determining why they would or wouldn't work. Most contained high levels of PTFE or zinc that would either get filtered out if the oil filter was doing it's job or not help at all. In addition, most thinned or thickened the oil to give the illusion that the engine was making less noise (tapping, etc). On the engine I've rebuilt, I only run a Castrol 0W-30 at the recommendation of the SME, and on the old truck with the 302, I've tried one or more of the additives. None seem to do what they claim, and all are probably gumming up the engine making it harder to rebuild when I eventually take it out.

And I agree, once you've had formal training and a focus on a certain area of expertise, it drives you crazy to see others that aren't working to your standards!

Seeing everyone's great results here, coupled with a few research papers to verify performance gains in other applications, definitely makes me want to try a bottle. Once I get settled in and back to all my tools in the shop I'll try to put together a small test rig that more closely mimics the wear that knives would see, then test Tuf-Glide and Nano-Oil side by side.

Thanks guys!

Eager to see what you come up with. Just to make things more difficult (or interesting) I also used Quick Release because their claims to "bonding" to the metal like Tuf-Glide's claims got me interested. I tried it and never gave it a chance for corrosion control like I have Tuf-Glide. Mainly because I bought an 8 oz. bottle of Tuf-Glide which I'll use till it's gone. However, the lubrication of Quick Release is far better IMO than Tuf-Glide. After using QR for a couple of years I found Nano-Oil to be far better as a lubricant than QR. So, I use TG for corrosion control and Nano for lubrication. According to Nano's claims the only thorough way to remove it from metal is by using sandpaper.

So, IMO Tuf-Glide is a good lubricant if you don't have anything else but a great corrosion prevention product. Quick Release is a better lubricant and probably a good corrosion preventative. Nano-Oil is the best lubricant I've used. I can tighten the same pivot tighter than before using Nano-Oil and still maintain a smooth easy moving blade.

Do you know anything about this "bonding" to the metal so it can't be wiped off? That's what Sentry Solutions claims. Myself, I don't understand the chemical "bonding" process in this situation. Tuf-Glide can't be removed easily. Mineral spirits, industrial cleaners are recommended by Sentry. I tried to remove it so I could force a patina on two M4 blades and was unsuccessful. Best I could do was get a very light patina. The only real sign it was there is to compare the side of the blade to the edge bevel which is shiny. That was actually the testimony that convinced me that Tuf-Glide works. I couldn't even force corrosion much less worry about it forming from normal use.

I believe they are all great products and determining on their use will cause different opinions of which is best or worst. As with any oil, all will prevent corrosion I'm sure. It's the long term performance of a single application that is Tuf-Glide's claim that I find to be valuable. Then again none of my knives or tools suffer from exposure to bad weather or other harsh environments. I can't testify like the deep sea fisherman can or the soldier in the desert. I'm just an older guy puttering around the house. :)

All of this is just my opinion of course.

Jack

[Sharpmaker Mike]

Have been using Ballistol for years on guns, knives, leather etc.

Meets my needs. No problems, no complaints.

I'm a Ballistol fan, too.

Can anybody that has used Ballistol on their knives/guns chime in on the differences or improvement over Ballistol, if any?

[Clip]

Jack, not sure on Tuf-Glide's bonding claims, but I was able to apply it and later remove with mineral spirits. Haven't tried a patina yet, but looks like it's sort of developing just from handling it. While it was applied, it sure did a good job keeping it looking like new. Just found an interesting post by Sentry about their Tuf products - http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showt ... post689547 - and - http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showt ... post689550 - looks like it is non-toxic. I'd hesitated about applying to knives used for food prep, so this brought peace of mind.

Not sure if it bonds chemically or physically, but would like to know if anyone can chime in.

[Bill1170]

Thank you to Jacknife for posting your hands-on experiences with several of these products for lubrication and corrosion control.

[Alchemy1]

I just got a half oz of this stuff in the mail. First off I paid $25 directly from the manufacturer and it came first class mail in a bubble wrap envelope. Needless to say my needle applicator is all bent up, but still works.

I put 4 drops of this into my tenacious that already had Tuff Glide on the pivot. After working the knife for about 30 seconds I noticed a significant improvement over the Tuff Glide alone.

With that being said I bought an 8oz. Bottle of Tuff Glide at blade for $20 and .5 oz. of this cost me $25 with kind of crappy shipping. The product seems significantly better in the short time, but it comes at a premium.

[Bill1170]

I got some Nano-Oil and used it on some pivots with notable improvement in ease of opening. I also took it to the shaft and eccentric bearings on a random orbital sander that was making scary noises. It is now running quietly. I also lubed a Leek and a Skyline for a pal and he was very pleased with the difference it made.

[phaust]

I've been using Nano Oil (10w) for a couple months now. It's a good lube but way over hyped. From some of the posts here, I suspect a lot of people are lubing their knives well with a non-viscous, non-dry-on lube for the first time and are realizing the effect any lube fitting those two criteria will have. Here's a challenge: Clean two knives you have with the same lock (i.e., two back locks so that they have a similar amount of friction when opening) and have someone you know put a cheap lube like 3-in-1 on one and Nano Oil on the other without telling you which is which, then try to feel a difference.

Boeshield T9 with any other liquid lube lasts longer, is more water resistant (since the T9 dries on as a wax coating), and is more slick than Nano Oil alone. Together they will cost about the same as the $16 little tube and last through more applications (though that's not to say that tube of Nano Oil lasts a short time). If you're looking for the best across those three categories, that's my suggestion.

As a stand alone product (i.e., not combining lubes), Nano Oil is perhaps the best all-around lube I've tried, though. Some lubes last longer, some are better at rust resistance, some are slicker, but no single one I've tried beats it in all three categories averaged. If you're looking for a single solution, it should be your choice.

I've also become addicted to the needle tip applicator. Before I had it, I would always take apart my knives when they started to lose slickness. I've come to realize a lot of them need the detent track lubed well before the pivot needed it, and the needle tip is perfect for getting that done without taking it apart.

The needle point applicator is also good at preventing you from using it in excess. I've lubed all of my knives with it for the past few months, and I like to re-lube then often, yet this is what my bottle looks like:

[jackknifeh]

I've been using Nano Oil (10w) for a couple months now. It's a good lube but way over hyped. From some of the posts here, I suspect a lot of people are lubing their knives well with a non-viscous, non-dry-on lube for the first time and are realizing the effect any lube fitting those two criteria will have. Here's a challenge: Clean two knives you have with the same lock (i.e., two back locks so that they have a similar amount of friction when opening) and have someone you know put a cheap lube like 3-in-1 on one and Nano Oil on the other without telling you which is which, then try to feel a difference.

Boeshield T9 with any other liquid lube lasts longer, is more water resistant (since the T9 dries on as a wax coating), and is more slick than Nano Oil alone. Together they will cost about the same as the $16 little tube and last through more applications (though that's not to say that tube of Nano Oil lasts a short time). If you're looking for the best across those three categories, that's my suggestion.

As a stand alone product (i.e., not combining lubes), Nano Oil is perhaps the best all-around lube I've tried, though. Some lubes last longer, some are better at rust resistance, some are slicker, but no single one I've tried beats it in all three categories averaged. If you're looking for a single solution, it should be your choice.

I've also become addicted to the needle tip applicator. Before I had it, I would always take apart my knives when they started to lose slickness. I've come to realize a lot of them need the detent track lubed well before the pivot needed it, and the needle tip is perfect for getting that done without taking it apart.

The needle point applicator is also good at preventing you from using it in excess. I've lubed all of my knives with it for the past few months, and I like to re-lube then often, yet this is what my bottle looks like:

You make some good points. First, I agree that there probably isn't any one oil ( or any product line) that one item is the best in all areas. In my experience Nano-Oil is the smoothest lubrication product I've used by far. But, there are LOTS I have not tried. How it is for corrosion control? It is probably good but is it as good as Tuf-Glide? Don't know. Tuf_Glide is the best corrosion control product I've used. I was unable to force a patina on two M4 blades I had treated with Tuf-Glide. Not being able to cause corrosion on purpose is pretty good evidence it works it seems to me. Tuf-Glide never got a pivot to work as smoothly as Nano-Oil. I mean some of the tougher ones. Any lube will work on a Sage1. I believe they are born smooth. :) I have been able to get a pivot tighter using Nano-Oil to reduce blade play and still the blade moves easier than with any other lubricant. So, what I've adopted as a ritual is to drown a new knife in Tuf-Glide to ensure complete corrosion control. I'm mainly concerned about places I can't see. After that dries for a day or so I use a tiny bit of Nano-Oil in the pivot. My gayle Bradley I have decided to take apart every few months to Tuf-Glide the tang. I really don't think this is necessary but I do it anyway then I know it's as protected as I can get it. M4 is the only non-stainless blade steel I've owned.

One thing I've read about Nano is it is also designed to perform under more pressure than any knife pivot, plier, etc. will have. Heavy machinery I guess. Guns also, with a lot heavier moving parts issue.

The wierd thing is until just a few years ago all I've ever used is 3-in-1 and WD-40. Never had any corrosion issues with any tools that I used or even just kept inside.

Side note: I remembered, M4 isn't the only non-stainless blade steel I've owned as of recently. I bought a Case knife a couple of weeks ago with 2 CV (non-stainless) blades. I've used the long blade to cut food and a patina started after the first slice. Today, I treated just the smaller blade with Tuf-Glide. Every time I use the knife for food I'll use both blades and see how the patina forms on the same steel with the same exposure and only one blade with TG applied. I'm curious. It shouldn't take long to see results given the patina was obvious after the first potato was cut. I'm hoping the little blade stays patinaless. If a patina forms on it I will stop believing in Santa Clause. :)

Jack

[Sharpmaker Mike]

I've been using Nano Oil (10w) for a couple months now. It's a good lube but way over hyped.

I'm actually going to have to agree with phaust on this one. I did my own comparison test with another favorite lube of mine - Ballistol.

The test platform for this shootout is my Spyderco Native. When I first got this knife, the action was OK, but not smooth by any stretch of the imagination. I hit it with Ballistol (I used a small brush to apply it everywhere along with the aerosol can to get where the brush could not) and worked it for about 15-20 minutes. The knife was noticeably smoother. The next day, after the Ballistol had fully worked it's way into the parts of knife it was REALLY smooth.

Here's how the test went. You all know the Native has a pivot that can not be taken apart, so I cleaned it with spray cleaner (Gun scrubber) to get the knife as close to bone dry as I could. After I let it dry, I hit it liberally with 10 weight Nano-oil. Now the tiny needle applicator was able to get into basically every crack and crevice I could find, so it was completely oiled. I proceded to work the knife for 20 minutes or so while watching TV, just like the first time. The knife was barely as smooth as it was out of the box. I wanted to make sure that the Nano had enough time to really soak into the knife, so I re-oiled with the Nano and let it sit overnight. The next day there was still not much of an improvement.

On to phase two...

I re-cleaned the knife the same way I did the first time with the Gun Scrubber and let it sit to make sure all the oil was off. I then hit it with Ballistol in both the spray and brush on stuff. In about 10 minutes the knife was back to smooth, but didn't feel like I remembered it before this test. I re-oiled and put it away for the night.

The next morning the knife was smooth as silk again thanks to Ballistol.

Bottom line: As far as lubrication goes (in MY test), the Nano oil came up far short to Ballistol, which has been my go-to gun lube for a long time. Not to mention the fact that Ballistol is a FRACTION of the cost of Nano.

I don't know if the 5 weight Nano is any better, but after using the 10 weight I know I won't be wasting any more money on their product.

[Alchemy1]

Hmmm...interesting. I use ballistol on my guns as well, but never thought about using it on my knives. Do you spray it into the pivot out spray and then rub the tip of the straw on the pivot?

[jackknifeh]

The first time I heard of Ballistol was on Blind Horse Knives' web site. I even thought about trying some but I can't get it around here in a store and I didn't want to pay for the can+shipping just to try it. Also, it is advertised as something you can put on anything including the baby. I thought it wouldn't be GREAT at one thing if it is an all around product. Supposedly, you can use this stuff on steel and leather both. Other stuff too I think. So I quit worrying about trying it but people keep mentioning it and always in a good way. Nano-Oil is the best lubricant I've used by far but there are lots of products I haven't tried. Right now I have Finish Line (wax based), Quick Release, Tuf-Glide and Nano-Oil in
my house. I am still proud to be an American so of course I have a can of 3-in-1 and WD-40 also. :) I will never use all the oil in my house and I like the TG and Nano combination. So, why will I buy a can of Ballistol if I ever do see a can on the shelf? Just because. How can you argue with that? :) Or if I ever place an order on a site that sells Ballistol I may get a can since I'll already be paying the shipping.

Jack

[Alchemy1]

I agree with you on paying shipping for a single can. I buy a decent amount of stuff from midway USA so I just added a few bottles when I placed a larger order. I figured if they are already shipping me 20+ pounds of stuff 3-4 aresol cans can't add that much to shipping.

[Sharpmaker Mike]

Hmmm...interesting. I use ballistol on my guns as well, but never thought about using it on my knives. Do you spray it into the pivot out spray and then rub the tip of the straw on the pivot?

I have it in both the spray can and the non spray. The non-aerosol is a little thicker, and I use the non spray with a little flat paint brush. The aerosol can is a little thinner, and you can put it anywhere. Basically I just used the brush for the parts I could see, and then sprayed the pivot inside and out with the aerosol can.

Smooth as glass in a few minutes!!!!

[Sharpmaker Mike]

I agree with you on paying shipping for a single can. I buy a decent amount of stuff from midway USA so I just added a few bottles when I placed a larger order. I figured if they are already shipping me 20+ pounds of stuff 3-4 aresol cans can't add that much to shipping.

Midway USA is having a sale on it if you want to stock up, too!

[Clip]

I'm actually going to have to agree with phaust on this one. I did my own comparison test with another favorite lube of mine - Ballistol.



Bottom line: As far as lubrication goes (in MY test), the Nano oil came up far short to Ballistol, which has been my go-to gun lube for a long time. Not to mention the fact that Ballistol is a FRACTION of the cost of Nano.

Phaust and Mike, thanks for the reviews. Have either of you tried Tuf-Glide? I've been using it on the M2 and M4 to prevent corrosion, but have also been putting a few drops in the pivots as I've found it's a decent dry lube that doesn't collect dust/lint. However, I also like Jack's approach of using Tuf-Glide plus a dedicated lubricant. Didn't know if Ballistol stayed wet and attracted dust.