Spyderco Forums

When I lube my knives that have normal PB washers on the pivots, I use gun oil or Ballistol. However, I'm curious what people consider to be the best lube, if anything, for models that have an FRN handle, no liners and no washers (like the Native 5 and Pacific Salt). I am also interested in why you chose that lube. So, if you didn't answer "no idea", then please explain.

I know that nylon could be considered "self-lubricating" so I'm not even sure if any lube is needed or desirable for optimal performance on such knives.

Choose one option if you think you know the answer to this slippery lube question. The poll lasts 7 days and you can change your vote, just in case you reconsider after additional pondering.

I use grease exclusively now, Phil Wood brand.

As for why, I tried it on my Southard since it's bearing grease and that knife has a bearing pivot and I was amazed, so I got curios and tried it on a Military and got excellent results so I stuck with it. I find I can tighten the pivot down on most knives to the point that there's no play at all but the blades still drop freely with gravity.

I use my Pacific Salt in the ocean everyday and the pivot gets full of blood and fish goo on a very regular basis. I typically just rinse it out with fresh water. Occasionally I will get a bit of buildup and the action will get a little stiff. I flush it out with warm water then hit it with a healthy dose of WD-40. That seems to both knock the gunk out and give it some lubrication without building up any heavy residue that will attract more debris. I've been using and cleaning my salts like this for a number of years and the action is still smooth and perfect.

I have used Sentry Solutions Tuff Glide for several years, both on guns and the pivots of my folding knives as well as non-stainless blades. It is both a protectant and a dry lube so it does not attract dust or lint in the pivot area. It is harmless to G-10, (Benchmade even recommends it), and I have not found any materials that it adversely effects. I like it because it is a dry lube and safe for food prep. Been using it for years with good results.

Tuff Glide uses mineral spirits as a "carrier" to distribute the lubricant. The mineral spirits help to clean out the blade pivot while coating the surface of the parts with lube. Then the mineral spirits evaporates leaving the dry lubricant on the surface of the parts it was applied to as a protectant as well as a lube. There is also a marine grade of Tuff Glide for use in a salt water environment. The Sentry Solutions website has more information and a product listing. Good stuff.

I tried Tuff Glide and found it slowed down the action.
I chose other and use BM Blue Lube. I found it works great!
I also use Ballistol.......you can use that stuff on just about anything!!
Joe

palonej wrote:I tried Tuff Glide and found it slowed down the action.
Joe

I had the same results at first, so I have to agree. The Tuff Glide will gunk up and slow things down if used to liberally.
Now I use just a drop or two, allow it to dry overnight, and then work it in a bit. That has worked for me, but you are quite right. :)
Even now, every so often I over apply it and I am reminded that it can do exactly as you mentioned.

For H1 knives I would say nothing. A good cleaning is usually all my Tasman Salt gets. I have put a drop of mineral oil (drug store buy for $4 that will last me a lifetime) but more often than not I don't use anything. That knife is a dedicated garden/yard work knife so will see the usual things. I haven't seen any ill effects of this.

Since I can only vote for one, I will say that all other knives get a drop of mineral oil if needed. They get cleaned first and that usually addresses any issues I have. So mineral oil sparingly.

Mineral wins out for me as it is cheap, and food safe while doing everything I need a lubricant to do.

I was hoping to see if anybody has used Frog Lube. Seems to be a reasonable lubricant and smalls better than anything else I have used.

I use rem oil

FP-10 is my favorite for guns, knives, and pretty much anything else I wish to prevent rust on.

Surfingringo wrote:I use my Pacific Salt in the ocean everyday and the pivot gets full of blood and fish goo on a very regular basis. I typically just rinse it out with fresh water. Occasionally I will get a bit of buildup and the action will get a little stiff. I flush it out with warm water then hit it with a healthy dose of WD-40. That seems to both knock the gunk out and give it some lubrication without building up any heavy residue that will attract more debris. I've been using and cleaning my salts like this for a number of years and the action is still smooth and perfect.

Ha! I know how you catch all those fish now! WD40! You go to wash off your knife in the ocean, fish oil from the WD40 gets in the water and attracts the fish! Haha

But seriously, I too will use WD40, 3 in one oil, or some dry lube spray that I use on the actions of my guns. But of course some oils will attract and catch more dirt and grime. On my dragonfly salt I havnt used anything and it is still surprisingly smooth. I say just give whatever you want to try a shot.

I usually use mineral oil on knives that might contact food. If they get a bit slow feeling I will give them a squirt of WD-40. I really have no idea what is best. I just use what is safe to ingest. WD is easily cleaned off of blades and mineral oil does not need to be. I even use Vaseline to coat some of my carbon steel blades for this reason.

I use WeaponShield on all of my folders and am pleased with it. Millitec is another that I have used with good results. I am still afraid to use Ballistol, especially on knives with bronze phosphor washers due to the bad things I have heard about it eating away at the washers.

Evil D wrote:I use grease exclusively now, Phil Wood brand.

As for why, I tried it on my Southard since it's bearing grease and that knife has a bearing pivot and I was amazed, so I got curios and tried it on a Military and got excellent results so I stuck with it. I find I can tighten the pivot down on most knives to the point that there's no play at all but the blades still drop freely with gravity.

I"ve been using a grease on my collectible fishing reels made by "MILITEC" who also makes an excellent oil type lube that I also use on a lot of folders. The MILITEC grease has a lot of great properties and I"ve used it on several moving parts over the years.

I also use a PTFE based grease made by QMI. The QMI grease is a white, high temp grease that is also salt water resistant which I believe could bode well for folders in the H-1 Salt Series.

But for FRN, No-Washer folders my first recommendation is definitely the MILITEC synthetic grease.

So far I'm not seeing much of a consensus.

I actually believe that perhaps "no lube" is best for these knives. Why? Here's the story. I put Gunex 2000 on my Delica 4 black combo blade, Matriarch 2 black blade w. Emerson Wave and Endura 4 HAP40 and they all got WAY smoother. In fact, after the Gunex 2000 treatment my Delica went from being my stiffest lockback to a tie for my smoothest with my Tasman. So, I thought my reasonably smooth Pacific Salt would surely get even better with this same lube. Guess what? It didn't work at all. In fact, my Pac Salt got worse. So, I removed all the oil with detergent and hot water and it immediately got somewhat better. A day or two after the oil had been removed the Pac Salt was back to its old smooth self.

Further evidence of the "no lube needed" is that my Tasman is my smoothest lockback, and it has never been lubed at all. My Salt 1 has also never been lubed and it is smooth too.

So, while my knives with liners and PB washers got an extreme benefit from gun oil, I'm tempted to just leave my FRN, no liner, no washer knives alone.

In the 15 years or so I've been using them, I've never put a drop of lube on any of my FRN spydies.

I started using the new (to me anyway) WD40 DRY LUBE spray when a clean pivot wants a little help. It works well so far and doesn't attract as much lint as oil or the regular WD. My new Native LW appreciated it.

Conversely, the perfection that is the GB1 doesn't seem to benefit from any lube. A complete teardown cleaning and reassembly with no lube is the same in my experience as adding Finish Line or oil to the washers. God I love that knife.

abbazaba wrote:I started using the new (to me anyway) WD40 DRY LUBE spray when a clean pivot wants a little help. It works well so far and doesn't attract as much lint as oil or the regular WD. My new Native LW appreciated it.

I had not heard of this product. I am interested in trying it because I personally prefer a dry lube, but this is something new to me. Interesting. :)

El Gato wrote:

abbazaba wrote:I started using the new (to me anyway) WD40 DRY LUBE spray when a clean pivot wants a little help. It works well so far and doesn't attract as much lint as oil or the regular WD. My new Native LW appreciated it.

I had not heard of this product. I am interested in trying it because I personally prefer a dry lube, but this is something new to me. Interesting. :)

Goes on wet, but dries leaving a film like other PTFE lubes. Its nice because you don't need to disassemble like Finish Line, although Finish Line could be better.

I voted that I have no idea. After reading the thread, I'm inclined to go with clean and dry on H-1 linerless Salts. I use Nano Oil on my other folders, with good results.

I haven't had much luck with dry lubes. Tuf-Glide is a dry lube and besides protecting against rust I'm not blown away with it's lubricity.