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Tools lubricant?

madalin999

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Mar 5, 2019
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Hello gents, couple of months ago, 2 I would say I bought a tools lubricant, named Triflow, short story, it makes my tools attract so much dirt and stuff I've never seen, even though I read through hundreds of reviews about it that its so good, but its not, it leaves my tools nice and non squeaky but the dirt it builds up where I spray, I got some on my vice grips, now at the joints there is dust+lubricant which I cant reach to clean out, which wasent there before,and it makes a weird sound of sand rubbing together whenever I use it

Any other one I should be looking at? I'm thinking of stoping to use this one, on my tools and just use it at household stuff, etc.

Thanks in advance.
 
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rlitman

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Tri-Flow is a wet lube. Like any oil, it stays wet, and that will collect dust.

In a dirty environment, you want a dry lube. Some of the best I've found are made for bicycle chains. I like to use Pedro's X Dry lube, which is found at most bicycle shops:
https://pedros.com/products/clean-and-lube/lubricants-and-grease/x-dry/

It's great at stopping squeaks without attracting dirt.

For my pocket knives, I use White Lightning Clean Ride. That's a dry wax based lube that does a great job of shedding dirt.
 

Jazz1

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Thunder Bay On.
Tri-Flow is a wet lube. Like any oil, it stays wet, and that will collect dust.

In a dirty environment, you want a dry lube. Some of the best I've found are made for bicycle chains. I like to use Pedro's X Dry lube, which is found at most bicycle shops:
https://pedros.com/products/clean-and-lube/lubricants-and-grease/x-dry/

It's great at stopping squeaks without attracting dirt.

For my pocket knives, I use White Lightning Clean Ride. That's a dry wax based lube that does a great job of shedding dirt.


That’s interesting. Only time I tried dry lube was on lock mechanisms. I will look for wax lube for my knife, occasionally use light machine oil on knife
 

BillK

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Maybe I am lucky but I very rarely have to lubricate any tool that I own. I have been doing this stuff for 50 years now and just dont see the reason. Maybe a drop of oil every once in the while if a pair of pliers gets a little tight but other than that and air tools I just dont do it. And .. . . . all of my tools are in very good condition and some of them are 50 years old.

This includes all of my tools at my business which I assure you is not the cleanest place in the world with machining dust everywhere.

When something actually does need lubricating a few drops of 5w30 Mobil 1 seems to work just fine.
 

tarmy

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I use dry lubricant, light gun oil or super light machine oil...wipe excess.
 

matt_i

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SE Michigan
I just use way oil Mobil Vactra is common in the shop, get a drop on the moving parts, wipe the rest dry.
 

Jack_Toepfer

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Lancaster NY
WD has worked for me in the past.
Maybe a good place to ask, every other use or so, I spray for 1/2 second in my air tools too... since I don't use any oil on them. Causing more harm than good?
 

Jazz1

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WD has worked for me in the past.
Maybe a good place to ask, every other use or so, I spray for 1/2 second in my air tools too... since I don't use any oil on them. Causing more harm than good?

Can't hurt although I consider WD40 a summer time lube only because it freezes. Never use in padlocks or anything I want to use in the winter.
 

tthornto

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Mar 11, 2011
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Tri-Flow is a wet lube. Like any oil, it stays wet, and that will collect dust.

In a dirty environment, you want a dry lube. Some of the best I've found are made for bicycle chains. I like to use Pedro's X Dry lube, which is found at most bicycle shops:
https://pedros.com/products/clean-and-lube/lubricants-and-grease/x-dry/

It's great at stopping squeaks without attracting dirt.

For my pocket knives, I use White Lightning Clean Ride. That's a dry wax based lube that does a great job of shedding dirt.

I agree with this. Keeping it clean is more important than keeping it lubricated. On a bike chain Wet lube is the best as long as it stays clean, which it won't unless your riding indoors. That's why I always use the wax based lubes, they apply as a liquid but the liquid portion evaporates leaving a slick waxy residue that dirt and road grime won't stick to. WD40 works great for cleaning tools (and bike chains) and it's water repelling properties help keep them clean and rust free, so it's better than nothing at all but it's not a very good lubricant for any application with moving metal on metal contact.
 
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crab

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WD40 is a solvent, I have used it as a lubricant but it really isn't. Good for freeing up something.
 

bad_idea

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Starrett M1 Oil works well. I work in ship repair, mostly on piping systems. Seawater is hell on tools. My ratchet has went swimming more than once. ******* can't swim too good, just sinks to the bottom. Take it apart, wire brush it, put marine grease on the ratchet mechanism, put it back together. A rag with some M1 oil to chase the rust away on the outside of the tools.

For in the garage I use WD40. I rarely need to use it at home. Mostly when I get back from the scrap yards on a rainy day.
 
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madalin999

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Starrett M1 Oil works well. I work in ship repair, mostly on piping systems. Seawater is hell on tools. My ratchet has went swimming more than once. ******* can't swim too good, just sinks to the bottom. Take it apart, wire brush it, put marine grease on the ratchet mechanism, put it back together. A rag with some M1 oil to chase the rust away on the outside of the tools.

For in the garage I use WD40. I rarely need to use it at home. Mostly when I get back from the scrap yards on a rainy day.

The starret m1 oil on amazon uk goes for 220£ lol...any other websites u can buy?
 

Luckaso

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Apr 24, 2019
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Chicago
Hi madalin999. Lubrication depends on the purpose, essentially differs in one or two components, the base is one. For example, this lubricant will not collect dirt (https://trusthandy.com/best-lubricants/for-garage-doors/) and should suit you. I advise you not to look at the price but on the quality, you can also ask the seller or see the reviews on the Internet.
 
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npp

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Dec 6, 2012
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I use Wurth HHS2000,it's a synthetic spray lube,and it sticks and will not wash away.There was a TSB from VW to use as a lube on door latches.I know of a racer that uses it for motor assemble lube.Try it you wouldn't believe how it sticks.
 

6PTsocket

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That’s interesting. Only time I tried dry lube was on lock mechanisms. I will look for wax lube for my knife, occasionally use light machine oil on knife
Funny, I freed up our front door lock with Triflow. It has been good for several months.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 

rlitman

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Funny, I freed up our front door lock with Triflow. It has been good for several months.

I like Triflow, but it is wet, and I've been told not use it on locks. I guess how well it works for you depends a lot on your setup. It does lubricate very well, and I really like it on ratchets. I also kind of like the smell.

My house has Medeco (which is well known to be persnickety in the first place), and while my deadbolts are protected by storm doors, the lock on my front storm door is not only exposed to the elements, but is also mounted pins down (the bad way, because debris will fall into the pins, rather than shed away from it), because that was the only way to turn the door left handed. That lock for me requires regular cleaning, and will stop dead with a wet lube. Most anything else is likely much more forgiving.
 

ken w.

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Triflow is sold at just about every lock shop. I prefer Kroil for lubing just about everything. It's thin enough not to attract dust. It also brings air tools back too life.
 
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