1964 molylube

[Graeme]

I have this tin of molylube and have always wondered what it's story is.
It's from bel ray, dated to the month for some reason.
I'm in the UK and bought if in an antique shop. They had a wooden crate full. Wish I'd bought more than one really.
I seem to remember the crate suggested a military connection, but might be wrong.
There was a US military base somewhere near here (south Yorkshire) around that time I believe.
I use it now and then but normally forget I have it as it always finds itself at the back of the cupboard.

 

[Graeme]

I guess this isn't strictly tools, but i hope it fits here.
I've had it 10 years and never found out anything about it.
You seem like the perfect folk to ask!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

It is definitely US military. DSA is Defense Logistics Agency - an attempt by the federal government to centralize logistics across services (Army, Air Force, Navy) and that 11-digit hyphenated number is a Federal Stock Number. Modern National Stock Numbers are 13 digits. And the name ("Grease, Ordnance") is in standard nomenclature (noun, type) format.

 

[Graeme]

Thanks.
Any idea if it would have had a specific use?
There were probably 20 cans in the box, think they were £5 each. The box was interesting too.

Would it have been dated just from a traceability aspect? It's not like it goes off (separated a little and needed a stir though)

 

[vwpieces]

I have a larger Green military can of moly or perhaps graphite grease, don't remember for certain.
If I remember, next time in shop, I'll post a pic of it

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Any idea if it would have had a specific use?

I am not personally familiar with it, but it sounds like engine grease to me. Extreme corrosion, pressure, wear, and oxidation resistant. Temp rating -55*F to 400*F. Two year shelf life.

If you ever find anything with an obsolete 11-digit FSN and it produces no results in Google, simply add "-00-" to make it a 13-digit NSN. So, 9150-985-7317 becomes 9150-00-985-7317. That two-digit "-00-" code is a placeholder for a country code before they were assigned. If you Google 9150-00-985-7317 you will get all kinds of results from the NSN system and you can read up on your grease (composition, etc) on your own.

Would it have been dated just from a traceability aspect?

EDIT: Disregard. I misunderstood your question. That it is when it was made. So, traceability and also age in terms of effective shelf life.

 

[Graeme]

That's great, thanks for all the info. I'll have a search and see what I can turn up.
Expiration date is interesting, I'd have never thought it would have one.
Answers my other thought about why a crate of unused lube would leave military ownership in the first place.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Yeah, I'm sure it's still "grease" per se. That is, hasn't turned into something different (or more toxic etc) than what it already was. But it probably loses effectiveness in terms of its protection qualities over time. I have all kinds of old surplus lube that I still use on guns, ratchets, etc.

 

[Graeme]

I've just been reading and all I have found is that it has a shelf life as it can become irritating to the skin.
I'm sure it will still do some aspect of its job, depending on what I'd want it to do. It's the moly that does it's thing, the grease is just a carrier really isn't it.
I dug it out to see if it works well on my tool box slides.

 

[vwpieces]

If I sold rocks to the government I would put an expiration date on them, just so I could sell them more in 6 months.

Just saying...

 

[Jacko264]

Black moly and moly slip was used in back axles many years ago
Graham

 

[Private Lugnutz]

It's the moly that does it's thing, the grease is just a carrier really isn't it.

I'm no lubrication expert, but I don't if you can separate the silicone and the molybdenum sulfide powder (i.e., graphite) into explicitly benign "carrier" and exclusive lube-providing function. Together it's grease.

 

[Graeme]

I'm no lubrication expert, but I don't if you can separate the silicone and the molybdenum sulfide powder (i.e., graphite) into explicitly benign "carrier" and exclusive lube-providing function. Together it's grease.

Not if I needed it to be grease.
If I'm happy using it in a situation where a coating of moly will do what I want then maybe the grease aspect of it would be irrelevant.
Although I have dry sprays for that I can use.

Anyhow, this has worked fine on the few things I've put it on, but I've never used it in a situation where it would have been put to a serious test.
I've used it in air guns in the past if i remember right.

 

[Jwallace1]

don't know about this particular lubricant but we use a Bel-Ray extreme pressure lube for bolt threads when torqueing engine fasteners, head bolts, main bolts, rod bolts. being in a small container like that i wonder if its used for something similar.