Favorite knife related lubricants

G

Gespenst

Joined
Sep 14, 2008
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201
I was performing a little maintenance on some of my lock blade knives and started wondering what others are using for lubricants on their knives. Personally, I like using molly on any metal to metal pivot points as it stays in place (no mess) and provides a very smooth action. For general cleaning (I am almost hesitant to say it) I use motor oil. I am sure there are better oils available but it is easy to find and removes scuffs and such rather well.

What lubricants/cleaners do you keep around?

Thanks,

Russ S.
 
'Zaan to be treated with MILITEC-1 once the takedown tool is made available to consumers :) ...

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I use the stuff I use on my firearms. Pivots, bushings and screws treated with MILITEC-1 and maintained with Weapon Shield, Hoppe's Elite Gun Oil on the blade.
 
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So far, I've been happy with Militec.

I have used motor oil (I sprung for synthetic) and gear oil additive before. They work.

I've tried a lot of lubes over the years and most will do the job.

I tried the wax based lubes and stay away from them now. That stuff can ruin the function of some knives and seems impossible to remove from the innerds of those it does. No more pastey lube coating pruducts for me anymore (sore point, there).

I can say that not lubing a knife can noticeably excell wear in some knives. I had a Case Trapper that didn't make it a year (noticeable galling and associated wear).
 
Virtually any lubricant is just fine, including motor oil. Motor oils and most oils for firearms are formulated to provide protection under high temperature and pressure conditions. You don't see that on a knife. Actually, plain old mineral oil is perfectly fine for knives. Most of your high end, non-synthetic, oils start out as mineral oil and have added viscosity improvers, detergents and the like that are needed in a high performance internal conmbusution engine, this doesn't apply to knives. If you don't care for motor oil, try automatic transmission fluid (ATF). It is good stuff too!
 
I've played around with all sorts of things. I've refined it all down to one simple product, Tuff-Glide.

After I've sharpened and cleaned the knife, usually water and paper towel will do, I then lube the joint with a few drops of the Tuff-glide and then wipe the whole knife with a TG impregnated cloth. All my folders are nice and clean and the blades open smoothly and easily.
 
I'm a Militech man, all though I may sometime try blue lube. We were using Militech at work but we've switched to something called CLP which to me isn't as good and smells fowl as well!
 
Mil-Tec and Ballistol and Tuff Glide. I have also tried Blue Lube and it makes my knives open verrry smooth but it appears to be a wet lube and will attract dust. I like Mil Tec becauses it actually bonds with the metal. BTW, some older slip joints in years gone by would say "oil the joints" on the spey blade.

RKH
 
Everyone on the balisong forum is nuts about Militech.

Breakfree CLP seems to be good.
 
Peter Parker said:
I'm a Militech man, all though I may sometime try blue lube. We were using Militech at work but we've switched to something called CLP which to me isn't as good and smells fowl as well!
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I've gone to Breakfree CLP as my #1 choice for firearms and most all-around use, but I did send for a sample bottle of Militech. It seemed to make my folders work noticeably smoother. I'll be buying a big bottle when my sample runs out.

Stay sharp,
desmobob
 
I thought this subject might get some replies but wow LOL.
I actually started using moly as a lubricant on my guns because it is good in high pressure metal on metal applications and only requires a thin film. Sometimes oil is used as a carrier but I prefer the paste since there is less mess. The problem with this is that the knife must be dismantled to apply it. The good thing is that it lasts.

I am glad to hear that I am not the only one to use motor oil on my knives. The detergents in transmission fluid may make cleaning a bit easier but I am not sure how it does with some of the blade coatings being used. One trick I learned with firearms is to heat the part being treated and then apply the lubricant. This allows it to get into the pores of the metal and improve it's protection. Might give that a try with some of my work blades.

Thanks for all of the replies. Some good information.

Russ S.
 
kerosene or Hoppes #9 to clean my blades, Militec, OTIS Ultrabore, ATF, Mobil1, Bioshield T9 etc etc to lube them.
 
M-Pro 7 gun cleaner and gun oil. Best gun cleaner/lube on the market, ought to work well on knives too.
 
I have had some success with REM Oil.

Slippery smooth teflon based oil, doesn't gum up pivots and keeps things reasonably clean ie it doesn't attract dirt etc.
 
I was using a petroleum-based gel lubricant marketed for paintball gear for a while, then switched to DuPont's Teflon Dry Wax lubricant.

Mainly because it's what I had handy. It's billed as self-cleaning, and they claim it won't attract dirt.

What are the advantages of the MilTec lubricant? Is it similar to Teflon Dry Wax (spray fluid that dries) or another type of lubricant entirely?
 
Weaponshield CLP for everything but the kitchen knives. Not to be confused with Breakfree CLP, WS has no solids and smells like cinnamon. It certainly doesn't taste like cinnamon buns though, it's a full synthetic and tastes as such, I held the cap in my teeth once while working on something and I can say it's quite rubbery in flavor. On the carbon steel kitchen blades they get a wipe with whatever is handy that won't affect the flavor of the food, usually a cooking oil or some camellia flower oil (japanese tool/knife oil).
 
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