Knife Lube -- help me out!

D

Dan Hibiki

Joined
Nov 12, 1998
Messages
52
Well, I've been trying to decide what lube to buy for my knife -- I figured a non-gooey lube was the way to go
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. I've noticed that Sentry Solutions has two similar products for sale; here's their descriptions straight from the BFC store:

TUF-GLIDE - A quick-drying partner for TUF-CLOTH, TUF-GLIDE is a powerful dry-film rust inhibitor and lubricant that outperforms oils, silicones and similar products. The coating bonds to metals so it will not wash or wipe off. Use TUF-GLIDE to protect the hard-to-reach areas of all your equipment and gear.


SMOOTH-KOTE - A fast-drying lubricant and bore treatment that bonds to metals. SMOOTH-KOTE protects metals from friction and gives surfaces a grime reducing non-stick coating. Cleaning firearms becomes as simple as brushing them off. SMOOTH-KOTE dramatically reduces all types of fouling and enhances accuracy, reliability and bullet velocity.

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so what have I not noticed about one of these products that would make it more suitable than the other? What other products have you all used successfully?

Thanks for your input!

=- Craig
 
Tuff Glide & Smooth Kote are both really good lubricants. They are high in Moly-b content and are pretty slippery but they can be messy if you get carried away applying them and they are expensive.

There is a product called White Lightning Outdoor Gear Lube that is really good stuff. It is a wax based lube that is supposed to be "self cleaning". I saw it demonstrated at the SHOT show last year and again at Pasadena. I was impressed enough to start carrying it in my store. I use it myself and it works! It goes on wet and then it dries and there seems to be no trace of it but it really smooths things up and it isn't oily so it doesn't attract dirt or grit and when dirt does get into the knife it seems to get picked up by wax and falls out. I know it sounds strange, but it really does work, and a 4oz. bottle sells for less than six bucks! Later this year they are coming out with a knife lube. Should be introduced at the BLADE Show.

I sell several different lubes, including the Sentry products, Eezox and others, but the stuff I use is the White Lightning. It works! Good luck.

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Thanks for listening!
wrightknife@ixpres.com
 
I've got some Rem Oil in a spray can which seems to work well on my folders. It has silicon in it. If you're careful the spray doesn't make too much of a mess. There is a small tube which comes with it, you know like WD-40 has, which helps confine the spray to a smaller area.

It does have a gun sort of smell. I kind of like it.
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Dan,
If you are interested in the Sentry Solutions products, give them a call. The gentleman I spoke with was very helpful and took his time explaining the benefits of each of the products. When I told him what my aplication was, he suggested the Tuf-glide for the pivot area of my folder.
 
Dan,
Here at EDI we really believe in the Sentry Solutions products. We tested several different lube 'systems' to use during the assembley of our GENESIS folders to enhance corrosion protection and to lubricate the pivot area. We feel that the Sentry products blew everything else we tested away. We 'treat' every blade with Tuf-Cloth during assembly, and recommend that our customers use it also. We have recently begun testing the use of Sentry's BP2000 powdered lube. Its amazing stuff. We are treating the pivot area 'under' the blade washers with it and it smooths out the rotation even more. The SMOOTH COAT is awesome also, but we found it hard to work with in a production setting. For the user, the Tuf-Glide liquid may be the best because its a very thin liquid and you wouldn't need to take apart the knife to treat the pivot area. If you plan on dissasembling your knife, Smooth-Coat or BP2000 would probally be better. The great thing is that all of these products quickly dry out and keep working. We can't say enough good things about the products and the company that makes them.

Also, what better way to support this great cyber-meeting place, BLADEFORUMS, than to buy some 'lube' from the BLADEFORUMS store. They carry the full line of SENTRY products.

------------------
Stay Sharp!
Will Fennell
President-EDI Knives
www.ediknives.com
 
On those folders that I know I might be using on food prep someday, I strictly use heavy mineral oil (found in the pharmacy in the laxative section). Other people I know use regular mineral oil. It lubes nicely, maybe not as much as these high-tech products, but then again I'm not worried about ingesting trace amounts of the mineral oil. I use mineral oil instead of (say) olive oil because mineral oil is less fragrant and I think less likely to go rancid (though that appears unlikely with either oil).

Joe
jat@cup.hp.com
 
Joe, does using a "stickier" oil like mineral oil cause a much greater need for maintenance (ie. cleaning/reoiling)? Especially since my current pathetically small collection of knives (
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) entails that they're all in circulation in my pockets, will they become lint magnets?

Of course, being a student who lives in the suburbs right now, food prep is probably one of the most "necessary" things I'm doing with my knife other than shaving my left arm =)

well, thanks for the responses guys! That white lightning stuff sounds good too, I'll have to find out who makes that stuff and find out whether it's ingestible.

=- Craig
 
Hey Joe you should try Ballistol it is safe and non-toxic. And it it is a good lube too. I am sold on it. I got introduced to it when I bought a knife from Jim Hrisoulas, He sells it and uses it on his stuff. Jim drinks it at shows to show it is harmless.(I wonder what it tastes like
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)
Check out there web site
http://www.ballistol.com/


------------------
-Greg Johnson
ICQ#4236341

 
We use Tuff Glide on the Uluchet, It leaves a dry surface that doesn't attract dust but really protects the surface. It doesn't wash off easy either.

------------------
P.J.
YES,it is sharp, just keep your fingers out of the way!
www.silverstar.com/turnermfg


 
Gentlemen; you have posted some wonderful information. I would just add a few items.

The Tuf-Cloths, both regular and marine, are wonderful. I owe the still pristine bluing on my 1957 Gold Cup, which I shot at K'Nugen. I didn't bring any cleaning equipment, as I thought many people would have some to share. They were all shooting Glucks or whatever, and they don't need cleaning. Kevin McClung gave me a sample TufCloth, and it saved my gun's bluing.

The use of oils and or waxes is problematical; they will cover rust and corrosion, and actually allow it to continue. The active ingredient in Tuf-Cloth and Tuf-Glide is very attracted to metal, and will actually bond to the undamaged metal below existing rust or corrosion, preventing further damage.

Tuf-Glide is the best choice for external lubing of the pivot (i.e. when you don't disassemble the knife).

What Will Fennell was trying to get at about not being able to use Smooth-Kote in a production setting is that it has Molybdenum Disulfide in it. This stuff is black, and gets on everything. You need to use gloves when using the stuff. It makes a superb lubricant, but since some will undoubtedly ooze out from the pivot area, I think that there is a more useful product, which will not stain your hands or clothing.

Hi-Slip grease is this product. It is designed for very high load areas. It is dark colored also, but will tend to stay put better than Smooth-Kote.

You can try out all these wonderful things by ordering an armorer's kit, which contains a Tuf-Cloth, a one half oz. applicator bottle of Tuf-Glide, a one half oz. applicator bottle of Smooth Kote, and a two oz. refill bottle of Smooth Kote. One half oz. syringe of Hi-Slip grease, and 0.1 oz. of the powder BP-2000, which is designed for trigger and bolt assemblies on firearms. Plus you get gloves, applicators, pipe cleaners, and some other neat stuff. Enough to keep your knives in good shape for a long long time. The armorer's kit costs about $30 from Discount Knives

You may want to order a refill bottle of Tuf-Glide. The one half oz. applicator bottle of Tuf-Glide is about $6. The refill bottle, which has 8 oz (16 times as much), is about $13. These prices are again from Discount Knives.

You have a large investment in your knives. Spending what amounts to pennies per month per knife to maintain and lubricate them, as well as protect them from the elements, is good common sense. Try Sentry products out. You will like them. I do. Walt
 
I second the WHITE LIGHTNING.. I first used it 4 years ago.. Its a parafin wax base.Was first used for mountain bikes as chain lube. It is not toxic, and does pick up dust or dirt. It is not oily and sets up clearish white.It has no odor. You can get it with a fine needle despenser and lasts along time.It is also very water resistant, almost invisible. Its lube properties are very good. It keeps my mountain bike chain, sprockets, cable fresh, lubed and CLEAN. And is available at your local bike shop, usually.If you use your knife for food prep. it won't taste bad or hurt anything..
I like it aloat.
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OH yea its only 5 bucks- 4oz.
 
Dan,

I haven't done direct comparisons. Logically, I would think mineral oil grabs more dust than a dry lube. But in the end, things don't get so dirty that they bother me. And my health is worth any little bit of dust that is gathered.

There are teflon and silicon and other lubes that claim to be safe. I would urge you to decide for yourself if you believe them, and demand proof at least in the form of independent studies. Mineral oil is sold for human consumption as a laxative, so the trace amounts found on your knife are probably safe.

As for the rest of 'em, decide for yourself how much evidence you'll have to see before switching to a lube that isn't sold in the medicine aisle...

greg: thanks for the link, I'll check it out

Joe
jat@cup.hp.com
 
I just have to give an honorable mention to "Shooters Choice Rust Preventative". It definately gets my vote for the best smelling of all the protectants that I have tried. Mad Dog uses it at his shop for all of his blades. At Knifegnugen, he gave me a can of it whitch I promptly used as a cologne
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.

Derek
 
I would like to try White lightning, but my financial director will kill me when she finds out I just used the card for a Marine Tuff cloth and a bottle of Brownell's Action lube. It is supposed to nutralize fingerprint oils and out perform Moly Disulfide.

pat
 
Derek; I can't believe that you are using that greasy kid's stuff. Plus, as a cologne, it stinks. I used to use Hoppe's #9, but found that most of the women it attracted were using walkers, so switched to Shooter's Choice Bore Solvent. A much nicer aroma than the Rust Prevent. Unfortunately no action on the female front. Walt
 
Dear folks, I made a mistake
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.. White Lightning, does have a small amount of petroleum in it!!!! I am sorry..It could be toxic...I was informed the main carrier is a wax base. But for lubricating properties has petroleum. It is a dry lube with a liquid delivery system. It is self cleaning.It does have a very pleasant odor, unlike some lubes as it dries no odor is present.Again DO NOT DRINK IT!!
 
I have used Tuf Glide for some time now. It comes in a small bottle which contains about an ounce of product and is fitted with a hollow needle-like applicator. The solution is very tenacious and indeed doesn't wash off easily. I usually clean the knife's mechanism with 70% or higher isopropyl alchohol before applying it. This washes any lint, shavings etc. away without leaving the mechanism wet for long.
 
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