Lockback Lubrication?

5K Qs

5K Qs

Gold Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2014
Messages
15,361
Does a lockback knife require any special lubrication, or is a little oil in the pivot now and then all that's needed?

- GT
 
5K Qs said:
Does a lockback knife require any special lubrication, or is a little oil in the pivot now and then all that's needed?

- GT
Click to expand...

That's about it GT. Put a few drops in from the open liner side and let it soak out through the back spring, and wipe off excess. :)
 
Keep it clean like any other slip joint and a little oil on the pivot should do it.
 
Lockbacks are happy when they are clean and lubricated.

Hot soapy water and a good rinse.

When dry, a bit of pharmaceutical mineral oil sold as a laxitive if the knife will be used with food. Otherwise, use your oil of choice. I would steer clear of 3 in 1 though.
 
When some oils age on a surface, the harden up and "varnish", leaving a hard sticky residue. 3 in 1 is nortious for this.
 
As mentioned above, keep the knife clean or you risk gumming up the lock. I brush my knives with an old toothbrush every so often to keep the locking area clean, and then add a drop of blue lube. Light motor oil (or most any light oils) work fine too, I have used many different types of oil in the past. As stated above, I would avoid 3 in 1. I personally stay away from wd40 too, they both seem to attract dust and get sticky.
 
I don't like 3 in 1 because it gets gunky after time. My personal favorite is good old mineral oil with a toothbrush. Stays fluid and is food safe. Tuf Glide is an excellent lubricant if your blade doesn't need to be food safe. It doesn't gunk up and doesn't attract dust. I use it on my firearms. You can get it in bulk pretty cheaply. I bought the small bottle with the needle and a huge bottle to refill it.
 
JB in SC said:
3 in 1 is mineral oil with a few additives, paraffin is one of those additives.
Click to expand...
Right, but wrong.
3-in-One is not pure oil. It has some additives in it.
But "paraffin" is just oil, and very pure oil at that. "Parafin Wax" is wax.

draggat said:
I don't like 3 in 1 because it gets gunky after time.
Click to expand...
Ditto.
 
knarfeng said:
Right, but wrong.
3-in-One is not pure oil. It has some additives in it.
But "paraffin" is just oil, and very pure oil at that. "Parafin Wax" is wax.


Ditto.
Click to expand...

The paraffin used is the wax type, the naphtha in 3 in 1 is the solvent. The naphtha evaporates leaving the gummy residue we hate.
 
A drop of olive oil from the kitchen is what I use for all my folders. Never a mineral or petroleum smell. Never reacts to any blade or handle material.

Zieg
 
The Zieg said:
A drop of olive oil from the kitchen is what I use for all my folders. Never a mineral or petroleum smell. Never reacts to any blade or handle material.

Zieg
Click to expand...

The advantage of mineral oil is that it won't go rancid.

Eric
 
Didn't know that about 3 in 1 oil. Stuff like this is why I'm on bladeforums.

:thumbup:
 
Thanks for all the advice, folks. I don't have much experience with lockbacks and wasn't sure if I needed to pay special attention to the "release lever".
And I agree with davek14: I appreciated the "bonus info" about 3-in-1 oil, paraffin, etc.

- GT
 
I use the tiniest drop of mobil 1 in the joint and at the lock. Even if food is involved. Is that really gonna kill you? C'mon...
 
snippy said:
The advantage of mineral oil is that it won't go rancid.

Eric
Click to expand...

A drop of olive oil is never enough to go rancid. It's not like you'd be carrying a stick of butter in your back pocket! :-)

Zieg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top