Militec-1 VS Tuff Glide.... Which should I get for my folder? Are there better lubes?

A

alan aragon

Joined
Dec 10, 2003
Messages
438
just got a duncan aftershock (yay!). i could probably get an opinion from brad about lube, and probably will, but i just wanna see what the Knuts recommend & why. if you're one of those guys inclined to say, "do a search", too bad. i wanna hear what's the best for my folder, right now, from the current members. thanks in advance for your feedback & insight.
 
like the duncan, congrats, i wanna get one too!!

as far as lube i am using sentry solution tuff glide on the pivot, and rem oil on the blade/etc (the remington gun oil in a little clear bottle) the tuff glide seems to leave a film on my polished blades, and it looks funky, probably works good, but i wipe down every day/2, so i dont really worry about corrosion too much. the rem oil works fine on the pivot too, and never a corrosion prob.

dont like white lightning,& some oils like break free seem too thick.

i guess its a personal thing, lol

good luck, and happy holidays
greg
 
alan,

As a researcher, you should know not to ignore past data -- some of the guys who used to post a lot no longer posts, and to lose their input is a very sad thing indeed. Gotta do your homework, I would greatly encourage a comprehensive past search to complete your total outlook.

Don't let your need for a quick answer blind you to the valuable data accumulated in the past.

:)

----

Definitely get in touch with your custom maker. They often have special insights that may not be readily apparent.

For example, although I favor the synthetics such as MilTech or TuffGlide (Summer/Winter, respectively), when I contacted RJ (Martin) for his recommendation on lubes for my Avenger, he wrote back saying that he actually was not in favor of any such use. Instead, his favorite method was to simply use Fantastik cleaner -- spraying into the pivot area until the "gunk" accumulated runs clear -- and then blow-drying with either compressed-air or duster-gas. Using his method, I removed all of the residual oils from the pivot, and honestly, the knife is much, much smoother...even lock engagement/disengagement is more crisp and positive.

For production folders and autos, you'll often find recommended lubes in the knife's instruction manual (i.e. Microtech recommends specific lube-points with RemOil, Benchmade recommends MilTech1 on pivots for manual folders, etc.), and it's good to follow these carefully as there can be models with certain lube restrictions -- such as polymer bushings, which may degrade with use of certain petroleum distillates -- to watch out for.

And for customs, there's no-one better to consult than the maker of your knife, and most knifemakers are eager to help their patrons, even ones who are taking care of the knives bought through secondary markets, preserve their works.

Allen
aka DumboRAT
 
thanks greg.

yo allen, your alias kills me! at least say something "dumb" once in a while, will ya? ;) ..great advice. i'll do a search - but after my lazy bones see more feedback, heh. old facts die hard, i know.
 
Originally posted by SIFU1A
like the duncan, congrats, i wanna get one too!!

greg
Click to expand...
wait till you see the pics. i actually don't have a digital camera, so there's gonna be a slight delay in display. this thing is straight badass! the blasted green canvas micarta scales make it look military & all-business. the blade is oh-so stabby. okay, enough of my waxing romantic about my new blade!
 
I use Chris Reeve Flourinated Grease on my Sebenza and its awesome. I wouldn't use any other grease.
 
There are a number of good lubricants out there. And I don't think there is one absolute best. A lot depends on your uses and conditions. For me, I've been most satisfied with Tuf-Glide. It's not the absolute slickest, but I get the best combination of trade-offs for my uses.

All lubricants are trade-offs. You have to consider durability, dirt attraction, rust, actual lubrication and such and balance those to your preferences.

Remember, many of the slickest lubricants do nothing for rust prevention, so if you hava a rust problem in the pivot area, those lubes aren't your best choice.

Phil
 
I've been using tuf-glide in the pivots and tuf-cloth on my blades. Lubricates the pivots enough for me, and never had a problem with rust anywhere. The other nice thing is that I've used tuf-glide on electric razors and such with no problem. You can't use militec for that, although I've used militec on pivots and think its great too if thats all you want it for. I think the general wisdom is that militec is a little better lubricator and tuf-glide is a little better at rust prevention, some may disagree. Truth is, just get whatever strikes your fancy and then keep the knife clean and dry and you'll never have a problem.
 
If you aren't in a real hurry, alot of the "oil/lube" companies will send out a small free sample of their products. You might want to go that route, and do some testing yourself, to see what works best for YOU.
 
Alan,

I've used Militec-1, baby oil, Pam, Lansky honing oil, and break-free on my folders. They've all been good.

Also, I think that Allen's handle is actually quite clever. As a former and, most likely, future rat owner, I learned that the dumbo rat is a highly intelligent, friendly animal with large ears. They're the creme de la creme of pet rat breeds. Where the word "rat" is in all capitals, it is probably some sort of military acronym.
 
I can't claim to have tried everything, but for me, Militec-1 is about the slickest, and it doesn't get gunky, so that's what I usually use on the pivot. I also use Tuff Glide when I'm a bit more concerned about rust resistance at the pivot -- Tuff Glide isn't quite as slick as Militec, but provides more rust protection, and also does not get gunky. For the blade, I use Tuff Cloth.

Joe
 
Off-topic:

Thom and Alan, LOL, I'm nowhere near as clever as Thom has pegged me to be. :)

-----

On-topic:

Yep, it's pretty much anything goes -- and honestly, IMHO, I do see it as being "hey, if it works for you, then it's all good!"

Go to a car-show or a local sanctioned (or unsanctioned, LOL!) racing event, and you'll literally hear 100 different opinions on lubes of various types if you ask 100 gearheads for their thoughts.

Aside from manufacturer's recommendations, it's pretty much really just "do whatever works for you."

Here in Ohio, for example, my car pretty much requires two different types of transmission oil, winter and summer. The winter mix makes the tranny feel kinda sluggish in the summer, but get the summer lube in the winter, and I'm always grinding the first-to-second upshift.....my car just seems to be temperature sensitive.

As you get to know your knives more intimately, you'll figure out what they like and what they don't, and you'll also figure out what your preferences might be in the trade-offs between attracting dust/dirt, rust-prevention, lubricity/viscosity, etc. that phatch so wisely mentioned above.

:)

With high-dollar customs, I'd still definitely recommend that you contact your knifemaker, if at all possible. They may well have very specific reasons for choosing or even avoiding certain lubricants/solvents.

Allen
aka DumboRAT
 
Originally posted by DumboRAT
Off-topic:

Thom and Alan, LOL, I'm nowhere near as clever as Thom has pegged me to be. :)
Click to expand...
eh, thom's just an optimist like the rest of us. he should be the one looking UP in his avatar ;)

i'm waiting on a call from brad, but they're having a sale on militec at the local knife shop. maybe i should just visit the shop to show off my new knife? damn, i'm obnoxious.. :D
 
Originally posted by DumboRAT
I'm nowhere near as clever as Thom has pegged me to be.
Click to expand...

So, someone has decided that the tale behind the RAT is off-limits...

<pun-intended/>

Alan,

As long things like salt-water or bacon fat aren't mentioned (bacon grease might be okay, but unrendered fat is a no-no), it's all good.

Edited to add

Alan,

But looking up is pointless unless my wife is on a ladder or stairs. If she's not there, there's nothing for me to see.
 
When I first saw this post I said great that is what I need an answer too as well. After reading this one though, I feel like everyone is not trying to offend anyone. Most are saying if you want to use bar oil and it works for you - great. I'm not buying in on that idea. Some lubricants are better than others at specific tasks.

There is the whole dry vs. wet argument and attracting dust and grit. The rust preventative and lubracation argument. Maybe you guys have hashed through that so many times before that you are not up for the discussion.

I have been thinking of trying a dry type lubricant especially with the open designs that I like. It is easy to clean yes, but they are open to all kinds of gunk from being inside your pocket to being inside an animal that you are field dressing.

I have been using FP10 the most lately, but have also used Break Free in the past. I use these because they are what I use on my firearms. I was looking for a more knife specific product. I lubricate, then blow out action with an air compressor then lub lightly and work the action and blow out any excess again. I think too much is as bad or worse than not enough. Clay
 
Clay,

:)

I don't think anyone's trying to tread on tip-toes at all.

We just all realize that there's way more than only one way to skin a cat, and this is demonstrated by both our own differences in opinion, expressed respectfully -- as well as the fact that even different manufacturers and different knife-makers all have their own recommendations and suggestions as well.

:)

Allen
aka DumboRAT
 
Originally posted by Clay1
When I first saw this post I said great that is what I need an answer too as well. After reading this one though, I feel like everyone is not trying to offend anyone.
Click to expand...

Well, I'd hate to act offensive just to satisfy your dissatisfaction, Clay1. Still, I don't want to disappoint. ;)

Whenever a blade that has been lubed in Militec is going to touch food, it is thoroughly washed in hot, soapy water. I'd recommend spraying your knife with Pam (soybean oil, not some lady) if you're going to be touching potential edibles with your blade without washing it. The idea of silicone or other additional gunk to one's food when better alternatives exist is a bit odd to me.

Then again, hunting in the woods when you can just walk into a barn with a paper-cutter and some zipper-lock bags is a bit silly to me, too.
 
Very good point, Thom.

IMHO, food and the synthetic lubes also do not mix.

Wanna peel apples or dice up your steak with that knife? Use some vegetable oil as lube/rust-protectant.

Ain't nothing wrong with that, and many outdoorsmen do it with their carbon-steel blades.

:)

Allen
aka DumboRAT
 
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