Oiling Joints

afishhunter

afishhunter

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Oct 21, 2014
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.My new (yeah, offshore made) Old Timer 858OTB is stiffer than I prefer.
I'd guess a mite over 8 on the secondaries and a touch over 7 for the main.

Rem Oil ain't doin' the trick.

My Laxitive oil is AWOL, and I can't get to the drug store for more.

Any problems with using good ol' fasion 3 in 1 "sewing machine" oil on the joints?

I would rather not use transmission fluid or motor oil because of the probably of staining the bone covers.

"Food Safe" is not a issue. I wipe the oil off the blade proper, anyway.

I'm hoping to EDC this thing. I like the 4.5 inch closed length. However, if I have to fight with it to get it open ... nope. I ain't that stupid or senile --- yet.
 
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3 in 1 is fine. I use it on some of my knives. Others I use mineral oil (hoppes). Others get nothing. On that knife I'd suggest filling a dishpan or similar with hot water and scrubbing it out well with dish soap and then rinsing it in the hot water while opening the blades. Dry it with a towel and blow the extra water out and dry again. Before adding oil, see if it's better. I do this to all my new traditional knives.
 
As suggested earlier, giving the knife a cleaning in dish soap & hot water might help. Sometimes new knives will come with some buffing grit or other grinding debris in the joints; flushing that stuff out, by exercising the pivots in the soapy liquid, can free up their movement. After the wash & dry, then add a little bit of oil to the joints.

Over time, just using the knife regularly can also help to burnish/polish the bearing surfaces, which can also ease the stiffness out of it. Make sure to keep it clean as well.
 
SuzukiGS750EZ said:
3 in 1 is fine. I use it on some of my knives. Others I use mineral oil (hoppes). Others get nothing
Click to expand...
I have a vintage and/or antique Schrade-Walden jackknife that got the nothing treatment by at least one former (most likely now late) owner.
When opening or closing the main blade (which shows the most use) the backspring does not flex/move at all, at all.
I have not taken the knife apart, but I am 99.999999% sure the tang has worn the spring down, or the spring has dished-out the tang.

If not for that "defect" which is by no means the fault of Schrade, I would probably give it pocket time.

Eli Chaps Eli Chaps
The blades do move easier when freshly lubed and worked ... until the Rem Oil is gone, at any rate.
I don't think the springs are excessively strong/stiff. However, over the last 64 ... almost 65 years ... I have been known to be mistaken a time or three ...
 
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Maybe I should elaborate. Anything with a washer usually gets nothing, especially if it's going to get a lot of pocket time. I don't usually lube Victorinox.
 
I like to flush out any old lube gum or grit with something like WD40 and compressed air, then use a good lubricating oil, current preference being Shooters Choice FP10. 3-in-1 20 weight electric motor bearing oil works well too. Some knives don't need any oil in the hinge or lock but if they do operate roughly I've found that oils that are a somewhat heavier viscosity than those intended primarily as rust or corrosion inhibitors make better lubes, especially for knives such as traditional style slipjoints with heavy spring pressures.
 
Breakfree CLP, Triflow, Mobil 1 ATF, Kano Labs Microil. Lately I go the tuf-glide back out to try again.
 
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