Pivot lube experiment...

[stitchawl]

I thought by now I'd tried all the various lubes for my folders, running the gamut from WD-40, White Lightning, SuperLubePTFE, 3in1 Oil, Marvel Mystery Oil, Benchmade's stuff, Buck's stuff, No-name sewing mechine oil, etc., etc., etc.! Out of that group I liked the "SuperLubePTFE" best, but today I stumbled over some lubes of a different sort...

Grease. In a back corner of a huge home center I found a rack with half a dozen different types of greases in small cans, small enough to buy a couple and not worry about having to throw out what I don't like. I realize that grease 'should' hold more dust and dirt than most oil lubes, but I figure that I can afford the five minutes needed to clean a pivot now and then.

So I took my two EDC's apart. (Both are Benchmade axis locks; one for carrying in shorts and one for carry in long pants.) I carry both in pocket sheaths so there is not much exposure to pocket lint anyway. The sheaths are as wide as my pocket, with a knife pouch sewn onto the inside to keep the folder vertical without needing to use a clip. A series of ventilation holes keep it all from making my leg too warm.

I cleaned out the pivots and bushings with break cleaner and gave them a very lean coating of grease. I used a urea grease on one and a moly grease on the other. Now we wait... and use... and wait... and use... and after about a month I'll be interested to see my results. Already it feels as if the action on both is smoother, but that is quite subjective. I WANT to believe!!

Stitchawl

 

[DaPro]

I am doing the same with two mini grips, I am using a anti wear grease, and a dry teflon based lube, I use this stuff religiously on my R/C cars and truck.

Worth a shot, not like I'm out any money, and they are designed for metal on metal contact.

 

[wsfarrell]

I've been using Dave Berryhill's .45 lube for 6 months, and have found nothing better. Go to thehighroad.org and search for "berryhill lube" and you'll find it. Here's a quote from one of the threads:
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Forget the Gun Butter. Dave's stuff works into the pores of the steel and hangs on like a bulldog.

After shooting he gun, strip and clean it by dry-wiping and lightly...LIGHTLY...reapplying the Gooey Lube. (Sorry Dave. Irresistable impulse.)

After the third treatment, clean normally and just add a little oil. You probably won't have to re-treat for 10,000 rounds. The treated areas feel a little like the teflon coating on a frying pan.

My test platforms consisting of 3 Colt 91A1s haven't lost any slickness since I used the stuff...and that's been a while. For sheets and geegles, after the 3rd treatment, I didn't use any lubricant, and just shot'em dry...and I shot'em long and hard and hot...up to 500 rounds per gun per session. The guns never burped, and at the end of the sessions, they were as slick as they were when I started.

Used correctly, that tub you bought will probably last the rest of your natural life. It beats anything I've ever seen, heard tell of, or stepped in.

Use it on a squeaky door hinge pin and it'll never squeak again. If this catches on, it'll cause WD40's stock to bottom out.
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I have no connection to Dave Berryhill whatsoever.

 

[DaPro]

worth a shot

No longer on his website, called Ultimate gun lube

I've been using Dave Berryhill's .45 lube for 6 months, and have found nothing better. Go to thehighroad.org and search for "berryhill lube" and you'll find it. Here's a quote from one of the threads:
---------------------------------------------------------

Forget the Gun Butter. Dave's stuff works into the pores of the steel and hangs on like a bulldog.

After shooting he gun, strip and clean it by dry-wiping and lightly...LIGHTLY...reapplying the Gooey Lube. (Sorry Dave. Irresistable impulse.)

After the third treatment, clean normally and just add a little oil. You probably won't have to re-treat for 10,000 rounds. The treated areas feel a little like the teflon coating on a frying pan.

My test platforms consisting of 3 Colt 91A1s haven't lost any slickness since I used the stuff...and that's been a while. For sheets and geegles, after the 3rd treatment, I didn't use any lubricant, and just shot'em dry...and I shot'em long and hard and hot...up to 500 rounds per gun per session. The guns never burped, and at the end of the sessions, they were as slick as they were when I started.

Used correctly, that tub you bought will probably last the rest of your natural life. It beats anything I've ever seen, heard tell of, or stepped in.

Use it on a squeaky door hinge pin and it'll never squeak again. If this catches on, it'll cause WD40's stock to bottom out.
----------------------------------------------------
I have no connection to Dave Berryhill whatsoever.

 

[stitchawl]

Use it on a squeaky door hinge pin and it'll never squeak again. If this catches on, it'll cause WD40's stock to bottom out.

I actually bought two of each type of lube. One squeeze tube and one spray can. (I didn't think I'd need the tubs...) I used the squeeze tube to put a drop on my finger to lube the pivot parts.

The spray cans were interesting... A carrier similar to Stoddard's Solvent (it may well BE Stoddard's Solvent) gets the grease into tight places then evaporates quickly leaving behind a thick film of grease. I bought the cans to use inside of locks. I have two HUGE locks I use at night on my motorcycle, and they are out in the rain and snow 24/7. Although I use a PTFE lube inside the cylinders so the keys don't get sloppy, I wanted to really grease the hell out of the inner lock plates where the shackles get pinioned into the case. The spray carrier really did a great job of getting it down inside and between the lock plates! Those plates snap shut so hard when I push in the shackle, it almost pops the key right out of the cylinder!

Grease... It's not just for wheel bearings any more! :thumbup:

Stitchawl