What's the best lubricant?

Sharpnessis

Sharpnessis

Joined
Aug 11, 2012
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810
In my unscientific tests, out of all these, the best for "flick-out-ability" is nano oil. Just thought I'd share because I have been experimenting.
 
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Nano-Oil lubricates better than Benchmade Blue Lube (and every other lubricating oil i've tried), which is still good stuff in it's own right.
I've used Blue Lube & Cleaner extensively on many, many multitools (been a Leatherman repairman for some time) as well as heaps of folders, and Nano-Oil wins in pure slickness as well as in longevity "per serving": it simply works longer.

Where Nano-Oil really shines is under heavier workloads, like in guns, gym equipment, fishing reels, various electronic motors (mini-helicopters, fans, blenders, my electric toothbrush)
It also works very well on different kinds of plastic: a friend of mine uses it on the buttons of his Playstation controllers which had become sluggish, making him loose quite a few high speed games.
He claims that with a few tiny drops of Nano-Oil the buttons react even better than when they were new, and he's back in the ranking lists again.
 
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Try ballistol if you get the chance, I use it for everything from oiling doors, polishing wood, polishing leather, cleaning and lube my guns. It truly is amazing stuff. Works excellent on knives and tight tolerence spots. I have no experience with nano oil, so it could very well be not as good as nano, but I really like ballistols performance and versitility.
 
I've always been partial to Break-Free CLP but mainly for use on firearms. Since I always have it around it gets used on my knives with excellent results.

However, for knives I think it's a bit overkill as the cleaning properties aren't really needed. It is an excellent lubricant and provides very good rust prevention though.
 
There have been very good threads on rust prevention but I haven't seen many for flick-out-ability, for lack of a better word. So I have been trying a bunch to see what would work best to keep my actions smooth.
 
Sharpnessis - Thanks for sharing. Would you mind telling me the names of the products in the photo between the Liquid Bearings and the Nano Oil? Also, what did you conclude to the runner ups and were they even close to the Nano-Oil?
 
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Sharpnessis said:
There have been very good threads on rust prevention but I haven't seen many for flick-out-ability, for lack of a better word. So I have been trying a bunch to see what would work best to keep my actions smooth.
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Sharpness,

I should have added that I appreciate your input and testing. For me results from the field like you're doing trump all lab testing and company advertisements.

I'll have to give Nano Oil a try as like I said the Breek-Free I use is probably more then I need for my knives. Although as it has Teflon in it I find it's a superior lubricant but my use / testing focused mostly on it's performance as a good boundary lubricant under heavy loads as in the case of automatic weapons with high cyclic rates like the M60 and 50Cal machine guns among others.

The increased wear prevention was noticeable when we first started using it after inspection of parts and the increased longevity with less need for replacement parts over a period of years. It's really good stuff.

Still, you have me curious. I'll have to pick up some of the Nano-Oil and try it out on my knives.

Thanks and I will follow up and let you know what I think.
 
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Brisket said:
Sharpnessis - Thanks for sharing. Would you mind telling me the names of the products in the photo between the Liquid Bearings and the Nano Oil? Also, what did you conclude to the runner ups and were they even close to the Nano-Oil?
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Eezox. Runners up would be quick release and liquid bearings. So far anyway! Nano oil was a clear winner. I don't have any fancy gauges just my thumb.
 
Another vote here for Nano oil. I purchased a flipper recently that had extremely stiff action. I could barely get it to open with an aggressive wrist flick. A liberal application of Nano oil plus a couple of days letting it soak into the pivot and it was flipping with very little wrist flick. I've got to give that product :thumbup: :thumbup: .
 
Which weight Nano-oil? I've never heard of the stuff, but Google searches show it is readily available in three weights - 5, 10, 85.
 
Vege-Taco said:
Which weight Nano-oil? I've never heard of the stuff, but Google searches show it is readily available in three weights - 5, 10, 85.
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I wrote this earlier on the Spyderco forum:


Since i have & use all 3 grades of Nano-Oil, this is what i have found so far with each of them:

- The lightest grade 5 oil is thin like water and specially designed for quick and deep penetration, made to loosen stuck parts and also for applications where other oils are too thick to penetrate well.
It will evaporate after some time (days) while leaving the working Nano material behind to do it's job.
I use it (sparingly) on various automatic knives and other knives & tools with very tight tolerances.

- Light grade 10 has about the thickness of olive oil, and can be used for folding knife pivots (tested by me), semi-automatic firearms/handguns (tested by me), rifles, threads on flashlights (tested by me), fishing reels (tested by an Australian friend), locks, hinges, bicycle chains, cables, cogwheels, etc. (tested by my brother in law)

- the heavy grade 85 is thick like syrup and is meant for full automatic guns like the M4 and a host of others (currently being tested in H&K MP5 and others by a few Dutch SWAT team members) as well as in applications where you would normally use grease, like in closed ball bearings for skateboards, rollerblades and inline skates. (currently being tested by my nephew)
 
kwackster said:
I wrote this earlier on the Spyderco forum:


Since i have & use all 3 grades of Nano-Oil, this is what i have found so far with each of them:

- The lightest grade 5 oil is thin like water and specially designed for quick and deep penetration, made to loosen stuck parts and also for applications where other oils are too thick to penetrate well.
It will evaporate after some time (days) while leaving the working Nano material behind to do it's job.
I use it (sparingly) on various automatic knives and other knives & tools with very tight tolerances.

- Light grade 10 has about the thickness of olive oil, and can be used for folding knife pivots (tested by me), semi-automatic firearms/handguns (tested by me), rifles, threads on flashlights (tested by me), fishing reels (tested by an Australian friend), locks, hinges, bicycle chains, cables, cogwheels, etc. (tested by my brother in law)

- the heavy grade 85 is thick like syrup and is meant for full automatic guns like the M4 and a host of others (currently being tested in H&K MP5 and others by a few Dutch SWAT team members) as well as in applications where you would normally use grease, like in closed ball bearings for skateboards, rollerblades and inline skates. (currently being tested by my nephew)
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Thank you. Great info! :thumbup:
 
I'll add a vote for nano oil. Misplaced my bottle of 10 weight, and since I couldn't find it quickly, just ordered another bottle.

Two hours later... found the first one. Wasn't a "D'oh!" moment, because the stuff is excellent. Besides, two is one and one is none.

Love nano oil. So does my Yojimbo, Jendura, and my Spyderco trainers.
 
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