White Lightning Observation

I was at the bike store yesterday and picked up a bottle of White Lightning Generation 4. I have been reading about in the knife rags about its cleaning and lubricating abilities and figured I'd spend $6 to see if I like it.

I do.

The bottle states that the formula cleans the chain as you ride your bike. Well I have an older PUMA Emperor that has this grease lodged in it since I got it and I pour a little of the WL in it. WL contains petroleum distillates. I worked the blade 6 or 7 times and low and behold all of this grease just started oozing out of the bushing areas. I poured some down the spine of the handle and the locing mechanism and the same thing happend. I just wiped it away and the knife was clean. And I didn't have to take anything apart since I am.....lets say somewhat mechanically challenged.

I then cleaned my large Sebenza the same way since I'm too much of a wimp to take it apart. It did the same thing and the residual that remains is a nice lubricant. Takes about 3 minutes to clean out a knife.

For $6, this was well worth it. So far I highly recommend this product. Has anyone else used WL? Same results? Any complaints?

I'm gonna try this on my bike chain now.
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Oh, here's the website in case you're interested:
www.whtlight.com

Regards,

------------------
~Greg~



[This message has been edited by Kodiak PA (edited 23 May 1999).]
 
Dannyc

Dannyc

Joined
Feb 20, 1999
Messages
1,284
Hiya Greg!
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hmmm... I wonder if Tuf-Glide works the same as White Lightning. Since Tuf-Glide contains mineral spirits (here we go again with that ever-elusive mineral spirit thing, hahaha).

Thanks for the URL link. I'll check them out.
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Regards,

Dan
 
Greg,

Thanks for the info, I've been wondering about White Lightning for two months now. My question is this: personally, what do you prefer, White Lightning or Tuff Glide? I'm thinking that WL dries faster than Tuff Glide? What about the shedding action in WL (self cleaning performance)?

Reynaert
 
I think both lubricants can complement each other. I think I will use the WL when the knife's action is really grimey and then use the Tuf-Glide in between cleanings.

Reynart, I think the WL has better cleaning potential than the Tuf-Glide like you stated with its shedding action. Works remarkably well. I'm not sure yet at this point which is better as a lubricant since I just got the bottle yesterday but initially I'm impressed with it and for $6 you can't go wrong.

Hey Danny, we're always looking for the ultimate knife assessory, aren't we?
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------------------
~Greg~

 
I have had horrible luck with WL on firearms. I purchesed a bottle from my local gun shop for $1 (couldnt pass that up). I had used the chain formula on my bikechain in the past with good results.

With the firearms formula, i had very bad results. I used it to lube a new Colt Commander. The WL that i applied between the frame and slide formed a sticky, gooey, slurry type mess that did not help lubricate the frame/slide relationship at all.

My experience is that it is good for chains, but the new stuff they sell for guns is bad.

My concern with it in the knife area is that it would form the same thick mess in the action of a folder as it did in my gun.

TUFF GLIDE is WAY better in critical friction areas/surfaces. I also like TUFF GLIDE as it is very very clean.

 
Greg
How did it end up using on your bike chaiin? Stuff sounds great on knives just wondering how the bike thing worked out?
Bob
 
Greg,
I used White Lightning for about a year and a half on my mtn bike. For quite awhile I was very happy, until the waxy buildup on my rear cogset and front chainrings began to present a problem. About the time I was discovering this, I ran into Pedro's Ice Wax, a similar product aimed at the mtn bike market. The first sample I got were free cause I was racing on the Pedro's team, but after useing for awhile, I started buying it on my own. It worked as well as the WL w/o leaving the waxy buildup and it has worked in all conditions from desert sand to full on rain/mud etc. The price is about the same and works better. Now, to be honest, I've used neither on my knives (I use Break Free & Pedro's Extra Dry lube (for road bike chains) ), Of course, the cycling world is full of the same same opinionated sort of guys as you find at a knife or gun collectors gathering, so there are lots of different points of view about which is best lube (sound familiar?), it comes down to, try it and see how it works for you. Over the past 10 years I've probably changed chain lubes 7 or 8 times, that I can think of. As they say, YMMV.
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All good points. Thanks all to responding. Matt is right, they do make WL specifically for guns. The web site states it's not as viscous but maybe it does gum up like Matt reports.

Strider, the reason I am going to use it for my bike chain is because it is marketed specifically for bikes. I just happened to see it advertised in the knife magazines and since I am always looking for the ultimate in non dirt attracting lubricants, I tried it.
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Brian, your experience brings up some good points. For now I will use this stuff to clean out the actions every once in a while and use the Tuf-Glide as my regular lube which I was doing anyhow. I love those Sentry products and have been using them for months. I do like how well it cleaned out that gummed up old PUMA I have, though.

I appreciate all the comments.

Thanks,



------------------
~Greg~

 
I'm not sure what kind my brother had, but I remember him using the same kinds of lubes on his bike chain and they worked great at getting the dirt and grime off.

If Mr. Lavin is right, I'm thinking that the WL may be better to use occasionally if you let the knife get really dirty. Tuf Glide should be a better lube in between because it was made for knives and doesn't cause the same buildup.


------------------
JP Bullivant
 
Greg,

...and here I though White Lighning was that stuff in mayo jars that the locals introduced me to while attending Naval Supply Corps school in Athens, Georgia
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!!!

-=[Bob]=-
 
I haven't used WL specifically, but Trek Bicycles has a line of tools made by Snap-On called Wrench Force. Castrol makes a lube that is the same basic idea for Wrench Force that is called Dry Lube (creative, huh?). We sell the 2oz bottle for $6 and it goes a LONG way. I like this stuff better on chains than WL, although i still prefer Tri-Flow or Finich Line Cross Country. The dry lubes shed too easily, especially in wet conditions. As far as knives go, the Castrol stuff is great! I owuld highly recommend using it.
 
Yo Greg!

Heheheh... Ultimate knife accessory? You betcha!
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I just browsed through their site, and they did claim that it's not supposed to be a replacement for oil, so I guess it should be complimented with Tuf-Glide.
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Tuf-glide would be a waste if used on bicycle chains.. lol..
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Dan
 
I got a nice reply from the from folks at White Lightning asking them if their bike lube is the same product that they recommend for knife use. Here is their reply:

Hi greg
great question
no, the knife lube is specific for the close-tolerances and environments of
knives. While the chain lube will work, it will have the tendency to be too
thick or build up over time. The knife lube is due to make its debut at the
blade show in atlanta georgia soon... you might want to try the chain lube
just for kicks, you can always use it around the house and on your bikes if
you don't like it for your knives.
Thanks for asking
jacki sterner
white lightning
Click to expand...

Regards,

------------------
~Greg~

 
There certainly are a lot of products out there doing all kinds of great things.

I have used most of the products mentioned. Because my company manufactures TUF-CLOTH, TUF-GLIDE and a full line of dry film products for knives, guns, fishing tackle, tools etc., I will only say every product does something well. This is why Sentry Solutions makes 7 products for lubrication and corrosion protection. Some are dry film products and some are not. Our TUF Series are dry film products formulated to provide cleaning, lubrication and corrosion protection. No single product can do everything well and usually if a product cleans better that means it doesn't necessarily lubricate as well. The trick is to find a formulation that does both plus provide corrosion protection. That is no simple feat. Manufactures must comply with all sorts of regulations from health and safety to shipping regs. Believe me its a real challenge. In Sentry's former life we had a fantastic aerosol dry film bike lube called "White Glove". It was great, self cleaning with great lubricity. Only problem the EPA decided the carrier was an ozone depleter. So we stopped making it. We developed our TUF Products, keeping in mind we wanted to formulate them so they would be safe to use for humans and the environment.

We chose to use a common carrier which would provide cleaning and deliver the active ingredients to where they were needed then evaporate off to leave a dry, self cleaning, protected surface. The bonding of the active ingredients ensures the protection will stay put and not "shed" easily. The self cleaning comes from the fact that the dry bonded protection will not attract dirt but instead repels it.

DannyC is right TUF-GLIDE may be a waste on bicycle chains but on knives, guns and gear...

For more info check our web site


------------------
Mark Mrozek, President
Sentry Solutions Ltd.
www.sentrysolutions.com
 
Mark, I forgot to add that the mineral spirits contained in Tuf-Glide or Tuf-Cloth is not only a great medium for the dry-film lubricant, but more importantly, I did notice that it acts as a "cleaning agent", sort of melting away old dirt and grime that has accumulated (which was missed by cleaning).

I don't know if anybody noticed it, but when I apply Tuf-Glide to the pivot pins, and observed it carefully, I see Tuf-Glide pushing out any remaining grime in-between, specially when I start working the pivot around.

Can you say, hitting two birds with one stone? lol...
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And you can quote me on that.
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Great product, Mark. I love it so much, I ordered a number of it, too! including refills.

Dan
 
Hmmm.. just wanted to add to my post above, if that was so, then Tuf-Glide, once bonded to metal, won't rub off easily, even if we use petroleum distillates, right? I mean, it being the carrier for the dry-film lube itself.

That would mean better protection even!
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Man, I love this product.. smells great, too! hehehe..

Dan
 
There is White Lightning and then White Lightning "Raceday". The "Raceday" is a wetter lube and does not dry as quick as the original. Those who are curious might try this formula instead. Could this be the Knife version??

Ahhhhh... but the smell of Finish Line Century lube is tops.
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L8r,
Nakano

------------------
"To earn a million is easy, a real friend is not."
 
Dan,
Yes, that's right, especially if the "petroleum distillates" are part of Sentry Solutions' Products.

Even though our products are compatible with others, they are designed to be used on their own and replace the use of other products.

------------------
Mark Mrozek, President
Sentry Solutions Ltd.
www.sentrysolutions.com
 
I've been using Birchwood-Casey's GunScrubber for years to clean both firearms and knives. I have yet to have any problems with it and it will clean absolutely anything off a gun or knife. Although it does leave a slightly white appearance on most plastics (G10 included), it does no harm and something like TufCloth removes that easily. GunScrubber is also easy to use because it is very fast to dry (a few seconds). Event if I end up running water over a knife, I'll then use GunScrubber because it will get into absolutely every little nook and cranny and it forces water to evaporate.

It is a spray and it needs to be used either outside (and downwind!) or in a very well ventilated area.

$0.02
 
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