thread lube?

[AvidHiker]

I have to agree with the previous few posts as well. After several years of perusing these forums, I've never gotten the impression that a "conductive" lubricant is necessary or even beneficial. In fact, IMO, it probably can do more harm than good should it find its way into places where it doesn't belong.

I know of NO lights that come with conductive lube factory applied. Does anyone know of one?

I know of NO manufacturers that recommend conductive lubes. Can anyone name a manufacturer that has?

Many silicone-based lubes (ie, nyogel) were designed to lubricate conductive parts and that's good enough for my piece of mind. I own quite a few lights and have never had any problem with using silicone, perhaps its just a matter of using the right stuff. Or maybe I've just been lucky (along with 99% of the CPF community).

And I can't help but note: Kalrez for flashlight o-rings! I work in a lab, and unless you'll be soaking your lights in EXTREMELY corrosive chemicals or solvents, the idea of using that material in a flashlight sounds absurd to me. I just mentioned it to one of our scientists and he found it hysterical.

Anyway, too bad its so difficult to reach a concensus on this topic. Maybe a CPF poll is in order? Different strokes for different folks I suppose, but I think one or two carefully chosen products should work fine for 99.9% of lights.

 

[TITAN1833]

lol this thread is slick,lubes are what they are period,they lube :laughing: so!choose one!!! here's a list in order of best IMO.

Nano-oil
deoxit
nyogel
goose fat.
Spit
silicon crease(any kind)
KY? :laughing:
And last but not least( paypalgrease) :devil:

 

[Luminescent]

I have tried about a half dozen lubricants, and have found that different lights have different requirements.

'Twisty' lights with bare aluminum threads (like the old Jetbeam C-LE v1.0 and v1.2), are the most critical. The wrong lubricant will not only make for rough operation, it can cause excessive thread wear leading to early failure.


Here is a wrapup of some common lubricants and their applications:

Krytox
Krytox is hideously expensive (a 2 oz tube of Loctite Krytox will set you back about 40 dollars), but it is exceptional at reducing galling in stainless steel and Titanium. It will also completely eliminate o-ring sticking. Not for use on bare aluminum threads or lightly anodized surfaces because it is abrasive to these surfaces and will lead to excessive wear. I use Krytox with my little L0D-Q4. The L0D has hard type III anodized threads which do not grind or wear with Krytox. The decision to go with Krytox over Nyogel 760G in the L0D was based on the need to eliminate o-ring sticking. My L0D has a very tight o-ring which was having sticking problems with every other lubricant that I tried. With Krytox, my L0D now has perfetly smooth one handed operation. BUT REMEMBER KRYTOX IS NOT FOR LIGHTS LIKE THE C-LE, WHICH HAVE BARE ALUMINUM THREADS. In the C-LE, it was NOT smooth at all, and eventually caused enough wear to lead to thread failure.

Nyogel 760G
A synthetic silicone based grease, but much smoother and lower wear than other silicone greases like silicone plumber's grease or Dow Molykote 111. Nyogel helps to minimize thread wear, even in soft alloys of bare aluminum, and shows only slight o-ring sticking with tight o-rings. It's a good choice for Twisty lights with bare threads like the Jetbeam C-LE. Overall Nyogel is a fantastic general purpose grease to have around, and you can get a large 2 oz tube from battery junction for just over $10 shipped (if you use the lowest cost USPS shipping option).

Moble 1 Automotive Grease
Moble 1 Automotive Grease works a LOT better than you might expect. This grease actually gives smoother operation than Nyogel 760G in my C-LE, and I have had no problems at all with o-ring sticking or deterioration (even after several months of use). Other general purpose Lithium Greases may also work, but some have expressed concerns that greases with volatile components might release vapors that could fog your flashlight's main lens. I haven't had any problems with this while using Mobil 1 Grease, but anyone who is concerned should stay with Nyogel 760G which is fairly close in performance and is known to have very low volatility.

Dow Molykote 111 or Generic Silicone Plumber's Grease
Poor lubricant properties and heavy o-ring sticking (o-rings will almost weld if the light is left unused for a few weeks). Not Recommended.

Tetra Lube G (or other PTFE or Teflon based grease)
These greases are a fraction of the cost of Krytox, and work just as well at providing effective lubrication, but are not quite as effective at eliminating o-ring sticking. In my testing, these greases were slightly less abrasive to bare aluminum threads than Krytox, but I still would not recommended them for lights like the Jetbeam C-LE (or any other twisty lights which use bare aluminum threads).


So, again, the bottom line is that different greases work best for different applications in different lights. If you pressed me, and I had to recommend ONE general purpose flashlight grease, it would be Nyogel 760G. It's clear, clean, odorless, thick enough to stay put, gives smooth operation, and doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

 

[mystgicus]

I've put some silicone based gun oil (the sort u spray on airsoft guns; it's fluid-like ,and comes in a compressed container) on my L1. Is this okay or is the damage already done?

 

[chmsam]

It is probably best to do a search since that way you can find for yourself what best answers the question for your specific case. It is easy to narrow the query so that you can avoid plowing through 50 gazillion hits.

The make up of most products can be found quickly if the manufacturer has an MSDS (Materials Safety Data Sheet) that is posted on line. Most often if you go to the manufacturer's web site you may well find an MSDS for their products.

For example: there have been a few posts over the years that said that Radio Shack Lube Gel does not have any petroleum products in it. However, by going to Radio Shack's web site and searching for the product you can easily find an MSDS for it in PDF format. Under the "Hazardous Compounds" segment of the MSDS, the second item listed is "petroleum hydrocarbons," and the amount is listed as 10-20%. By doing this, we now know for sure that there are petroleum products in it.

While someone might post a "yes, it's OK," or a "No, don't use it" response, wouldn't you want to be as certain as possible? Also, you won't have to wait for a response from someone who might not log into CPF for days, and then still might not have the correct answer.

Use the manufacturer's name and/or the product info as listed on the container. Check their web site first.

If there is no MSDS there, try Google or another search engine with the brand name, the product name and "msds" and see what you get.

 

[Dodge]

It is probably best to do a search

Unfortunately, that will lead you to a ton of entries with people suggesting you do a search.

I guess there are some people who don't do a search before they ask a question, but I for one find it rather annoying when people blithely suggest I do a search. Especially when the search mechanism is as poor as it is on CPF. If it was easy to find via a search, I'd have found it before posting.

Please, if you know something about a topic, provide a link to a USEFUL search, providing some of the search terms you know will provide good hits and eliminate some of the noise documents.

Sorry, rant over...

 

[sabre7]

White lithium grease hasn't been mentioned-- a very small amount works great on the threads for SMooooooooVE operation. Usually in a spray can, cheap, available in the auto aisle everywhere, and made to work with aluminum parts.:thumbsup:

 

[fluke]

Ear Wax:eeew:

 

[StarHalo]

I have tried about a half dozen lubricants, and have found that different lights have different requirements.

Luminescent, since you're as close as we've come to actual analysis and comparison on the subject, would you be willing to try out a few other lubes so we could perhaps finally put it to rest? I'd recommend trying out Nanolube, Magnalube, Sandwich Shoppe Krytox 50/50, and White Lightning.

It'd be a bit costly, but I think it'd be worth it to finally get down to the hard facts and solid data on flashlight application lubricants.

 

[TITAN1833]

Ear Wax:eeew:

For real?

 

[fluke]

Yep waterproof and cheap :twothumbs

 

[TITAN1833]

Yep waterproof and cheap :twothumbs

anyone interested in "silk worm pooh" lube?

 

[layzieyez]

I use the same lubricant I use on my skateboard bearings for the threads (Ninja Ultraspeed Oil). Works great. $5 a bottle. I also use deoxit gold on contact points, but not as a lubricant for threads.

 

[JohnTz]

Does anyone know what the other 50% stuff is in the Shoppe Krytox 50/50?

 

[chmsam]

I don't know. Do you have any more details? I'm not familiar with it. I couldn't find anymore info other than the Shoppe claims it's OK for o-rings. There might be a DuPont Krytox number on the container but I'll bet you'll have to find out more details from the Shoppe. On one DuPont web site there are about 20 different numbers and descriptions for various Krytox products so you can see why even a bit more info is going to help you find an MSDS or other source for your answer. Sorry but maybe someone else can add some details.

 

[Rothrandir]

If we're concerned about what different types of lubricants can do to our orings, maybe we should take a look at the orings themselves?

Here is a link from Marco Rubber (their site has a bunch of great information btw), listing many different types of orings, and what each are good and bad for.

Orings can have a huge difference in performance, as well as price. I quoted some of the rings listed on that chart, and they were ~$6 apiece even in quantities!

I think it can be a fairly safe bet that your more expensive lights will probably have the quality orings, whereas the cheaper ones will likely not. Might be something to keep in mind when you're maintaining them.

 

[hydrazoon]

squalene. It's what watchmakers use. I believe you can get it by rubbing the side of your nose.

 

[yaesumofo]

I have a bunch of flashlights.
I use a couple of products.
One is MAGNALUBE. this is an amazing product which works extreemely well as a thread lube and a high quality O-Ring protector.
IMHO this is one of if not the best product of it's kind.
You will learn that for better or worse people get on a bandwagon and just because so and so says it it the best that it must be and everybody will jump on that bandwagon.
So many of the products mentioned in this thread are Old technology. they do the job ok. I have tubes of all of them the krytox and all of the others.
Here is a hot tip. If you contact the manufactures of the Lubes you are interested in and ask for a sample they will send you a tube for free. I have so many of these and eash one is basically a lifetime supply of lube.
Anyway of all of them the only one I actually paid for was MAGNALUBE. they sell samples and not as big a company as the others.

The sample pack costs about $20.00 and again is a lifetime supply unless you either use too much (more on this in a minute) or have 1000's of flashlights in constant use.

No matter which lube you use use about 1/2 as much as you think you need.
There are also people who use lubricant on the threads like nano lube.
This product and it's clone are both good for flashlights. If you have threads which are stiff and need help breaking in I recommend the nanolube.

Just so you know what I like about the MAGNALUBE and what makes it different than most of the other products in the discussion is that MAGNALUBE doesn't spread or loosen if it gets warm. it will stay on the threads not spread out on the inside of the light when it gets warm in the sun or while ON.
The other feature I like about MAGNALUBE is that it contains PTFE.
here is the short blurb from their website which spells it out very clearly:
Magnalube®-G PTFE Grease deposits a fine protective and lubricating film on metal parts. It is virtually unaffected by corrosive moisture and will not migrate from hot surfaces. Magnalube®-G PTFE grease is water resistant, stable at high temperatures, resists oil separation, and is chemically and mechanically stable. The PTFE base effectively lubricates at temperatures +550 F to -45 F. The applications are unlimited.


In other words it is perfect for flashlights.


I base this on a whole bunch of experience. I have a lot of lights with a lot of O-Rings. Titanium aluminum and sterling silver, stainless, Damascus, are all materials found in my flashlights. I have always used MagnaLube on all of them I have never had any O-Ring failures, or any corrosion on any of the metals.
Not to mention that they all operate smoothly and perfectly.


Remember if used often clean and lube the light thoroughly once every couple of months or sooner if required. Remember don't use too much of whatever product you choose.
Remember you will hear a lot of different suggestions.
The stuff is inexpensive enough (free if you know how to ask for it) so that you can try several products untill you find the one which works for you and your style of use best. Don't take our word for it. try it out for yourself. Regardless of the desire to go along with the pack. Don't be tempted to jump on a bandwagon before trying the stuff out for your self.
It is a whole lot more fun that way.


Yaesumofo

 

[yaesumofo]

Nose oil works great too if you are out of everything else.
I use to use it on my $15000.00 NAGRA recorder.
IT also works great. I have to admit I never would have considered ear wax. too smelly.
Yaesumofo

Ear Wax:eeew:

 

[Hitthespot]

Yaesumofo, Magnalube sounds like the equal to Superlube which is my favorite PTFE lube.

Bill