What lubricant?

[MedusaOblongata]

Tuff-Glide?

I read through the entire thread and haven't seen it mentioned so far; can I use Tuff-Glide on my flashlights? I think the active ingredient is mineral spirits or mineral oil, but I'm not sure. It works pretty well on knives. Anyone know?

TIA

 

[Yoda4561]

You can, if you have issues with dust and grit it might work out for you. It is not the best lube out there and if the light has o-rings in the right places dust shouldn't be an issue either. Not sure what the actual lubricating and protection ingredient is but the carrier is oderless mineral spirits, this evaporates and leaves behind a dry film.

 

[mr.snakeman]

Hi Buck91, I prefer Finish Line.

 

[chmsam]

Re: Tuf-Cloth/Tuf-Glide from Sentry Solutions.

I have one and use it a lot, but I'm not too comfortable using something based on Stoddard Solvent around o-rings -- Tuf-Glide is pretty much Stoddard Solvent plus molybdenum sulfide/disulfide lubes, if I recall correctly. Great stuff and I do use it for other things but I just don't like to use solvents of any kind around o-rings.

For my lights, it is still pure silicone grease or nothing. I haven't seen anything safer, better, cheaper yet (your mileage may vary). Plus the small tin I have will last a long time yet.

 

[mr.snakeman]

chmsam I agree: a good silicone grease will work just fine on threads and o rings. Compared to Finish Line Grease twisting feels stiffer but maybe that´s a good thing for some lights. For better underwater usage go for the ht silicone grease (do a google search and you will find).

 

[Tekno_Cowboy]

Talked to my local AMSOil dealer, who also does custom machineing for local businesses. He recommended the Silicone Spray or the Muti-Purpose Spray Grease for aluminum threads.

 

[boonsht]

For my lights, it is still pure silicone grease or nothing. I haven't seen anything safer, better, cheaper yet (your mileage may vary). Plus the small tin I have will last a long time yet.

I was thinking the same. I've been putting it on my lights for the past 6 months. The one thing I noticed, as mr. snakeman mentioned, was the stiffness of twisting some of my lights. Maybe some people like it that way. I surely don't hehe.

Time for me to look for something better.

 

[chmsam]

I don't have that problem and never had.

Here's my secret -- wash your hands well, use a clean cloth (preferably one used for nothing else) to clean the threads throughly, and then apply a light coating of the grease. I only use a dab about the size of a pea or a tiny bit bigger for most applications. I use my little finger to apply the grease and to work it around and into the threads. Wipe off any excess above or below the threaded area.

My lights get cleaned & lubed about once or twice a year depending on how often and how hard they get used.

Best advice -- don't let crud build up, keep the lights clean. The threads will appreciate it.

 

[lengendcpf]

How do you apply lubricant to your lights?

There are lots of posts talking about applying different types of lubricants on the threads but none on the exact way on applying.

Can share how you apply? Materials used, the threads on the body, on the inside threads of the head, etc. Thanks..

 

[scottaw]

Re: How do you apply lubricant to your lights?

Any threads I lube, I put 4 drops of lube, right around the top of the threads, then screw together, as it screws it spreads the lube evenly down the threads.

As far as O-rings i take them off with a small pick and roll them around in my fingers with the lube.

 

[ConfederateScott]

Re: How do you apply lubricant to your lights?

I have a little container of Nyogel, I take my light apart by taking off the head and tailcap. I get a little lube on my finger and rub all around the head threads on the body making sure I get gel down into them and on the o-ring. I rub it all around but I put enough gel to fill the threads in only a few spots. Then I screw on the head. Same to the tailcap end. I may tighten and loosen a few times to make sure the gel spreads all through the threads on both the head and body where I applied. I don't use a whole lot of the Nyogel and I only do this about three times a year. I bought a little jar over two years ago and still have plenty. It is about as big as the little white paper things you get at Wendys hamburgers with ketchup in them. Except this little container is plastic with a metal cap. I've got close to 20 lights (SF) that I lube occassionally and at the rate I'm going I'll have Nyogel in two more years.

 

[chmsam]

Re: How do you apply lubricant to your lights?

This has been posted before but here we go...

I clean the threads and the o-ring (if needed) before applying lube. I use a clean shop rag that is never used for anything else and I also use cotton swabs if needed. If there is crud built up in the threads I will use a wooden toothpick to clean it out but never anything harder than that.

I thoroughly wash my hands before I apply a pea sized dab of pure silicon grease on the tip of one of my fingers. I work the grease into the threads and around the o-ring using only light pressure. If I feel any grit at all I will stop and start at the beginning by cleaning the light again. When done with the cleaning and lubrication I wipe off any excess grease and reassemble the light. I finish by wiping down the outside of the light.

At the same time I clean and lube the light I check the batteries on a tester and I also apply DeOxit Gold (removes oxidation, improves electrical contact, and helps to prevent re-oxidation) to all electrical contacts including the batteries. I allow that to dry for about 5 minutes before reassembling the light.

I do all of this maybe once or twice a year unless the light gets hard or frequent duty. Takes less than 10 minutes and the benefits are worth it. I cannot remember the last light failure I have had, including being "surprised" by dead batteries. My lights work when I need them to do so.

 

[Lee1959]

Re: How do you apply lubricant to your lights?

Removed sarcastic remarks of incredulity, I suppose some do make a procedure out of lube.

 

[DM51]

Re: How do you apply lubricant to your lights?

Threads merged.

 

[m3m4]

Can Nyogel 760G be used to lube on a Nitrolon polymer body? Just to make sure...

 

[blinder switch]

Re: Ever wonder why Nyogel turns gray? Look no further.

I also thought it was fine aluminum particles that oxidized thus turning grey and mixing in with the Nyogel. I figured this would happen especially if there is any amount of water in the Nyogel. So I gave up using it thinking it was not doing the best job of lubricating and swtiched to PTFE in a little dropper package. I found it does not seem to gum up and does not turn grey after a while. It also is very noticeably smoother and makes a twisty turn easier. So while I may have been wrong about Nyogel I think the clear PTFE type liquid is a better lube and I've used it on dozens of different lights now. This stuff came to my attention from this_is_nascar. I know Nyogel is very popular but I haven't found any drawbacks to the PTFE (teflon) lube and it just seems it has never gained as big of useage here because people don't know about it. I'd been on here well over 2 years before I stumbled across mention of it.
So not to sound like a hair commercial but if you want to 'Lose the gray' try the PTFE :laughing: - got mine at a place I really don't like to promote (Radio Shack) but it was available easily and cheap enough. Other places make and sell the same thing under different names but it's all essentially clear and usually comes in a needle tip oiler unit.
Sorry if I am hijacking here Seery - just really think this is better lube after using Nyogel a couple years I find the PTFE is way better on everything I've used it on from Surefire's to custom's to cheapo lights. Like you I also wondered for a long while why Nyogel lubed lights turned grey rather quickly. I had tried other lubes too but nothing got my attention like the PTFE.

Also one final question for Nyogel users - does Nyogel turn grey on stainless steel lights? I only acquired a couple SS lights recently so I don't know but if it is NOT turning grey on SS lights then I would question whether Nyogel is not interacting in some way with the aluminum. Stainless and Titanium too are a lot less affected by any chemical reactions so I'd be curious if they don't turn grey why aluminum is turning grey. This would tend to indicate Nyogel is not protecting the aluminum to aluminum contact nearly as well as it should so you have powdered aluminum or there is some electrical factor coming into play. While I'd like to believe what Nyogel is stating I'll admit I tend to take studies with a grain of salt when they are done by the company selling the product.

After writing the above I dug a little deeper on Nyogel and found a couple interesting things from their own web site. This statement seems a bit odd: "Note: Never use conductive grease on sliding switches, which could malfunction if a conductive grease is applied to the contacts." Is a twisty flashlight not essentially using a sliding switch? I don't know if this applies but it caught my attention. Another couple tidbits for thought that may be relevant here: "Volume resistivity of both Nyogel 753G and Nyogel 756G is approximately 30 ohm-cm. Volume resistivity of Nyogel 758G is approximately 300 ohm-cm. Nyogel 753G and Nyogel 756G are gels not pastes. They rely on a proprietary carbon filler, rather than traditional metallic particles, for their conductivity. Nyogel 758G is an excellent channeling bearing grease. It relies primarily on a synergistic effect among its additives, not carbon or metallic filler, to create an electron pathway through the grease." Upon seeing that I had a couple thoughts. It seemed to me that the carbon might be partly responsible for the darkening whether by oxidation or electrical pathways through it causing some change.

This is also the first time I've looked at Nyogels info on their site. It sounds like the Nyogel line was developed more with reduction of static in mind - in places where ball bearings could build up a static charge that would be a problem - like in computer hard drives or on treadmills. Oddly I see nothing on the Nyogel page that suggests it as a good lube for flashlights or anything even close to a flashlight in function.
Now having said all that I'm definitely no lubrication expert - so YMMV. I just question if Nyogel is really that good of a product for flashlights.

Well, it has been a little while and I found this on the 50 g I ordered today. Also a Surefire tech told me on the phone that this NyoGel is what they use.

From the NyoGel web site:
NyoGel® 760G is a silica thickened, medium viscosity, synthetic hydrocarbon grease for lubrication and protection of tin-lead electrical connectors. Benefits include good water resistance. By preventing environmental and fretting corrosion, it extends the life of electrical contacts. We recommend this grease for use on the threads of all aluminum-bodied flashlights. NyoGel® 760G is a relatively "thin" grease and rated for -40�C to 135�C temperature ranges. Note that NyoGel® 760G is not conductive, but it was designed for lubricating surfaces that are conductive.

 

[x59628]

I've been using this "three in one oil" that I got from Walmart (its manufactured by WD-400)
its a lot thicker than WD-40, and so far, it's worked great in my Fenix for both the threads and O-rings.

 

[x59628]

I've been using this "three in one oil" that I got from Walmart (its manufactured by WD-400)
its a lot thicker than WD-40, and so far, it's worked great in my Fenix for both the threads and O-rings.

WD-40*

 

[chmsam]

WD40 is not a lube, it is a water displacer. Plus, it and other compounds with petroleum ingredients might damage some o-rings. Searching old threads on lubes (I posted a long one awhile ago -- see post #61 in this thread) will give you some tips on what to use and what not to use, and on flashlight maintenance.

 

[bugeyed]

Lube for A2 seals & threads?

I just finished the LED frosting (used a ScotchBrite pad) & added Luminova luminescent backing to the LEDs. Waiting for the solvent in the adhesive to clear completely now. A quick test shows a beautiful "ringless" LED pattern. Thanks for the thread that suggested this "fix".
Now, I don't have any silicone grease per-se, but I do have some Finish line bicycle grease that is "100% synthetic" as stated on the tube. I think it should be OK. Maybe a bit slicker than others, but should be safe for the O-rings, right?
Here's a quote from the web site,
100% synthetic with Teflon fluoropolymers.
New "functional" thickener totally prevents rust and corrosion (even in saltwater).
New thickener prevents washout and water emulsification.
New technology withstands higher pressures without sheering.

Edit: Mr.Snakeman endorses this very same product in another thread, so, unless someone else chimes in with evidence that it is bad, I will use it.
Thanks

Thanks
kev