Silicone Grease?

The Silicone grease I have is sticky, and seems to make the threads actually HARDER to turn. Its also not 100 percent Silicone grease, it says "90% Silicone grease". I'm thinking that I bought the wrong stuff.

Can someone lead me to links to places that sell the better/best silicone grease products out there? I will use this grease to lube the o-rings and aluminum threads in my flashlights.

The two I have used and like are....

Please note these are dielectric (non-conductive) and may not be suitable on the threads if they are a part of the circuit. I use just a little on the o-rings only. If you get some on the threads you will be fine though. You do not need much of this stuff, just little bit.

Radio Shack Lube Gel

and

Do-It-Best Silicone Grease

**The Do-It-Best lube is 90% pure silicone and contains no petroleum additives.**

Any lube will pick up grit and get a little "stiff". When that happens, clean it up and put on new stuff.

Mike

Is it normal for Silicone grease to be sticky like mine is? (I've never used it before).


What else can I use on the threads to make turning it easier if Silicone Grease is best used on the o-rings and not the threads?

There was someone selling two different little tubs of special o-ring lube and thread lube (conducted electricity), unlike the two I mentioned.

I can't remember who though. It was in B/S/T back awhile, might search there.

You could try some 0000 steel wool. The 0000 is very fine and would smooth the threads out nicely. Be sure to wipe everything off with rubbing alcohol if you try that though.


Mike

100% Silicon lube can be found at most auto parts stores if you can't find it elsewhere. Be careful though -- in the electrical parts section it sells for maybe $2.00, but the exact same stuff in the same size tube in brake repair section can sell for up to $5.00!

I've not seen it get sticky, but then I use very little. A little tube will last you a loooooonnngg time. How old is it?

Also, the RS lube gel does have petroleum products in it although it doesn't say so on the tube (it's listed in the MSDS for the product -- Material Safety Data Sheet). There's also a food grade silicon grease (yum!).

Do a search here since a lot of info on this has been posted before.

-(a different) Craig

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chmsam said:

I've not seen it get sticky, but then I use very little. A little tube will last you a loooooonnngg tme. How old is it?


-(a different) Craig

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Its practically brand new (had it only a month). It was sticky as soon as I opened it. The brand is "Ace", and the little container says "90% Pure Silicone Grease".

Hmmmm. Never seen 100% that was sticky. But 90%? My guess (and nothing more than that) is that it's meant to be sticky so it will stay put while packing the area to be greased.

BTW, flashlights should probably get "di-electric" grease. It'll say whether it is on the tube/can.

-(a different) Craig

Mine's 100% silicone grease, the kind they use for diving O-rings. It is a little bit sticky and will stick to your fingers, but that's also why it's considered non-migrating (ie. doesn't move away from where you want it to be) or so I'm told.

I put a little bit on my threads and initially it felt a bit stickier, but after a while the threads rotate smoothly. I have a 6P with factory-preloaded grease all over the threads, and it feels similar, so I assume I got the right stuff.. I'm guessing too /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

use teflon grease! repels water, won't thicken in cold and will not oil-separate

Anywhere we can order online?

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KevinL said:
Anywhere we can order online?

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Midway Auto Supply has a good selection of greases and lubricates on its website, not the best prices. I have used the VERSACHEM 100% silicone grease with good success on o-rings and PERMATEX® ULTRA SLICK Grease with Teflon for just about everything else.

Silicone Grease

Teflon Grease

Better prices can be found at most local autoparts stores, but if the Web is your only source Midway or Parts America should have what you need.

Hey 357. The silicone we have in our lab is for lubricating fittings in vaccum lines and it's very sticky. Maybe this is the kind you have?

I've used Radio Shack's multi-purpose Lube Gel with good results, but I now use Plumber's Silicone Grease by Gunk (available at Lowe's, Home Depot, etc..) on all my lights.

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greenLED said:
Hey 357. The silicone we have in our lab is for lubricating fittings in vaccum lines and it's very sticky. Maybe this is the kind you have?

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I bought mine in the plumbing section of a Ace Hardware story. I suppose its possible...

Dow Corning 4 Compound in a 5.3 oz tube is one of the products I use. Is says it's a dielectric designed to meet mil-s-8660B, amend 3. I got this as an evaluation sample years ago. I checked online for Dow and found lots of distrubutors in several states under non automotive uses. They may still send out free small samples. Worth a try.

Look in dive shops for silicone grease. I am not sure of the brand but the one I got doesn't feel sticky.

is teflon better then silicone?

its just teflon particles suspended in the grease

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Reptilezs said:
its just teflon particles suspended in the grease

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but will it outperform silicone? or are they same?