From: khays@sequent.com (Kirk Hays)
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.metalworking
Subject: Re: Machine oil
Date: 30 Sep 1996 15:49:31 GMT

In article <52kkpo$ckh@maggie.ionsys.com>,
Garnet Brace <cgbi@ionsys.com> wrote:
>
>THE QUESTION:
>What oil is good for long term use that will provide continued lubrication, 
>protection from corrosion and no gum?

I've had excellent results with BreakFree CLP, which is the civilian
version (identical I'm told) to the lubricant the US Military uses for
Cleaning, Lubricating, and Preserving (CLP) small arms and cannon.

It's not a penetrating oil, doesn't draw water, doesn't gum, and
parkerizing soaks it up like a sponge.  If you're going to use CLP,
either buy it in the surplus military spray bottle quarts, or get a
gallon from Brownells.  The spray cans are convenient, as is the point
oiler, but it's too expensive that way.

The one downside to CLP is that it has teflon in it - the teflon bits
are usually settled to the bottom of the bottle.

For a gun grease, I use Rigg Gun Grease - good stuff, not as versatile
as the CLP, but it works well for surface applications and for areas that
are too inaccessable to oil regularly.

Now, for long term storage of parts, I've found another product that's
excellent at preventing corrosion - it is a poor lubricant, however.
It's called Boeshield T-9, and was developed by Boeing for long-term
storage of aircraft components.  It goes on wet, then drys to a
crystaline greasy/waxy finish, looking almost like congealed bacon
grease.

I took a piece of mild steel, polished out the top to a 600 grit
finish, and then sprayed half with T-9, and left the other half bare.
This piece of steel sat outside (in the rain, in Oregon) from 1987 to
1992 (five years), and the T-9 treated side showed no sign of rust -
the uncoated side was rusted and pitted.  Remarkable stuff.  It's not
sold by Boeing, so don't call them, I got mine as a free sample from
Boeings' licensed manufacturer, and you can find it at most boating
stores.

> The answer does not come from opinion and anecdotal experience, but from 
>carefully run tests. Such test must be run over long periods of time. One 
>would think that someone in the oil business would have attempted to find 
>the answer.

That's why I like CLP - it meets military specifications that no other
oil can.

There is a lot of hype in the lubricants business.

--
Kirk Hays
[I don't speak for Sequent.]

From: khays@sequent.com (Kirk Hays)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: NO to WD-40! [was Re: Help on M1A Springfield]
Date: 3 Dec 1997 18:03:20 -0500

#I would just blast the mechinisim with Gun
#Scrubber once in a while then hit it with WD-40 to protect the metal from
#rust.

Yah!

Please do *not* use WD-40 on firearms.

It's a so-so solvent, a lousy lubricant, it gets gummy over time,
it'll kill primers, and it isn't a good rust-preventative.  Kerosene
is better, for crying out loud, and cheaper, too.

There are lots of good gun lubricants - WD-40 just isn't one of them.

[Me?  I use Ed's Red for a general purpose solvent (try it on gum on
your shoe sometime), Sweets 7.62 for copper removal, a Lewis lead
remover on the leading in the revolvers and autopistols, CLP for
general lubrication, and Tetragun grease (man, is that stuff slippery)
for gun grease.

If I had to choose just one product, CLP would get the nod, as it will
clean powder fouling, it's a excellent lubricant oil, and it will
prevent rust.  It doesn't get gummy, and it has a high affinity for
metal surfaces.

For long term storage, Boeshield T-9 can't be topped, unless you're
willing to dip parts in plastishield (sp?).

No association with the makers/vendors of any of the above.

Thirty+ years of trying practically everything that came along.]

--
Kirk Hays
Blessed High Holy Father of the Jihad against WD-40.
[I don't speak for Sequent.]