doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Oil...

If you really want to treat your locks/gun get watch oil, it stays put, won't evaporate, gum, or become stringy. It give effective, long-lasting lubrication. One small drop at a time.
Moebius, Novostar , Nye and La Perle are suppliers of clock & watch oils.
http://www.ofrei.com/page246.html

Clock oil does evaporate. I was discussing oils with an expert horologist and he told me that even the best watch/clock oils evaporate and he seems to be right. I know that my regulator wall clock is dry after a few years and requires relubing. The oil simply disappears, leaving nothing in it's place.

OB

The watch oil called out by Birdog is noted for chemical stability, non-gumming, non-wicking, and good lubricity with temperature stabiity. Sounds like a good candidate. I'd want to confirm its lubricity under pressure, wash-out characteristics, and compatability with wood and wood finishes. I'd not expect it to be good at water displacing.

Interesting idea, Birdog. Thanks.

While I don't live in a cold climate I do live in a hot climate. I'd think good low and high temp stability would be a requirememt. Specific temperature range would be something I'd like to eval in any lube.

Another candidate may be one of the new synthetic motor oils. But, it's hygroscopic properties and water displacing properties should be reviewed. But, my take on gun lube requirements is that they are not that tough to meet. Specific pressures look to be low and surface speeds are low. Temp range and water displacing properties look to be the main issues.

The synthetic motor oils might be fine for steel...but what about wood ?

Legend has it that old tyme muzzleloaders used whale oil for their patched ball lube and that it is the best for that purpose. The legend may have some validity as modern lubes, petroleum based, just seem incompatible with black powder residue, making reloading difficult and accuracy poor. If ever I find a small quantity I will try it for that purpose but I don't plan on melting down a whale to get a couple ounces. Tried Jojoba oil but it wasn't too effective. Now I use nasty smelling Ballistol which works well.

As late as 1972 the limited slip differential that GM put on cars and light trucks seemed to have a high failure rate. Twice I had to replace mine in new cars within the first year. The problem was the parts waiting for assembly probably acquired some rust on their working surface which caused the failure. But the replacement parts came in nice and clean and were bathed in whale oil which seemed to end the problems. Can't say what happened after that because I got fed up with GM and haven't been back since.

C'mon guys get real. There are dozens of modern companies competing with each other using all the modern technology, chemistry, history and testing facilities they can buy. They are experimenting with every kind of petroleum distillate, vegetable and mineral products, synthetic and silicone products or anything else available and blends of the above. I imagine there are several or many products out there for about any gun or shooting application which will work better than whale oil. And, they are also going to be better or at least as good as a product made for another industry (like the auto industry).

This is an academic question anyway, right?

Best, Jake

The post was about Sperm Whale oil and it's uses on fine guns....I was hoping it might get academic not synthetic.

According to Ned Roberts, Bear Oil was supposed to be good for BP guns.Also have heard a mix of Mutton Tallow & Beeswax is very good, don't remember proportions & haven't tried it. Many contend a BP bbl should be "Seasoned" by applying the lube while it is as hot as can be heated in boiling water, & that it should then never be subjected to a petroleum product & cleaned only with a water based cleaner.
Whale oil was recommended for many items other than guns. All the old sewing machine makers recommended the "Best" grades of whale oil for their machines. A lady a while back told me she could "Tell" when someone had oiled a sewing machine with "3 in 1" because they were always gummed up. I didn't argue, but highly suspect they were the ones which had liberal doses of the old whale oil sold by the machine makers & had then set & evaporated for years, leaving only the "Gum". I purchased a small bottle of whale oil, just prior to it becoming illegal & it will definately "Cloud Up" & settle in the bottle. I no longer use it, just keep it around, it's in an unmarked bottle.

2-Piper the seasoning theory is pretty much discredited now. However there is a problem with petroleum and blackpowder in that a barrel with petroleum based lube seems to make a hard gunk pretty fast that is difficult to remove. Best solvent for blackpowder residues is water. But the oils in the gunk make the water ineffective. So today most of the homemade lubes are either animal fat and beeswax based, or more popular, is a mixture of Murphys oil soap, a little dish detergent and alcohol or water. Muzzleloaders cleaned for storage are usually protected with a modern oil which is wiped out well before the next use.