Will follow up with more detail later but how many were aware that Three in One was once put up in Glass bottles. I just recently became aware of this, but now have two of the bottles. The Three in One was spelled out, did not use numerals. Three in One was originally formulated in 1894 by G W Cole. It's purpose was for oiling Bicycle Chains. Its distinctive odor comes from the addition of a bit of Oil of Citronella, Ye old Bug Repellent.
You are blessed
What fun, what fun.
Which ones do you have??
Green or clear? Cork or Screw On?
https://www.ebay.com/sch/Collectibles/1/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=3+in+1+glass+bottle
Living in a museum, I'm sure there is one of those little bottles around here somewhere. I think I saw it with some Singer sewing machines.
Long ago, I used to walk past the place where "Spic and Span" was invented and manufactured. They had it painted on the side of the building. A couple ladies, back when my Mom was a kid.
This one has the numerals on the label. Yours may be older than this, Miller.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Glass-Bottle-of-3-in-1-Three-In-One-Oil-Cork-Stopper-Paper-Label-Antique/132489971812?hash=item1ed9048864:g:gdIAAOSwmuVaT-Ku
SRH
Oops, it didn't link. Guess you'll have to copy/paste it.
That has to be going back quite a ways. 3 in 1 was what I used cleaning guns growing up. That'd take it back to the early 50's. Always red and white metal cans, as best I can recall.
It seems I also recall that one of the makers of classic American side by sides included a small can of 3 in 1 with their new guns. But I can't remember which one(s).
Hi:
Years ago, I did a bit of research on lubricating oils and found that 3-1 oil was nothing more than a 10 weight motor oil with a scent added. I think that 2 piper has it correct.
Be well,
Franchi
Stan;
That one has the exact same side markings as my smaller one, which I assume is slightly newer than the Cole marked one. I highly suspect mine had paper labels on them but after being underground they are long gone. I have $18.50 n the pair including shipping, came from E-Bay also.
I do not collect bottles as such but have one other "Sewing Machine" oil bottle. If this link works you can see it here;
http://www.needlebar.org/cm/index.php?cat=2My Mother oiled a 1919 Singer class 66 treadle she purchased in a pawn shop in 1935 from at least around 1940 up to about 1980 exclusively with 3-in-1, never had a problem.
The link did not work directly as hoped for. However it can still be used, Click on US; F; then Free. The picture of the bottle is about half way down the page, a most interesting bottle.
My grandma used machine oil in old Husqvarna sewing machine which smelled just like Beretta gun oil. The 3 in 1 oil costs < $3 for 3oz container. It looks like good general purpose oil lubricant.
Dziadu should be along soon to tell us all about good oils and greases.
I thought some might be interested in looking at this interesting Weed bottle so updated the link to it. The Weed Sewing Machine Co apparently began in the early 1860's & closed up shop in 1890. This bottle would thus have come from that time frame. So far have found no info on C C & T Sheppard. Anyone here happen to be from the New London CT area who may have heard of them or any history of the company.
Note that in the 1912 ad it is listed as 3-in-One but the label on the bottle reads Three In One. That bottle looks identical to my small one. Note also in so far as I am aware of Three In One was the original "CLP".
It got a bad rep when the company sold & the new owner reformulated it, I "Think" this was probably in the 1940's. Shortly problems of gumming began to appear From detection to the cure occupied about 2 years, but they never over came the bad rep. It can be extremely hard to Un-convince people of what they "Think They Know".
The smell of 3-IN-ONE reminds me of my Daisy BB Gun, Zebco 303, Barlow knives, and my rural happy boyhood.
My recollection is that Parker originally recommended 3-In-1 for their guns, and L.C. Smith recommended Singer sewing machine oil for theirs. Walt Schiessl ("The L C Smith Man") told me about 15-18 years ago that the current Singer oil had stuff in it the the original did not contain, and would still be OK.
Drew;
Good links, thanks. In the 1896 ad the company is listed as G W Cole Co as is on one of my bottles. In the 1915 ad it is listed as the 3-in-ONE OIL CO, but is still shown in the cork stoppered Glass Bottle. My other bottle as mentioned has THREE IN ONE CO with no numerals & no hyphens.
I finally got some pics made, but do not currently have a host site. "IF" someone would post them for me I can E-Mail them to you. Threw in a couple of old Micrometers to boot, a Lufkin & a J T Slocomb.
You can click on the images & enlarge them. The J T Slocomb Co (bottom mic) was a highly regarded tool company noted particularly for their unique design of micrometer. They were located in Providence RI, the same town as Browne & Sharpe, but no connection. This one carries patent dates of May 12 - 96 & April 13 - 97. These dates were marked for some years so do not date it other than the design, but may well date to pre WWI.
The Lufkin I acquired in abused condition. It had apparently been locked up at some point as it has plier marks in the thimble knurling. Fortunately, all the damage was external & of a cosmetic nature. It was still extremely hard to turn when I got it, priced accordingly. As everything on it was steel I soaked it in acetone & managed to get it apart & cleaned up. I then decided to do an experiment on it. As I put it back together I oiled it with 3-in-one. That was more than 20 years ago. It has been oiled with nothing else since.
I acquired the Slocomb about the same time, but in better condition I just cleaned & oiled it, using Starrett Tool & Instrument oil.
I use both of these fairly often, though not on a daily basis as used my standby micrometers while still employed. Both have that "Sweet" feel of precision that only a machinist can fully appreciate. Right now today I would not be afraid to use either on any job which had no less than 0005" tolerance. About the only micrometer, I ever owned I would guarantee closer than that was a C E Johanson.
I have measured a lot of gun parts with a one inch micrometer & oiled a lot of guns in the past with 3-in-one so do not feel this off topic.
The stuff still gums up. I have a can probably 20years old sitting near my lathe. The drippings on the rim of the can have solidified into a thick, gummy goo. No thankee!
The stuff still gums up. I have a can probably 20years old sitting near my lathe. The drippings on the rim of the can have solidified into a thick, gummy goo. No thankee!
One of my other pastimes, is riding English three speed bicycles, and I belong to a local English Bicycle club. A Sturmey Archer hub will run for a million miles, UNLESS it is lubricated with 3 in 1 oil in the can with the red label. Mr. Wood has it exactly right- the vegetable component in it causes it to gum up. This is well known to the English, not so well known, here.
There is a 3 in 1 oil that comes in a can with a blue label, that has a crude picture of a V8 engine on it. This stuff can be used in devices sensitive to oil that gums up, guns and bicycles being examples.
My S5 Sturmey hub was rebuilt by me about 10,000 miles ago, with hybrid lubrication per the bikesmith website-soap based synthetic grease on the bearings, and packed into the labyrinth seals, and a 50/50 blend of 10W30 synthetic oil and ATF used through the port, about three drops in the spring of the year. The grease and the oil don’t mix, being chemically different, and the oil stays put. My son has an AW hub built the same way, and despite his reputation as a power cyclist in the club, a bit of a no-no with an AW three speed hub, it has held up in the same fashion for about the same mileage.
Best,
Ted
I just looked up the MSDS sheet on 3in1. It no longer seems to have a vegetable oil component unless that's the unspecified ingredient at less than 3 percent. It isn't bad stuff for some purposes but I don't clean guns with it like my grandfather did.
I can only say this old Lufkin micrometer has had nothing on or in it for the last 20+ years except 3-in-one & it "IS NOT GUMMED". It runs just as free & smooth as the Slocomb which for the same period has had nothing but Starrett Tool & Instrument oil. I do not recall the color of the can I used 20 years ago, but don't recall a picture of a V-8 engine, was just standard multi-purpose oil. The can I am using on it now has a black top with a narrow red band below it, then white & again a narrow black band at the bottom. On the front is a picture of a house with the words multi-purpose OIL inside. below that, it says Lubricates, Cleans & Prevents Rust (CLP). On one side is pictured what appears to be a saw blade, a wrench on a nut, a pair of shears, a sewing machine, a bicycle & a hinge.
Other than this one micrometer I actually no longer use it, but not because it ever caused me any problem with anything I ever used it on. For the most part now anything calling for a lightweight oil I use Mobil 1 0W20 engine oil.
I think that one would find the "Drippings" from "ANY" petroleum distillate based oil on the rim of a can sitting near a lathe will pick up all manner of Gook from the surrounding air & Gum up. I don't know yet if the synthetics will or not, time will tell.
2-piper,
I agree that all petroleum oils will gum up. The trick is not to use it to excess and clean it off when appropriate. The Machinist's Bedside Reader shows Hoppe's #9 as a solvent for cleaning the gunk off lathes-it should also work on guns. I used WD 40 for years, but use Ballistol more and more now.
Mike
I have one also with the cork stopper !
I prefer another “old school” oil....Nyoil. I’ve used the super refined mineral oil for many years (red label), and now I exclusively use the blue label Nyoil 2 synthetic. When I do a strip and clean, that’s what goes on the guts & bits. The stuff is about as good as it gets when it comes to a light lubricant oil. I believe very refined, high quality mineral oils are just as good, if they’re changed out often enough, thing is...most people don’t.
I still use WD-40 to clean barrels and for polishing metal.
