The Lemon Fool

Bck when I was a brat, my dear old departed Dad always had two types of oil about the house. "3-in-1 Lubricating Oil", and "3-in-1 Graphite Penetrating Oil" IIRC.

The penetrating oil was wonderful stuff, filthy black, phenomenally much thinner than water, non-viscous, went everywhere and penetrated into rusty bits fantastically. Nowadays no such thing seems to exist.

All my searches for graphite penetrating oil seem to throw up dual purpose oils that claim to both penetrating and lubricating. Now the bit about them lubricating suggests to me these all purpose products are not going to be as good as that old astoundingly penetraty 3-in-1 stuff. Can anyone recommend a truly penetrating graphite-based product please?

Much obliged....

We had a new front door fitted with a super duper lock last year. The lock manufacturer recommended a product called Lution XM.. It's a micro graphite lubricant in the form of very fine powder.

Mike4 wrote:
All my searches for graphite penetrating oil seem to throw up dual purpose oils that claim to both penetrating and lubricating. Now the bit about them lubricating suggests to me these all purpose products are not going to be as good as that old astoundingly penetraty 3-in-1 stuff.

Much obliged....

My first opportunity to use the wonderful Verschlimmbesserung

Thanks to AleisterCrowley: viewtopic.php?f=29&t=29082#p406915

And yes, I remember it well, 3-in-1 penetrating oil. Used to come in a tin can with a central plastic nozzle and red cap.

Here it is in it's new livery : https://www.3inone.com/products/penetrant/

GrahamPlatt wrote:

Mike4 wrote:
All my searches for graphite penetrating oil seem to throw up dual purpose oils that claim to both penetrating and lubricating. Now the bit about them lubricating suggests to me these all purpose products are not going to be as good as that old astoundingly penetraty 3-in-1 stuff.

Much obliged....

My first opportunity to use the wonderful Verschlimmbesserung

Thanks to AleisterCrowley: viewtopic.php?f=29&t=29082#p406915

And yes, I remember it well, 3-in-1 penetrating oil. Used to come in a tin can with a central plastic nozzle and red cap.

Here it is in it's new livery : https://www.3inone.com/products/penetrant/

Indeed. They've 'improved' it by leaving the graphite out!!

I'll still buy some though.... Thanks.

Never heard of the graphite version. I have some of the boggers stuff in, yes, a tin can.
Powdered graphite used to be packaged in a squeazy blue policeman, and I have some of that as well and use it for locks, including car door locks. Yes, we have cars with real locks and physical keys.

However, the graphite version of 3-in-1 really exists, albeit in a small quantity and here it is https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/143212778001?hash=item2158259211:g:mRMAAOSwUUdapo5~

Leaving aside 3-in-1, for creeping into rusty components I use Plusgas (not WD40).
If very rusty, Coca Cola. I have to say that anyone who drinks Coca Cola has a tooth death wish.

V8

You could always make your own. Mix Plus-gas or similar with powdered graphite. Add the liquid to the graphite would probably be the best way round. Mix until the graphite is suitably wetted (might take a while) then add more liquid to get to a suitable consistency. Stir or shake before future use.
Bob
(who used to mix flake graphite and water to make a steam pump shaft lubricant. Mixing oil and water is a breeze compared to flake graphite in water)

88V8 wrote:Leaving aside 3-in-1, for creeping into rusty components I use Plusgas (not WD40).

I’ve used Plusgas for many years but I also have a few spray cans of a product called Yield which leaves Plusgas for dead on rusty components. I’ve had mine for years (Dad liberated it from his place of work when I was in my teens) but I’ve no idea whether the current incarnation is as good.

quelquod wrote:I’ve used Plusgas for many years but I also have a few spray cans of a product called Yield which leaves Plusgas for dead on rusty components. I’ve had mine for years (Dad liberated it from his place of work when I was in my teens) but I’ve no idea whether the current incarnation is as good.

Could have used some today. C.

GT 85

moorfield wrote:GT 85

I use that as a lube for hedge trimmer blades, and for protecting alloy components .. on an engine for instance.... but hasn't the creep of Plusgas.

The Yield...https://www.blackwoods.com.au/lubricants-lubrication-equipment/penetrant-lubricant-products/penetrantlubricant-chemsearch/penetrant-release-agent-yield-aero-400gm/p/00567273
Do dislike aerosols... so wasteful.. Plusgas used to be in a can with a spout. Grrr.

V8

88V8 wrote:

moorfield wrote:GT 85

I use that as a lube for hedge trimmer blades, and for protecting alloy components .. on an engine for instance.... but hasn't the creep of Plusgas.

The Yield...https://www.blackwoods.com.au/lubricants-lubrication-equipment/penetrant-lubricant-products/penetrantlubricant-chemsearch/penetrant-release-agent-yield-aero-400gm/p/00567273
Do dislike aerosols... so wasteful.. Plusgas used to be in a can with a spout. Grrr.

V8

If anyone can recommend something which can attack Steel/Aluminium gavanic corrosion I'd be eternally grateful - another stuck bike seatpost I have to deal with tomorrow. No luck yet with Plusgas et al.

moorfield wrote:If anyone can recommend something which can attack Steel/Aluminium gavanic corrosion I'd be eternally grateful

Have you tried heating it?
Works better if the frame is the aluminium.. it should expand faster than the steel

-sd

servodude wrote:

moorfield wrote:If anyone can recommend something which can attack Steel/Aluminium gavanic corrosion I'd be eternally grateful

Have you tried heating it?
Works better if the frame is the aluminium.. it should expand faster than the steel

-sd

Yes Al frame. The last time I tried heating years ago had to sit a frame over bbq coals for an hour, boiling water is hopeless. A pfaff hence wondering if there are any penetrating oils that work well on Al particularly.

moorfield wrote:

servodude wrote:

moorfield wrote:If anyone can recommend something which can attack Steel/Aluminium gavanic corrosion I'd be eternally grateful

Have you tried heating it?
Works better if the frame is the aluminium.. it should expand faster than the steel

-sd

Yes Al frame. The last time I tried heating years ago had to sit a frame over bbq coals for an hour, boiling water is hopeless. A pfaff hence wondering if there are any penetrating oils that work well on Al particularly.

I've seen this stuff recommended for corrosion welds https://www.corrosion-x.co.uk/product/corrosionx/

But normally on a seat post a big cheat bar, a clamp and a gas soldering iron blowing air will get me most of the way

-sd

moorfield wrote:Steel/Aluminium galvanic corrosion ...

As a Land Rover owner that is all too familiar.
I do not think there is anything chemical that will separate them. The two metals become pretty much glued/welded together.
On mechanical components such as a seatpost one can prevent it with copper slip.

I well remember the alloy wheels on my 205, the rear wheels, if not removed for a long time the alloy wheel centre welded itself to the brake drum and required a sledge hammer (no, I don't mean a little club hammer) on the inside of the tyre to remove it.
Copperslip on the back of the wheel centre cured that problem.

V8

88V8 wrote:

moorfield wrote:Steel/Aluminium galvanic corrosion ...

As a Land Rover owner that is all too familiar.
I do not think there is anything chemical that will separate them. The two metals become pretty much glued/welded together.
On mechanical components such as a seatpost one can prevent it with copper slip.

I well remember the alloy wheels on my 205, the rear wheels, if not removed for a long time the alloy wheel centre welded itself to the brake drum and required a sledge hammer (no, I don't mean a little club hammer) on the inside of the tyre to remove it.
Copperslip on the back of the wheel centre cured that problem.

V8

Lots of auto websites claim that copper slip is disapproved of with aluminium or any light alloy to steel interfaces as it produces an even larger electrochemical gap than steel and aggravates the galvanic corrosion which you’re trying to avoid. I’m not an expert but I’ve always used ceramic grease instead to prevent my alloys seizing onto the hub.

With alloy wheels what works is whatever the main Land Rover dealers use when they service customers vehicles. It's a 2 year service interval and they can't sort out the brakes without getting the wheel off so I'd follow their lead if it were me.