Lubing your Spydie?

[ahearn]

Do you guys lub your Spyderco's? If so, how and how often?

I just bought a new Cricket SE and it came out of the box highly oiled. None of the other few Spydies that I have came oiled. Are they normally oiled at the factory before being shipped?

It makes me wonder if I should be using some kind of lub or protectant (even for stainless steel??). Please advise.

[A. Stanton]

Any good gun lube will do such as Break Free. On my knives I use Triflow. Most locksmiths use this stuff for lock tumblers.

[smcfalls13]

Spyderco's typically come the factory with some type of lubricant. If they don't, odds are they've been sitting on a dealers shelf for quite a while.

I oil mine maybe once or twice a year, they really don't need it much more than that unless they get wet.

I just realized I'm making assumptions that could be wrong. Are you referring to the pivot being oiled, or the blade itself being oiled? The pivot is normally oiled, the blade is not.

A thin coat of oil can be a protective measure if highly humid and/or salty air, where even stainless blades will rust.

[krazichinaman]

I use militec-1 to lube my knives and I use Hoppes #9 Solevent to clean. I use the same setup for my guns as well.
________
UGGS (http://uggstoreshop.com/)
________
Prilosec settlement update (http://www.classactionsettlements.org/lawsuit/prilosec/)

[DRod]

I use Hopps 9 Elite Gun Oil... Seems to work real well. It does tend to attract dust though... Im thinking of trying something new.

[JspyEDC]

I use Hopps 9 Elite Gun Oil... Seems to work real well. It does tend to attract dust though... Im thinking of trying something new.

You might try TUF-GLIDE. It's a dry film lubricant. Once the "liquid" mineral spirits evaporate, it becomes a dry lube and won't attract dirt... plus it also inhibits rust. I use it on all my knives, tools and Glock.

[Jenner 515]

I use Balistol on mine, on the pivots as needed after cleaning, on the blades if they are going out of the edc rotation and into storage. It also rehablitates dried out g10, (thanks for that tip SFO)

[Agent Starling]

I just bought a new Cricket SE and it came out of the box highly oiled. None of the other few Spydies that I have came oiled. Are they normally oiled at the factory before being shipped?
My cricket PE, Yojimbo(!), and a couple others were lubed and ready to go out of the box. I use Break-Free CLP oil as needed, but will be using Militech-1 next time around. The BF-CLP just leaves too much residue for my liking. To clean the goo off my knives I use Goo Gone.:spyder:

Ex Agent Starling

[CRS]

Does anyone use silicone lubricant? I've heard great things about it.
CRS

[DRod]

Im going to give TUF GLIDE a shot next time pay day rolls around. Till then... Hello Lint. lol.

[Simple Man]

I use Miltec-1 also. On a new knife I'll apply it about three times over a week or two, using a hairdryer to heat it. I can tell a good difference in smoothing of the action. After that it doesn't seem to change as much and tends to draw lint. I still use once every 3 months or so after a good cleaning.

[bell]

About once a quarter. I like Militech, I think SFO likes Ballistol. Both good.

Main issue for me is application. Looking for a good needle applicator so I dont squirt the oil all over the knife.

[Harry White]

Tuff-Glide for me -- love the needle nose applicator.

And "Rusty's Rags" sheepskin/silicone knife cleaning kit for occasionally wiping down the blade.

[Capt. Carl]

I use mineral oil and a toothpick to apply it.
.

[Bolster]

I use mineral oil, too--I borrow a little from my toddler's stash. It's widely recommended by the slipjoint crowd as good for steel, bone, and stag. It's also nontoxic, and my Spydies are often called on to slice tomaters and other victuals. I'm not as careful in the application as Capt. Carl (tho I should be), I just wipe it on with a rag. I try to oil up every couple of months (I live a few blocks from the ocean and salt air is a constant corrosive challenge).

[DRod]

Kinda old thread, but I finally ordered me some Tuf Glide. Its on its way along with a Para Military. I guess I'll see just how good or bad this stuff really is.

[Zatx]

I use Tuf-Glide everyday. I know its probably overkill but I work in an extremely dusty environment.

Everyday at the end of work I take a can of compressed air and blow all the dust out of both of my Endura 4's. After this is done I put a drop of Tuf-Glide inside and outside of the pivot area. Then one drop on the blade and I rub that in with my fingers.

I guess old military weapon habits die hard.

[SonnyD]

I started with Militec-1 but have been usuing Tuff Glide for the last 4 or 5 years. I like it because it lubes good and doesn't attract dirt. It does smell a little odd though....now if they could only make it smell like Hoppes #9:D
Regards Sonny

[KSDbass]

Yeah, I picked up the Sentry Solutions knife care kit, and two packs of Marine Tuf Cloth, however I only put them on yesterday, so now opinions yet. Besides the fact that the cloth itself is very dry, as are my knives. I may have actually wiped the stuff off, I'm not sure. They don't even feel any different, so we'll see.

[Jeff2112]

When the action starts to feel gritty or dry stiff, I use some Miltec-1 in the pivot area. There is other lubes at least as good, but when something works I stay with it. We use Miltec-1 at work as well.

[KCBlade]

IMHO lubrication is important. I give my edc(s) a real workout. So, for me, lubricating or applying a chemical protectant really extends the lifetime of the knife.

I use WD-40 on the pivot. On the blade(s) I prefer Happich Simichrome Polish. Buff blade and chased by Renaissance Micro-Crystalline Wax Polish. The Renaissance really repels finger marks well. Any slipjoints that have wood or bone scales receive Formby's Lemon Oil Treatment on the handle material. A small amount applied and worked well in the handle does wonders.

[OuchThatsSharp]

I've cleaned using warm soap and water then blowing dry with air. I then put a drop or two of whatever oil/lubricant I have on the pivot. I have used Quantum Hot Sauce with good results (fishing reel lube that bonds to the metal).

[Slick]

Balistol? where is it available?

I currently use a mineral oil based food-safe industrial lube sold as "CRC 2-26 Plastic Safe Multipurpose Precision Lubricant" or some vintige 55 year old sewing machine oil (rumured to contain whale oil). The CRC 2-26 was on sale at Lowes as a closeout (cheap). Yep, you can eat this stuff without being poisened. Although you might experience other problems if you ingest large quantities. :(:(:(

I bought a cheap (really cheap) ultrasonic cleaner at Aldies (the german owned grocery chain) and it will always remove bits of crap that didn't come out in my initial cleaning.

Sonny D: //Quote: I started with Militec-1 but have been using Tuff Glide for the last 4 or 5 years. I like it because it lubes good and doesn't attract dirt. It does smell a little odd though....now if they could only make it smell like Hoppes #9

Sonny D, You sir are a gun nut. I am not currently but I do understand. Brings back memories of when I was.

For a quick blade clean up Never Dull is always on my shelf.

I enjoyed this thread.

I need a spell checker. Hint.

[Vincent]

I use militec, but it smells bad/

[spydutch]

I don't have the ability to smell so that's no concern for me:o

I once lubed my Delica 3/SE with Militec and the knife became grittier than before. I washed/dried it and put the tiniest drop of Ballistol on the pivot. Now the action was nice and tight again.

However I dit put Militec on my Milie/SE and SS Dragonfly/SE and that worked out well:confused:

[Simple Man]

I've had that problem also, but with several different lubes. If you lube it without cleaning it well first, sometimes it will just move the dust and dirt around that was already there and make things worse. Militec works real well, just flush all the junk out first.

I have some Ballistol I got at a local gun store, it works real well, but it smells almost foul to me. To the point that I only use it on things kept at a distance, door hinges and such. I like the smell of Militec however. :D

Militec works real well for lubricity ;) , but does not do much for corrosion protection. I like Corrosion-X for protection, also at my local gun shop.

[Vincent]

I've had that problem also, but with several different lubes. If you lube it without cleaning it well first, sometimes it will just move the dust and dirt around that was already there and make things worse. Militec works real well, just flush all the junk out first.

I have some Ballistol I got at a local gun store, it works real well, but it smells almost foul to me. To the point that I only use it on things kept at a distance, door hinges and such. I like the smell of Militec however. :D

Militec works real well for lubricity ;) , but does not do much for corrosion protection. I like Corrosion-X for protection, also at my local gun shop.


Coat of Militec, let it sit under a blow dryer for a few hrs,then spray with wd-40/

[Slick]

I like the smell of Hoppes #9. It remembers me of when I could hit s*** (stuff!) with a pistol. Cheap guns need not apply. A nice High Standerd (bull or fluted barrel) will do! Or any Browning Medalist. :):):)

Hmmm... Hoppies.

Still need a spell checker.

"Need a spell checker" should be my tag line since it is true.

[dialex]

I must confess I don't lube my spydies that much. Used to, but not anymore. My poor Adventura, the only lube it got in the last months was the water I rinsed it with :eek:
Spyderco knives are like the AK-47: work with little close to none maintenance. :) However, I admit that a drop of oil now and then is welcome.
Oh, and yes, some of my spydies came with a thin film of oil over the blade surface.

[peacefuljeffrey]

I don't lube them. I do occasionally treat them to a light coating of CLP on the blade, but I don't goop it into the pivot or anything.

-PJ

[Stenny]

I use a drop of White Lightning every now and then. Read: when the action is beginning to feel gritty.

[The Mastiff]

Clean , dry them, then if new let them break in for a day or two. I then clean spotlessly and treat at the molecular level. After that a wipe down with a silicone cloth, including the edge ( especially on carbon knives)

Repeat as nescessary. Wipe down with silicone cloth to at least clean fingertip stains off daily (a quirk of mine from growing up with carbon steels)

Detail clean as necessessary. Sharpen as necessessary.

If a Auto or assisted I generally put a synthetic grease ( very light in the pivot). Not much, and I keep it clean, replace as necessessary. Front openers I go exactly by instructions.

I'm not into Autos as EDC's. Too much downside here. Joe

[The General]

At the moment I am using either Militech-1 or Tuf Glide. Depends on the knife really. I also use white Teflon grease for full strip downs with a couple of drops of Militech-1 in there for good measure.

The Tuf Glide seems to work well with knives that attract a lot of fluff or have rather complex mech's where a very light oil is best. For example OTF auto's or similar.

A wipe down with a Tuf Cloth (Marine version) is all I need to do for the blade, or a coating of Ren Wax for the carbon blades if needed.

Flitz metal polish, the silver tube with the rust inhibit additive for a polish.

As to WD-40... hmmm NO THANK YOU!!!! Its a solvent and water displacer. Its OK for blasting out knives for cleaning and for giving G10 a work over, but the thin film of oil it leaves behind is really not a reliable solution in my experience.

[Mr Blonde]

I use Tuff-glide. The needle applicator is great and the stuff works well for me. I only use it to lube a carry knife once a month or so. I tend to rotate my carry knives a bit; one set during the week another for the weekends.

Wouter