All About Pocket Knives

I am always asked what the best lubricant is on a slipjoint or switchblade is......well,there are those that will mull over this subject until the the next eclipse of the planet Vespa.I am not one of those people. Know This,There are no magic oils or grease on Earth.I have not tried them all,but I must be close.It is like Bourbon,there are really no bad ones,some are just better than others.Anybody can buy a 5 gallon jug of bulk oil, pour a pint of sweet smelling furniture polish in it,put it in one oz. bottles and name it magic mystery moly or better MMM,and charge $4.99 each.
One test I use on these latest greatest space shuttle oils is I put it on a switchblade that just won't quite open,and not one of the hundreds I have tried made any bloody difference! This is a realistic and practical test. Some knives need repair and oil will not cure them.
If I can't see a difference than there is no difference . I personally don't like oil on my knives unless they are the ones that I am using and oiling daily and then I just use mineral oil because it is food safe and it won't hurt handle materials or cause contact dermatitis, but for my long-term carry knives I like grease because it stays put. I am currently using lubriplate white lithium just because it's what was in my toolbox , but I would be just as happy with cup grease that I use for my front end. If you have a properly engineered and assembled knife the lubricant makes little difference as long as you use just a bit every once in awhile , don't bother yourself with it any further, use what you got.

In my opinion, it's one of those "personal choice" subjects. I think most everyone has their go to lube. Mine is Quick Release.

Be careful with any lubricant. Some tend to collect dust and some
dry out quickly over time. I agree with Jerry. Quick Release has always
done well.

In my opinion mineral oil is just a OK lubricant. Even when slightly warmed
( to decrease the viscosity), it does not seem to penetrate the joint extremely well.
The positive characteristic of mineral oil is that does not seem to destroy any material
on your knife. I use it sometimes for a quick squirt on a knife I have used extensively
and seems to be a little stiff.

Using a lubricant often is a key factor. About 3 weeks ago I was going through my knives
and some were really stiff. I know they were loose months ago when I put them away
after using Quick Release.

Bob

There are probably a hundred different threads here about lubes for knives. As Jerry said, everyone has their favorites, and as I have said just about any of them are better than nothing. A knife blade pivot is not a high-stress application, like for example a jet engine. I personally do not like any kind of grease or heavy oil as they tend to be lint and dirt magnets - they don’t attract it but once they come in contact, it stays there, creates increased friction and holds moisture. Which are enemies of metals.

Quick Release is an excellent high viscosity oil from switchblade maker Latama. Tuf-glide is a dry lubricant developed under government contract for use by military in dry, dusty environments during the first Iraq War. It contains a proprietary dry lubricant (suspect molybdenum disulfide - look it up https://www.parker.com/Literature/Instr ... 0Paper.pdf) - in a mineral spirits carrier. Goes on wet, the mineral spirits evaporate quickly leaving the dry lube bonded to the metal surfaces. Which lubricates but does not “attract” dirt. The drawback is you can’t see it, which causes most folks to think there’s nothing there so they don’t want to trust it.

Ken

Quick Release.

I've tried many, keep coming back to gun oil or this Break Free. The Break Free CLP (Cleaner-Lubricant-Preservative) advantages are it's very fine, won't stain, doesn't leave a lot of excess and it has this nifty little needle like applicator which allows a more controlled, smaller drop of lube to be precisely applied and small enough to fit in between the liners at the back of the tang or inside the blade well. None of my gun oils have that feature. I"ve also used it in storage and it never leaves the dried, gunky residue that 3 in 1 oil leaves after months in a knife roll. Can't recall who turned me on to this, it was another AAPK brother, but they told me their tube broke from squeezing. That crucial tid bit caused me to never squeeze the tube, just invert it and hold upside down for a second or two, maybe using a soft shaking motion until gravity does it's magic and brings a droplet out to the end of the needle. Then it will slowly drip out if held upside down. So you don't have to squeeze the tube and that way you will never break it. This has lasted me years and still going and enough to last years more. Thanks for the tip whoever gave it out. Made all the difference.

I’ve used a needle applicator like that for Quick Release too, they work well.

I hadn’t thought about Break Free as I haven’t used it in several years, but I’m sure it would work too.

Ivoryman wrote: ↑Fri Apr 01, 2022 5:28 pm I've tried many, keep coming back to gun oil or this Break Free. The Break Free CLP (Cleaner-Lubricant-Preservative) advantages are it's very fine, won't stain, doesn't leave a lot of excess and it has this nifty little needle like applicator which allows a more controlled, smaller drop of lube to be precisely applied and small enough to fit in between the liners at the back of the tang or inside the blade well. None of my gun oils have that feature. I"ve also used it in storage and it never leaves the dried, gunky residue that 3 in 1 oil leaves after months in a knife roll. Can't recall who turned me on to this, it was another AAPK brother, but they told me their tube broke from squeezing. That crucial tid bit caused me to never squeeze the tube, just invert it and hold upside down for a second or two, maybe using a soft shaking motion until gravity does it's magic and brings a droplet out to the end of the needle. Then it will slowly drip out if held upside down. So you don't have to squeeze the tube and that way you will never break it. This has lasted me years and still going and enough to last years more. Thanks for the tip whoever gave it out. Made all the difference.

Iman, I thought that might have been me but I think it was Jerry. I did however, have the same problem that Jerry did with the tube cracking.

It's funny that you should mention Break Free and these tubes because I used to use Break Free but I emptied out a bottle of it and put Quick Release in there because of the fragile pocket tubes.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=58830&p=675239&hili ... se#p675239

Thanks Railsplitter, appreciate that and all your helpful hits. Can't believe you found that and pulled it up. My problem is after so many thousand posts, I usually can't recall where I or someone else posted what I was referring to and if I don't recall the wording close enough, can't always find it in the searches. Thanks again.

Those "needle point" applicators can be purchased online - they're not expensive and can be filled with your chosen liquid. My past purchases of bith Quick Release and Tuf-glide have come with needle point applicators.

However the Quick Release bottle tip is an extended point already, and works very well. Tuf-glide being also an excellent rust and corrosion preventative, can be bought with/in a spray bottle so it can be sprayed onto blades (or barrels and other metal surfaces in the case of firearms). Or unscrew the spray cap and pour it into the applicator bottle for pinpoint application.

Ken

This works for me. Ticks a few boxes. It's cheap, fine needle applicator, displaces moisture, doesn't dry out, food safe, can be refilled from larger bottle, and locally made. It was originally designed for fishing reels to stop salt corrosion.

Quick Release oil! And just to clear things up, it was me who pointed out that there's no need to squeeze the applicator and risk breaking it because the tube was designed as a gravity drop, drop, drop applicator. It was around the time I had Walt from Latama send free of charge applicators to whomever supplied me their email address because he was concerned about bad press regarding his product, remember? I hope no one thinks I'm credit-grabbing, I just like things to be accurate!

Madmarco wrote: ↑Fri Apr 01, 2022 10:39 pm Quick Release oil! And just to clear things up, it was me who pointed out that there's no need to squeeze the applicator and risk breaking it because the tube was designed as a gravity drop, drop, drop applicator. It was around the time I had Walt from Latama send free of charge applicators to whomever supplied me their email address because he was concerned about bad press regarding his product, remember? I hope no one thinks I'm credit-grabbing, I just like things to be accurate!

Marc that was a great tip . Do remember you posting about the proper use . And I felt kind of silly as almost cracked a tube and was thinking what is this piece of crap .
Turned out to be a great applicator and oil . Highly recommend Quick Release with the syringe to get right in the pivot pin(s) area.
And you’re not credit grabbing nothing . Clarity is good .
Have a great one up there my Friend .

Thanks J.P.! I jus' like to keep the record straight!

Madmarco wrote: ↑Fri Apr 01, 2022 10:39 pm Quick Release oil! And just to clear things up, it was me who pointed out that there's no need to squeeze the applicator and risk breaking it because the tube was designed as a gravity drop, drop, drop applicator. It was around the time I had Walt from Latama send free of charge applicators to whomever supplied me their email address because he was concerned about bad press regarding his product, remember? I hope no one thinks I'm credit-grabbing, I just like things to be accurate!

My apologies, Mark. I must have missed that post of yours and I mistakenly thought it was Jerry.

That’s some very good advice!

I was in on the Quick Release replacement for the cracked tube a year or so back. Gravity makes it work and applies perfectly. The stuff is great in my book! At times I still use 3in1 and also found that a drip off of a dip stick will “oil the joint” and restore walk and talk in a pinch. Learned the dip stick thing “roosting turkeys” one evening with an old uncle sitting in an old Jeep parked beside a cypress swamp.
Treefarmer

I have a needle point oiler ( identical to those above) filled with a synthetic Amsoil product. I bought it a couple years ago on Flea Bay. Works well for me. Easy to dispense with a small drop and keep it away from the handle covers. I have also used Rust Free from A G Russell.

Railsplitter wrote: ↑Fri Apr 01, 2022 11:57 pm

Madmarco wrote: ↑Fri Apr 01, 2022 10:39 pm Quick Release oil! And just to clear things up, it was me who pointed out that there's no need to squeeze the applicator and risk breaking it because the tube was designed as a gravity drop, drop, drop applicator. It was around the time I had Walt from Latama send free of charge applicators to whomever supplied me their email address because he was concerned about bad press regarding his product, remember? I hope no one thinks I'm credit-grabbing, I just like things to be accurate!

My apologies, Mark. I must have missed that post of yours and I mistakenly thought it was Jerry.

That’s some very good advice!

No problem, Rick. I feel kindda dumb now that I even mentioned it since the important part was that everyone get the information about the oil not about who supplied the information, but the facts were getting so misconstrued about who it was I thought I'd derail it before it got outta hand, just in case someone actually cared! LOL!

treefarmer wrote: ↑Sat Apr 02, 2022 12:13 am I was in on the Quick Release replacement for the cracked tube a year or so back. Gravity makes it work and applies perfectly. The stuff is great in my book! At times I still use 3in1 and also found that a drip off of a dip stick will “oil the joint” and restore walk and talk in a pinch. Learned the dip stick thing “roosting turkeys” one evening with an old uncle sitting in an old Jeep parked beside a cypress swamp.
Treefarmer

I'm confused T.F.? Are you saying you take your knife out to your car, check the oil via the "dip-stick", and while it's out let a drop of used engine oil drip onto the knife "joint"? If I'm way off my apologies, that's just how I'm picturing it in my mind! Thx!

treefarmer wrote: ↑Sat Apr 02, 2022 12:13 am I was in on the Quick Release replacement for the cracked tube a year or so back. Gravity makes it work and applies perfectly. The stuff is great in my book! At times I still use 3in1 and also found that a drip off of a dip stick will “oil the joint” and restore walk and talk in a pinch. Learned the dip stick thing “roosting turkeys” one evening with an old uncle sitting in an old Jeep parked beside a cypress swamp.
Treefarmer

"The dip stick thing" is hilarious. Laughed and laughed at that one. Got to admit, that is a first. Have never heard of anything like that. 10W 30 is Great stuff TF.

treefarmer wrote: ↑Sat Apr 02, 2022 12:13 am I was in on the Quick Release replacement for the cracked tube a year or so back. Gravity makes it work and applies perfectly. The stuff is great in my book! At times I still use 3in1 and also found that a drip off of a dip stick will “oil the joint” and restore walk and talk in a pinch. Learned the dip stick thing “roosting turkeys” one evening with an old uncle sitting in an old Jeep parked beside a cypress swamp.
Treefarmer

Your Uncle and my Dad were cut from the same cloth. The only oil my Dad ever used was motor oil, he would have a pint bottle of it from our local garage in the shed. He would fill his oil can with it and whatever needed oiling that was what he used.

Madmarco wrote: ↑Sat Apr 02, 2022 12:50 am

treefarmer wrote: ↑Sat Apr 02, 2022 12:13 am I was in on the Quick Release replacement for the cracked tube a year or so back. Gravity makes it work and applies perfectly. The stuff is great in my book! At times I still use 3in1 and also found that a drip off of a dip stick will “oil the joint” and restore walk and talk in a pinch. Learned the dip stick thing “roosting turkeys” one evening with an old uncle sitting in an old Jeep parked beside a cypress swamp.
Treefarmer

I'm confused T.F.? Are you saying you take your knife out to your car, check the oil via the "dip-stick", and while it's out let a drop of used engine oil drip onto the knife "joint"? If I'm way off my apologies, that's just how I'm picturing it in my mind! Thx!

Madmarko, we were in the woods, listening for wild turkeys to fly up to their evening roost, when Uncle Ervin noticed his knife was a little tight, so he showed me how to make it "walk and talk" using the dip stick probably about 5 miles from the nearest house. Good days in Orange County, Florida in the early '60s before Disney.
Treefarmer

treefarmer wrote: ↑Sat Apr 02, 2022 3:35 am

Madmarco wrote: ↑Sat Apr 02, 2022 12:50 am

treefarmer wrote: ↑Sat Apr 02, 2022 12:13 am I was in on the Quick Release replacement for the cracked tube a year or so back. Gravity makes it work and applies perfectly. The stuff is great in my book! At times I still use 3in1 and also found that a drip off of a dip stick will “oil the joint” and restore walk and talk in a pinch. Learned the dip stick thing “roosting turkeys” one evening with an old uncle sitting in an old Jeep parked beside a cypress swamp.
Treefarmer

I'm confused T.F.? Are you saying you take your knife out to your car, check the oil via the "dip-stick", and while it's out let a drop of used engine oil drip onto the knife "joint"? If I'm way off my apologies, that's just how I'm picturing it in my mind! Thx!

Madmarko, we were in the woods, listening for wild turkeys to fly up to their evening roost, when Uncle Ervin noticed his knife was a little tight, so he showed me how to make it "walk and talk" using the dip stick probably about 5 miles from the nearest house. Good days in Orange County, Florida in the early '60s before Disney.
Treefarmer

Thanks for explaining that to me T.F.! From your description that sounded like exactly what you meant, but I'd never heard of that before so I just wanted to clarify for future reference! BTW, did Disney ruin Orange County as a good place to live? Thx!

Rem Oil! ftd

[/quote]
Thanks for explaining that to me T.F.! From your description that sounded like exactly what you meant, but I'd never heard of that before so I just wanted to clarify for future reference! BTW, did Disney ruin Orange County as a good place to live? Thx!
[/quote]

To answer your question about Disney, in my opinion, Disney was one of the greatest contributors responsible for the massive influx of people into what was once a pleasant place to live. Progress comes to most all communities, the old ways seem to fade away, that progress changed way too many things for me to feel comfortable.
My wife and I made a decision to leave there early in 1973, it took about 6 months to find the "right" place to live. Been on this small farm in the Panhandle for almost 50 years. Returning frequently to Orange County to visit family, on both sides, we are amazed at the "progress" every time we visit! Places we used to know have been absorbed into the madness that was once a place where you could " drive to town", now the town is every where! Some folks love it. I for one don't care for the madness of what was once the "City Beautiful", Orlando.
Economically, Disney was a boon to the area, lots and lots of jobs and business expansions came as a result of Disney moving into the southwest part of Orange County. Lots of our family benefited from it but I could see the "hand writing on the wall" and chose to raise my family in a slower paced environment. Lots of people will disagree with my opinion about the conditions that exist but I've never really regretted leaving the place where my wife and I grew up.
Treefarmer