Welcome Home...THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY

iKnife Collector

The online community of knife collectors, A Knife Family Forged in Steel

Lubricants. Nano-Oil recommendation

The lubes I remember using are 3-in-one, WD-40, wax type bicycle lube, Quick Release and Nano-oil. I say this because there are lots of other great lube products available but these are the only ones I remember using.

My Spyderco Bradley Folder (previously called the Gayle Bradley) has always been an extremely smooth, easy to open knife. The blade has always been centered in the handle when closed. I disassembled the knife and forced a patina on the blade a few days ago. When I got it back together and after I adjusted the pivot to my liking I noticed the blade was no longer centered when closed. I tried a couple of things but found nothing satisfactory. I could center the blade by tightening the pivot but that made the blade too stiff for my liking. I then figured the patina was causing more friction between the blade tang and washers. I used to have the pivot just as tight but now the blade was stiff. So I put loc-tite on the screws to maintain the "too-tight" adjustment with the blade centered and used Quick Release on the pivot. Of the lubes listed above QR is the best right next to Nano-oil. I love QR as a lube. In this case even though it made the knife perfectly smooth I still needed to loosen the pivot adjustment to get the easy motion I wanted as well as leaving the blade centered when closed. This morning the blade was still centered because of the loc-tite. Prior to the loc-tite I could adjust it but the screws would back out (I assume) enough for the blade to go off-center again. I applied Nano-oil 10w and it helped. It did take a long time though. I had to wait almost 5 seconds. :) Now the knife is as smooth as ever, the blade is centered when closed and I am happy. I don't mind a blade being off-center very much. In fact, I don't care at all about that. But,,, knowing something isn't as perfect as it used to be or should be does bug me.

One huge claim of Nano-oil is that it works better when moving parts are under a huge amount of pressure and/or repeated very fast movement. I think this refers to big machinery and rapid fire firearms. All I can testify about is the fact that I can tighten folding knife pivots tighter when using Nano-oil than when using any other lube I have tried. I don't remember the knives but this isn't the first time I've been able to reduce or eliminate unwanted blade play by using Nano-oil because I can tighten the pivot more while maintaining the very smooth, easy movement. For knives that don't have an adjustable pivot (uses pins instead of screws) and are a bit too snug I think Nano-Oil is demanded. I HATE it when a knife I love to carry and use is hard to open. In fact I normally end up not carrying a knife like that.

Since I already have QR and like it I have been using it and saving the Nano-oil for times when the QR didn't quite "do it" on the job. In fact, I had been using QR on the GB for a year or so prior to forcing the patina. When I first got Nano oil I used it on everything that had a moving part. Knives, tools, elbows (joke), etc. Now I only have about 1/4 tube left. This will probably last me another year or three but just to be sure I ordered another tube of the 10w.

I also have some 5w. This weight is miraculous for getting into REALLY tight places. It then dries leaving the lubrication but not the mess. If you apply too much at first it is a bit messy but wipe off any excess and what stays in the pivot stays. The 5w has also made it very easy to break free some rusted bolts in 10 seconds that normally would need to soak in WD-40 or anything else I've tried overnight. The 5w has about the thickness of water and soaks into the corrosion almost immediately. Save a lot of time and work IMO.

Nano-Oil site: http://nano-oil.com/Products.html

I have talked to Christian (inventor I think) on the phone and email. Great guy whose priority seems to be happy customers. One thing in life I appreciate is great products that are backed by great people.

Jack

2 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jack Haskins, Jr. on February 22, 2014 at 9:26

Maybe there should be a LUBRICATION group or something specifically for lubrication and/or corrosion control issues and products. Just a thought.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Ms Data on February 22, 2014 at 10:17

http://www.iknifecollector.com/forum/topics/knife-lubricant?comment... Ironically this discussion also started out with a comment about Nano-oil. I myself have never tried it, maybe I should. I have used G96 for pretty much everything for the last 25 years. I do love my G96 but I'm open to trying new things.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Steve Hanner on February 22, 2014 at 12:13

Interesting Jack. I have heard of this oil but have never used it or even considered buying it. I read some of the statements on the website and they really do make some good claims, if they prove out in my application. Let's see if anyone else has experience with this product. (We do have many engineers here)

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jack Haskins, Jr. on February 22, 2014 at 13:12

I gave a little bit to my son and asked him to try it. I didn't say anything else. The next time I saw him he asked what kind of oil that was because it was amazing how much smoother it made his knives.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jack Haskins, Jr. on February 28, 2014 at 18:56

I have used and been so happy with the 10w and 5w Nano-oil I recommend it to everyone without hesitation. Especially if they have a joint that they just can't get quiet or operating properly with any other lube. I just used some 85w (very thick) on a pocket knifes. I put two drops on each side of the blade. I don't know that the 85w lubes any better but what impressed me about this was how much did not get out or the pivot. Normally when applying this much of the 10w oil I would have had to wipe off some around the lock bar (back lock knives) and also on the tang when the knife is open. Not on this knife. The oil stayed where I put it. I thought that deserved mentioning. If you want additional customer testimonies you can go to the Spyderco forum and search on Nano-oil or Nano oil (no dash). The most recent is titled "Nano-oil thingy". It prompted me to try the 85w. The only reason I'm emphasizing this is because of the outstanding performance of the Nano-oil. I don't make money when they sell but everyone who tries it loves it. Most love it A LOT more than what they have been using. It is $18 for one tube and it is worth the money. I also use other oils for less important or less needy things. But the Nano-oil has done the job when other lubes wouldn't.

Jack

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Steve Hanner on February 28, 2014 at 19:27

Is this strictly for lubrication? Or can you clean rust off with it!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jack Haskins, Jr. on February 28, 2014 at 23:36

I don't know how it would work to remove rust. According to Christian StClaire (inventor/owner) it would take sandpaper to remove all of the oil after it's application. I imagine he's talking about very fine grit sandpaper. 1500 or finer maybe. This is a guess. I don't remember him stating a grit but that was his general answer to a question about how hard it is to remove all trace of Nano-oil. Don't quote me about this. I suggest going to his site and ask questions. I do know the 5w is better than anything I've ever tried to soak through the rust on corroded bolts and nuts. Drop some of the 5w around the bolt at the nut and within a matter of seconds the nut can be removed. This is my experience but I have never used it on seriously rusted bolts. I have had it work in situations I had in the past and using WD-40 it had to soak for hours. The 5w Nano-oil made it possible to break the nut free after 5-10 seconds. I think it has very good corrosion resistance qualities but to remove rust, I don't know.

Jack

Steve Hanner said: