Anybody Substituted Teflon Grease For Silicon Grease?

[glindauer]

Last time I was in the HW store I couldn't find silicon grease-- but I didn't feel like I needed it that badly, either.

 

Now I need it. I have some transparent teflon grease-- is that OK to use on pen threads? It is a bicycle ball-bearing lube, and says it repels water.

 

Greg

[Sunburst]

There are several dive shops in Louiville that you can

buy pure silicone grease for less than $5.00.

Edited November 5, 2010 by Sunburst

[Possum Hill]

Last time I was in the HW store I couldn't find silicon grease-- but I didn't feel like I needed it that badly, either.

 

Now I need it. I have some transparent teflon grease-- is that OK to use on pen threads? It is a bicycle ball-bearing lube, and says it repels water.

 

Greg

Teflon grease will be teflon particles in grease, and that grease may be a petroleum grease. If it is, it might work on your pen or it might not play well with the plastic. It's probably better practice to dig up some grease that's known to be silicone and stick with that.

[LedZepGirl]

Now I'm curious about this one. But I could imagine it causing a bulge in the barrel over time, just like improperly fitted Vacumatic diaphragms do.

 

Opps, I thought the above poster was talking about teflon tape.

 

Off Topic: Possum Hill, I love your avatar! Yellow kittens =

Edited November 5, 2010 by LedZepGirl

[Chthulhu]

At Home Depot you want this. It will be with the faucet repair parts in plumbing.

[wykeite]

You don't say exactly what threads you wish to lubricate. I'm assuming cap to barrel/section so I don't really think you want messy greases. I'd go with something like beeswax, a quick rub across the threads and work the cap a couple of times. Being a natural product I don't think it's going to harm anything.

[Ernst Bitterman]

You don't say exactly what threads you wish to lubricate. I'm assuming cap to barrel/section so I don't really think you want messy greases. I'd go with something like beeswax, a quick rub across the threads and work the cap a couple of times. Being a natural product I don't think it's going to harm anything.

 

This is a good tip for eyedroppers, but there are some things, like the seals on Sheaffer TDs or more modern piston-fillers that you need the grease for.

[glindauer]

At Home Depot you want this. It will be with the faucet repair parts in plumbing.

 

I looked for it in the hardware/lubricants section. I'll look for it in plumbing, since the website says it is in my local store.

 

Thanks!

 

Greg

[wykeite]

You don't say exactly what threads you wish to lubricate. I'm assuming cap to barrel/section so I don't really think you want messy greases. I'd go with something like beeswax, a quick rub across the threads and work the cap a couple of times. Being a natural product I don't think it's going to harm anything.

 

This is a good tip for eyedroppers, but there are some things, like the seals on Sheaffer TDs or more modern piston-fillers that you need the grease for.

 

OP states threads not seals. During a working week I use different greases for different applications, many are general greases some are specific to the job in hand. All the details are in a 100+ page handbook and not one page mentions any aspect of fountain pens. Any lubricant used by FP owners is a best guess scenario. Teflon grease I'm sure would be great if the carrier is inert. Silicon grease is fine, but why use a lumpy grease when silicon oils are avaiable, the viscosity can be changed to almost grease like by modifying the polymer. My go to grease is Krytox and Christolube just because I have so much, for Pelikan pistons it's the silicon oil.

[Federalist Pens]

At Home Depot you want this. It will be with the faucet repair parts in plumbing.

 

Great info Mike! Thanks!

A nice size tub, and only $3!

(that's what my local store has listed on-line)

 

Any thread sealant recommendations there??

 

Frank

[glindauer]

...but why use a lumpy grease when silicon oils are available, the viscosity can be changed to almost grease like by modifying the polymer. My go to grease is Krytox and Christolube just because I have so much, for Pelikan pistons it's the silicon oil.

 

How would one go about modifying the polymer of a silicon oil, to make it a grease?

[wykeite]

How would one go about modifying the polymer of a silicon oil, to make it a grease?

 

It's part of the manufacturing process. The oil can be made very thin or so thick that it takes an age to pour.

[Chthulhu]

Great info Mike! Thanks!

A nice size tub, and only $3!

(that's what my local store has listed on-line)

 

Any thread sealant recommendations there??

 

Frank

 

Frank, I use the silicone grease as a sealant as well; it makes later disassembly much easier. :-)

 

Be aware that the adjacent peg at HD usually has another, similar pot of grease that is NOT silicone; don't grab the wrong one by mistake.