Another lube test

[nw_hunter]

I know this has been done many times before, and by people certainly more qualified than me, but I'm almost from Missouri :grin: and have got to be showed, so today I started my own backyard test's using some lubes mentioned on the forum and others.

I like WD/40 and have had great results with it as a long time rust prevention. Some on the forum say it is only to be used as a water displacement agent , then lubed with a gun type lube.I use it alone, and it works for me.So I decided to do my own test against a few lubes others like to use.The main reason for the test, was just to see how the WD holds up!

I used #2 finish nails, and washed them in lacquer thinner, then alcohol to clean them.
I then coated them with the lubes. The lubricating agents I used are from left to right in the photo....WD/40, Hoppe's gun oil, Transmission fluid, T/C Bore Butter, and Olive oil.I used the WD twice, and coated the first one heavily and the second lightly.

I then dipped them in a heavy saltwater solution and let air dry.

I'll post results, with photo after week one, and every week there after for say!.....four weeks.

 

I then dipped them in a heavy saltwater solution and let air dry.

Since we don't dip our guns in salt water prior to storing, what is the intent of this particular test? If it was done merely to speed up the process, it may not be realistic, as some of the lubes will be effected differently by the salt - something that probably won't come up in everyday situations (unless your gun falls overboard). :wink:

 

[Skychief]

I can't wait to see the results. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Blizzard of '93]

imteresting to see the results, Carl's sarcasm notwithstanding.
my guess is the ATF nail well fare best. you maybe should have added refined bear grease to the lubes, or beef fat.

 

[Tom Compton]

Getting humorous that I am now starting everything with "A long time ago" or the like. Used to make fun of the folks that did that now I are one.

Anyway, a long time ago (1972 or 1973)I worked for a distribution outfit. One of our product lines was LPS. Sales rep came in for a demo. Pretty interesting and some great results. We decided to do a test on location. Took a piece of 1/4 X 6 flat plate about 4 feet long. Used a grinder and cut several places to bare metal. Welder marked the fresh cut spots with a bead. Then sprayed using WD40, LPS1, LPS2, LPS3 and a couple of other things that were around. LPS3 was said to be thickened with bees wax and a great chain lube for bikes and motorcycles.

The plate was put on top of a pipe rack in the weather. 2 weeks later there was a little color on the LPS1, another something and WD40 places.

2 months later all but 2 were rust. A little color showing on the LPS 2 and nothing on the LPS 3. I moved out of state and never heard the final results with LPS3. To date I still use LPS3 when putting a gun up. Never know when the plans will change and that cleaning will be the one for long time storage.

:hatsoff: Then I walked 5 miles up hill both ways to school carrying a 20 pound load of books - barefooted. Back in the old days. :hatsoff:

TC

 

[nw_hunter]

Well! Carl might have a point there, but Carl ain't doin this test.I'm open to suggestions though!

I looked for some refined bear grease, but all our bears out here on the left coast are far from being refined. :grin:

 

[mykeal]

Carl's comment was not sarcasm, but rather a simple statement of fact. If you want to do a test that has application to a particular set of circumstances (like the effect of atmospheric conditions on gun barrels coated with various treatments), then you replicate those circumstances. #2 finish nails are not gun barrels and a saltwater wash is not an atmosphere.

We're about to learn the relative rust inhibitive properties of WD-40 in two applications, Hoppe's gun oil, ATF, Bore Butter and olive oil. This will provide the results desired: "...just to see how the WD holds up!" On common finish nails washed with salt water. I'm not sure I can extrapolate that to gun barrels in the 95th percentile atmosphere.

 

[BrownBear]

I can.

Saltwater IS my atmosphere. Same's probably true for lots of folks on the board. And even if you're a few states away from the ocean, I bet your hands sweat a bit.

As for nails rather than barrels, I'll need convincing that they're NOT similar to barrel steel. They're sure as soft as barrel steel, and I bet the differences in terms of rusting aren't enough to pay for a free cup of coffee at a highway rest stop.

I'd love to see you pound another nail into that board and treat it with EezOx oil, nw hunter. That's the stuff that's proven best for us hunting on the coast and storing guns in a salty climate. Puts WD-40 to shame. WD-40 is only fair for freeing rusted lug nuts on your truck and poor for protecting guns from salt air.

 

[necchi]

Well said mykeal, I aggree.

After highschool in 77', a freind of mine went to a highly rated school here in Minn. to become a gunsmith,(he still is one today). It was a 2 year course, at the beginning they placed clean lock parts and gun screws in full glass jars of different lubes, covered with cotton cloth to allow atmosphere exposure and limit contaminates.
WD-40,,motor oil,,a high grade gun oil,,LPS3

long story short, proir to the end of the first year, the WD40 and motor oil parts had rust. The end of the 2nd year, the gun oil had some minor rust, only the LPS parts where clean.

The lesson was that almost no lube works by it's self,,that gun's and their parts need to be cleaned and maintained regularly to maintain longevity.

 

[BrownBear]

When you're hunting on and around saltwater, climbing in and out of boats and sitting on windy hillsides during the day, we're talking more than basic maintenance. A WD-40 gun is going to show rust by the end of the day. If you want to use WD-40, plan on re-oiling the exterior surfaces when you sit down for a midday sandwich. Heck, the stuff doesn't taste all that bad with ham and cheese, but it's terrible with tuna.

The only LPS that works all day is LPS3. LPS1 isn't a whole lot better than WD-40 for day-long protection around salt. Move back from the coast into the minor leagues and yeah, it's fine. But play in the big leagues with real live saltwater, and the rules change.

Here's a news flash. When duck hunting in saltwater, I learned that browned metal parts seem to hold up better than modern bluing, all other factors being equal. I don't know why that would be so, but the browning just seems tougher.

 

Carl's comment was not sarcasm, but rather a simple statement of fact.

Thank you. I even threw in a "wink", about going overboard, but some people only like their own ideas, but, who cares? :haha:

 

[jmac]

What is LPS? Where do I find it?

J-Mac

 

[Tom Compton]

Industrial supply houses like Fasten All and WW Grainger. The one where I worked was a wholesale electrical supply house.

TC

 

[necchi]

What is LPS? Where do I find it?

It's great stuff! search by state. :thumbsup:
http://www.lpslabs.com/LPS_NorthAmDist.html

 

[bwhoffman]

For those on dial up, the emoticons dont do much other than sit there and smile at you!

we dont see the "wink"!
(I do now, since changing to hyper speed.)

 

[Blizzard of '93]

if you want a good protectant try X-19A, doesn't have any rank odor, cheap too. comes in spray can.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

I've noticed that, too. I lived on Cape Cod for 20 years and my guns with browned finish definitely held up way better against rust than my blued ones did. Must be the way the finish is developed?