Best Lube for Bearing Flippers

Thin-Slice

Thin-Slice

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Jul 4, 2016
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Ever since my first Shirogorov 95T I have become addicted to simply flipping. My flippers get more flipping use then actual cutting. Consequently, I want the smoothest flipper that I can get out of the product I have. I also understand that ceramic bearings probably give the smoothest action but cannot always find the right size for each brand so I am stuck with improving the flipping action by using best lube out there.

Have read on a bit and found several but the one that stood out was the Nano-Oil brand. I also know it comes in 5W, 10W and 85W. As per the manufacturer the say that the 10W is probably used most for folding knives around the pivot. However, I have done some reading/searching and found some use 85W instead on their folders. So my questions is:

What is the best weight for caged bearing flippers?
 
I don't know from personal use but I watch Nick shabbaz on YouTube a lot and he uses 10w for caged bearings and washers and 85w for ikbs or loose bearings just to help hold them in place during assembly. Hope this helps
 
Jake Hoback just came out with a knife kit he did with break through. Check it out!!!
 
I try to avoid lubrication unless there is an undesirable trait when not used. When i do have to use it i use militec grease and a very very small amount. I have found that in most cases there is little to no difference in the speed nor the smoothness of the action. Especially when you consider that most of the resistance that is felt is from the detent ball dragging on the side of the blade and not from the pivot itself. Lubrication such as oil has a tendency to migrate to areas where it isnt wanted such as the lockface. The only times i will use lubrication consistently is in the hole in the blade for the detent (usually a dab of grease) so that it picks up a small amount and uses it each time the detent ball enters the hole in the blade.

Now most american flippers use steel balls and even many chinese knives with ceramic have steel inserts which may be best served with lubrication to prevent rust but i even in those instances i use just enough so that rust will be prevented. As for what types? I have used almost all of them. None are a magic elixer. A knife with bad action has bad action. And no lube will remedy that. Sure it may help in the short term but usually there are other tradeoffs and its up to the individual as to what is most important to them. And i would be weary of advise from anyone who places a couple drops on the bearings and claim the friction was greatly reduced as they are not very well versed in how the knives work in the first place. Dont fall for tales of nano particles or spherical diamonds. The people pushing that nonsennse also claim it to be a great remedy for arthritis by infusing it in food grade mineral oil and saying rubbing it into the skin will have those nano diamonds seep into your joints and replace the fluid that should be their to lubricate the joints. its snake oil and i suspect its repackaged specialty engine treatment.
 
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I use Nano Oil 10W in all of my knives including Sebenzas. I find it to be the smoothest lube and I have tried ALL of them at one time or another. It is some expensive stuff, though, but you only need a couple of drops. Less is more.
 
Daniel said:
I use Nano Oil 10W in all of my knives including Sebenzas. I find it to be the smoothest lube and I have tried ALL of them at one time or another. It is some expensive stuff, though, but you only need a couple of drops. Less is more.
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Ya sold me, Daniel. I just ordered some. :)
 
I just use Frog Lube on my ZT 0804cf and it works just fine and doesn't get sticky or gunked up. Maybe not exactly the best but it's also not the worst but it works
 
I have used RWS, pellet rifle lube which is a very light high quality silicone oil for high performance air rifles. It has a thin long needle applicator which makes it easy to apply a drop on each side.
 
The issue I have with lube in knives is that they are not a closed system. Grit get picked up by the lube and suspended in it. The only thing I use is WD-40 and that is only to clean the knife if it got wet or got dirt inside it. I blow it out with compressed air afterwards.
 
I use 10w on the bearings and 85w for the detent hole. Just a drop of each every month or so if you tend to use your knives multiple times a day is enough from my experience.
 
I used tuff glide before I got some nano 10, its a much brtter oil than tuff, it makes knives real smooth regardless of bearings/washers
 
I've been useing the 10 W nano for my bearings only . I use about one drop on each side , work the blade and blow out any excess with an air compressor. I live in an extremley dry and dusty enviroment and like to run my gear as dry as possible. For my blades , washers, and firearms I use Ballistol.
 
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I've used BreakFree for all my folders for years; a tiny drop is sufficient. Lately I've read that synthetic motor oils are also good. A lighter weight (0-20) probably would be best.
 
Alberta Ed said:
I've used BreakFree for all my folders for years; a tiny drop is sufficient. Lately I've read that synthetic motor oils are also good. A lighter weight (0-20) probably would be best.
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I have often wondered about synthetic engine oil. I figure a liter of that should last several lifetimes.
 
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