Looking for a more secure small oil applicator.

G

gomipile

Joined
Apr 17, 2010
Messages
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I use bottles like these to apply very small drops of various oils to pivot points, lockbar stabilizers, and to lubricate my guns:

ntab-104.jpg


They work great in the shop, and the screw caps are great, but the tip caps are friction fit and not very secure. One thing I love about them is that you have to cut the tip to open it, so you can get exactly the aperture size you want, you aren't stuck with what the manufacturer decided.

I've used micro oilers likethe aluminum General Tools Precision oiler pen, but it really isn't any more secure for portable use, and the plastic bottles work a lot better in pretty much every way.

What I want is something just like the plastic bottles I use, but with a screw-on tip cap. Failing that, any design no larger, just as precise as one of these with a needle hole, and secure enough to roll around in a portable toolbox or bug out bag and be unlikely to leak.

Any suggestions?
 
Go on eBay and type in "needle applicator".
You should find a few options.
 
I've sometimes found it simpler to just dip the tip of a toothpick or needle into the oil (regardless of how it's contained), and use that to apply the oil into the nooks/crannies of whatever I'm lubricating. Less concern about the container having the 'right' applicator that way; just use whatever container works best at containing it. The surface tension of the oil will limit how big the droplet is on the end of the applicator, and that's usually a good thing (less is always better, when oiling). Oil will cling a bit more to a toothpick, so that'll likely pick up a larger droplet.

Another similar idea, use a narrow straw (like the type found on the applicator nozzle of a can of WD-40) to apply the oil. Dip the straw into the oil, use a fingertip at the other end to hold a vacuum. The amount of oil needed can be regulated by how deep you 'dip' the straw, before applying the fingertip to the other end and lifting it out.

I do have some 'micro' or pen-type oilers that just use a friction-fit press-on cap. In order to prevent the mess associated with leaks, I just stash the oiler in a sandwich-sized zip-loc bag. Doubling up the bag in another bag adds another level of 'leak insurance'. ;)

Edit:
Another idea, on oilers with a 'needle hole' in the tip of the applicator, store it with a needle inserted into that hole, and underneath the press-on cap. Depending on the size of the hole, you could also use an appropriately-sized finishing nail. Pick the one that fits the most snugly. The extra 'plug' under the cap could reduce the chances of leakage.



David
 
Last edited:
Check out the M1 Carbine G.I. Oiler. It is about the size of a Chapstick. It has a dipstick attached to the lid and an O-ring seal.
 
sewing machine oil applicator or similar words has helped me out on Eb
 
I'd advise looking on Amazon. A while back, I was looking for a small bottle for mineral oil. Not knowing where to look, I just searched on Amazon and ended up looking at hundreds of different types of small bottles.
 
tiguy7 said:
Check out the M1 Carbine G.I. Oiler. It is about the size of a Chapstick. It has a dipstick attached to the lid and an O-ring seal.
Click to expand...

Aha! I forgot about those. I haven't seen one for 20 years, so I didn't think of it. That looks perfect for my purposes.

Thank you.
 
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