Lubes, Waxes: Effects on Carbon Fiber?

JNewell

JNewell

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Nov 18, 2005
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I just bought one of the Benchmade 940S-701s being offered by REI. The scales are carbon fiber and would appear to be potentially porous. I'm wondering if anyone can fill me in on the potential for lubes/corrosion inhibitors (like Sentry Tuf-Glide) to penetrate the carbon fiber. I'm also wondering if waxing the carbon fiber is a good idea, a bad idea or just no idea (as in, won't have any effect). Most of the carbon fiber I've seen has a glossy (epoxy) surface. These scales appear to have been left as is after a machining process. Thanks for any info.
 
Carbon fiber can be considered impervious, it is also not porous, depsite how it may look. If it's something you're willing to let your skin contact without fear of it melting carbon fiber will be just fine.
 
JNewell

Congrats on your new CF Benchmade.

I've been eyeing that REI version, and would love to hear your thoughts on it.

I have just 2 CF handled knives, and both seem impervious to oils. Just wipe, or wash it off with soap and water. The knives I have are both Spyderco. Glossy CF on a Delica and matte CF on a Caly III.
 
Love it! I think they're sold out now, though. I went ahead and used Renaissance wax on the scales. You're right, it did not appear to soak into the CF. It probably is not necessary, but it should give it a little protection...though now that I say that, I'm thinking "against what?" since the CF is probably far more durable than the wax!
 
JNewell said:
I just bought one of the Benchmade 940S-701s being offered by REI. The scales are carbon fiber and would appear to be potentially porous. I'm wondering if anyone can fill me in on the potential for lubes/corrosion inhibitors (like Sentry Tuf-Glide) to penetrate the carbon fiber. I'm also wondering if waxing the carbon fiber is a good idea, a bad idea or just no idea (as in, won't have any effect). Most of the carbon fiber I've seen has a glossy (epoxy) surface. These scales appear to have been left as is after a machining process. Thanks for any info.
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Even if the laminate appears porous, there is at least some resin holding the fibers together. The carbon fiber is impervious to any oil or cleaner. The epoxy holding the fibers together should be impervious but it depends on what epoxy was used. There are thousands of epoxy formulations. 90%+ of them would not be affected by any lubricant or corrosion inhibitor. I doubt that waxing would have any effect positive or negative.
 
Can't speak for the knife world, but in cycling using grease on carbon fiber (ie: carbon seat posts) is a big no-no as it supposedly can cause the carbon to weaken/delaminate.

I have not seen this first hand, but I have not found one person in the industry (yet) that will refute this. In fact they sell special carbon fiber assembly grease which appears to be fully synthetic (non-hydrocarbon based) and has imbedded 'grits'.



But of course, just as there is more than one steel out there so is there multiple types of carbon fiber.
 
My question was prompted by that kind of concern. My favorite knife lube/anti-corrosion product is Tuf-Glide, which I believe has a mineral spirits carrier. Not sure what long term effects that could have. The wax seems harmless, though.
 
Not sure what resin they use for composite bicycle parts. I never formulated for those. But for a composite seat post I'd be more concerned with getting proper lubrication than degrading the polymer. When you put a load on the composite, you need lubricants that will accomodate the fact that the surface is not as smooth as if it were polished metal, so there is more friction. The problem is more likely to be degradation through abrasion because regular grease won't overcome that than through the grease attacking the resin. And grease won't attack the graphite at all.

As for Tuf-Glide on a knife handle, well mineral spirits is about as mild a solvent as there is. Very non-polar. Epoxies are much more sensitive to polar solvents such as MEK. And you aren't going to be soaking the knife handle in the stuff anyway.
 
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