- Joined
- Nov 26, 2001
- Messages
- 1,375
Here a useful test I made to determined which one of the many oils I had was the most suited as a rust preventative.
First I took 6 2" washers, stripped them of the galvanization on one face using a bastard file and leaving the surface rough to make rusting easier, then I glued them to a plastic support and noted down their position, so to always know which oil was on which washer.
I wiped each one of them with a new kitchen paper towel drenched in a different oil, and put them into my shower cabinet. I actually use much more the bath tub than the shower (like many italians
, but, no, I don't sing when bathing ) but took care to open the tap on the "water mist" setting many times during the test, so that the washers got immersed in a hot water mist.
Here are the oils and the results:
1 Italian Army Special Protective Oil
Mil spec oil used to protect weapons and other precision steel devices.
2 Break Free CLP
Mil spec oil known worldwide and used by the US army.
3 WD40
Well known and widespread multi purpose oil.
4 Arexon's Yes
General purpose thin oil, excellent for unblocking metal parts stuck due to rust.
5 Spray silicone
Used to lubricate rubber gaskets and in the leather industry to make detaching of leather from forming presses easier
6 Unprotected
After 75 days here are the results:
1 developed just a tiny spot, the size of the dot on this "i"
2 developed several dots, the same size as 1's.
3 developed various discolored spots, covering with rust about 25% of the surface.
4 developed small rust traces, and was midly rusted at the end of the test.
5 developed immediately after the first mist bath on day 1 several discolorations covering about 10% of its surface, and was covered with severe rusting by day 75 on about 75% of its surface.
6 behaved as 5
Thus, the results are, from the most protective to the least protective oil:
1 - 2 - 4 - 3 - 5
With 1 and 2 being about the same, and 3 greatly behind.
5 was about the same as unprotected.
WD40 particularly is ill suited to protective functions as it's too thin and evaporates quickly. It's just great as unblocking and cleaning oil, and should be used for that purpose only.
From informations gathered when I was in the army from the local gunsmith NCO, who used both the italian oil and Break Free CLP, the italian oil was slightly more performant in protection, but lacks the magnificent lubricating properties of BF. I don't know if there are differences in resistance to handling, but I think they are in BF favor.
I suspect the differences between 1 and 2 were due more to the eccessive roughness of the surface, that may have left tiny unoiled spots, rather than due real difference in performance. I will perform another test with washers polished to at least 400 grit, including car wax in the test.
If you doubt that I was partial to the italian made oil, don't worry: I'm ruthless when evaluating what will protect my dear firearms, knives and swords from the dreaded "R" monster!
I use BF for everyday maintenance and use the italian oil only when I have to protect something for prolonged storage.
This way I save BF for the everyday use, which must guarantee lubrication as well as protection, and the protective oil for specific protective work. I have jus 1 litre of it and won't be able to get more, so I use it for its intended purpose only
Oh, by the way: many good rust preventative oils have active ingredients in them that absorb oxygen more easily than steel thus creating an oxygen free environment in contact with the blade and eliminating eventual oxygen particles that should get thru the protective layer or that were trapped in when the oil was wiped on (wich may happen especially in freshly ground steel).
They work about the same way lemon juice in marmalade does.
This oils, once opened, in the end lose part of their rust preventing properties, because oxygen in the air combines with their active principles neutralizing them. This is evident when you see the oil has got a different color (usually darker) then the new oil. This oil is still useful as it can still lubricate and protect, but it shouldn't be used for long term storage as some of its protective features are lost.
First I took 6 2" washers, stripped them of the galvanization on one face using a bastard file and leaving the surface rough to make rusting easier, then I glued them to a plastic support and noted down their position, so to always know which oil was on which washer.
I wiped each one of them with a new kitchen paper towel drenched in a different oil, and put them into my shower cabinet. I actually use much more the bath tub than the shower (like many italians
, but, no, I don't sing when bathing ) but took care to open the tap on the "water mist" setting many times during the test, so that the washers got immersed in a hot water mist.Here are the oils and the results:
1 Italian Army Special Protective Oil
Mil spec oil used to protect weapons and other precision steel devices.
2 Break Free CLP
Mil spec oil known worldwide and used by the US army.
3 WD40
Well known and widespread multi purpose oil.
4 Arexon's Yes
General purpose thin oil, excellent for unblocking metal parts stuck due to rust.
5 Spray silicone
Used to lubricate rubber gaskets and in the leather industry to make detaching of leather from forming presses easier
6 Unprotected
After 75 days here are the results:
1 developed just a tiny spot, the size of the dot on this "i"
2 developed several dots, the same size as 1's.
3 developed various discolored spots, covering with rust about 25% of the surface.
4 developed small rust traces, and was midly rusted at the end of the test.
5 developed immediately after the first mist bath on day 1 several discolorations covering about 10% of its surface, and was covered with severe rusting by day 75 on about 75% of its surface.
6 behaved as 5
Thus, the results are, from the most protective to the least protective oil:
1 - 2 - 4 - 3 - 5
With 1 and 2 being about the same, and 3 greatly behind.
5 was about the same as unprotected.
WD40 particularly is ill suited to protective functions as it's too thin and evaporates quickly. It's just great as unblocking and cleaning oil, and should be used for that purpose only.
From informations gathered when I was in the army from the local gunsmith NCO, who used both the italian oil and Break Free CLP, the italian oil was slightly more performant in protection, but lacks the magnificent lubricating properties of BF. I don't know if there are differences in resistance to handling, but I think they are in BF favor.
I suspect the differences between 1 and 2 were due more to the eccessive roughness of the surface, that may have left tiny unoiled spots, rather than due real difference in performance. I will perform another test with washers polished to at least 400 grit, including car wax in the test.
If you doubt that I was partial to the italian made oil, don't worry: I'm ruthless when evaluating what will protect my dear firearms, knives and swords from the dreaded "R" monster!
I use BF for everyday maintenance and use the italian oil only when I have to protect something for prolonged storage.
This way I save BF for the everyday use, which must guarantee lubrication as well as protection, and the protective oil for specific protective work. I have jus 1 litre of it and won't be able to get more, so I use it for its intended purpose only
Oh, by the way: many good rust preventative oils have active ingredients in them that absorb oxygen more easily than steel thus creating an oxygen free environment in contact with the blade and eliminating eventual oxygen particles that should get thru the protective layer or that were trapped in when the oil was wiped on (wich may happen especially in freshly ground steel).
They work about the same way lemon juice in marmalade does.
This oils, once opened, in the end lose part of their rust preventing properties, because oxygen in the air combines with their active principles neutralizing them. This is evident when you see the oil has got a different color (usually darker) then the new oil. This oil is still useful as it can still lubricate and protect, but it shouldn't be used for long term storage as some of its protective features are lost.
