White Lithium Grease

Taonari

Taonari

Joined
Jun 25, 2011
Messages
1,154
Would Permatex White Lithium Grease be an acceptable substitute for CRK Fluorinated Grease?
 
CRK is the only I will use. I have tried everything.
 
Molybdenum or Moly Grease is the best you can use as far as grease goes. It usually has 3% or more molybdenum.
Moly paste is even better when you can find it, it has a higher volume of moly and is used for intricate parts with thin or small baring surfaces or where the weight of the grease changes the
velocity of a part etc. Moly paste usually has about 15% moly. I've used it for competition triggers in my match rifles over the years, I have also previously dry moly tumble coated my bullets.
There is a product called Tetra Gun which is a moly paste that works well for knives also. Any of these moly pastes or greases need to be injected or some how properly deployed onto the baring surfaces in order to work properly.
 
zeroed4x said:
Molybdenum or Moly Grease is the best you can use as far as grease goes. It usually has 3% or more molybdenum.
Moly paste is even better when you can find it, it has a higher volume of moly and is used for intricate parts with thin or small baring surfaces or where the weight of the grease changes the
velocity of a part etc. Moly paste usually has about 15% moly. I've used it for competition triggers in my match rifles over the years, I have also previously dry moly tumble coated my bullets.
There is a product called Tetra Gun which is a moly paste that works well for knives also. Any of these moly pastes or greases need to be injected or some how properly deployed onto the baring surfaces in order to work properly.
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It would seem that there is a lot more to the grease than I had previously thought. Thank you for your insight.
 
IIRC, CRK claims on their website that their grease is formulated for them.
 
frontline29 said:
If your willing to order that you might as well get the CRK grease.
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I agree. I think I'll still order the fluorinated grease for my CRK's and use the tube of white lithium grease for other folders so the CRK grease lasts longer.
 
Ah I see. Thanks.

But in reality you can use pretty much any grease or lube in your Sebenza. Its not gonna hurt it.
Just some will work better then others and the CRK grease is manufacturer recommended is all.
 
I'm pretty torn on the CRK stuff. I bought a tube. It works alright at first, but then seems to dry up rather quickly. Getting 5g for $14 is not a great deal. In general, I haven't found a grease that lasts, although the CRK grease is the best I've found.

I have better luck with regular oil. I happen to have some Benchmade Blue Lube, but I'm sure other oils would work.
 
I just disassembled and cleaned my small insingo and put it back together using a bike chain lube that appears to be teflon suspended in some sort of solvent. It was a little messy to apply, but it's glassy smooth and effectively dry, so it shouldn't attract much crud. We'll see how long it stays smooth and clean, I'm not thinking that it'll last too long but hopefully I'll be pleasantly surprised.
 
Any lube is better than no lube.

I believe both the CRK and Finish Line greases are rebranded DuPont Krytox.
I think the CRK grease might have been a special formulation but I don't remember seeing any proof of that.
 
My 25 is not as free swinging as my pivot bushing Sebenzas were. It had CRK grease in the pivot when I got it, but it came in the old packaging without lube or loc-tite.

I'm not sure what I'll be using once this needs cleaning, but I doubt I'll use the CRK grease again.
 
I don't know if their grease is specially formulated for them but CRK describes it as,

"We have experimented with a wide variety of products and have found a Fluorinated Grease that is very slippery but does not get sticky or attract lint very easily. CRK Fluorinated Grease fits the tolerances of our folding knives well – other lubricants tend to be either too viscose so it interferes with the tolerance or too thin and it dissipates too quickly."

I have tried various oils and greases and have found the following to be generally true.

Oils tend to migrate beyond the bearing surfaces and collect lint while many greases (think automotive or industrial) are so thick they affect the tolerances of the blade.

That said, just about any oil or light grease will probably be effective. I would imagine you could even use paraffin in an emergency.

I EDC a small Sebenza and lubricate it perhaps once a quarter unless I have been using it in corrosive or wet environments. Initially I used plain some 5-30 synthetic oil but then I purchased a tube of the CRK grease. Unlike the oil, it doesn't seem to migrate out beyond the bearing surfaces. I've also used Wilson's gun grease with similar results.

I would imagine a white assembly lube would work just fine as long as you don't apply too much.
 
I took my Sebenza 21 and Umnumzaan apart and used the rest of what little CRK grease I had left. The Umnumzaan is smoother and the 21 was for a couple hours, but then stiffened up. I took it down and wiped it clean and use the white lithium grease. It seems much smoother than the old CRK grease (maybe it was old). I'll have to see if it lasts.
 
I went to Ace Hardware and bought a three dollar tube
of White Lithium Grease today. I disassembled my Sebenza, cleaned it, dried it, and reassembled it with the Lithium Grease.

It feels exactly the same as it did with the proprietary, factory lube from Chris Reeve. It opens smoothly with the same amount of drag. It can be thumb flicked open with the proper technique.

I'll probably stick with WLG, not so much for the lower cost. But rather for the general availability. I know that where ever I am, I can take down and clean my equipment as long as there is an Ace Hardware, Home Depot, Lowes , etc...nearby.
 
ebearius said:
I went to Ace Hardware and bought a three dollar tube
of White Lithium Grease today. I disassembled my Sebenza, cleaned it, dried it, and reassembled it with the Lithium Grease.

It feels exactly the same as it did with the proprietary, factory lube from Chris Reeve. It opens smoothly with the same amount of drag. It can be thumb flicked open with the proper technique.

I'll probably stick with WLG, not so much for the lower cost. But rather for the general availability. I know that where ever I am, I can take down and clean my equipment as long as there is an Ace Hardware, Home Depot, Lowes , etc...nearby.
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That was my experience with the white lithium grease. I feel the same way and will use it from now on since a 1.5oz tube can go a long way and is readily available.
 
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