Gearbox Grease

[ILLusion]

Originally Posted by Azathoth

Brian Beware. Fastenal may be like acklands grainger or Mcmaster carr where what is in the US catalogue is not available for sale in Canada due to differences in laws. It sounds stupid but I had a 10 dollar order or O RINGS seized by Homeland security as it was on the ITAR list.

Yes I know they shouldn't have seized as it's <100 dollars and their are commercial and industrial uses but you get a couple of anal idiots and things get stupid fast.

I suggest AG Chemical solution or trying a bicycle supply store. TRIFLOW has a branded silicon grease that contains Teflon and is food safe.

I've seen the MG Chemicals stuff that you're suggesting around here at a few electronics surplus shops, and I ultimately decided to stay away from it because I find that it creeps waaaaaay too much (every single tube I saw of it was covered in the oil, and even the entire shelf was covered in the stuff).
Also, the MSDS Sheet has very strong wording against exposure to fumes, prolonged contact to the skin, or contact to the eyes.

In general, you want avoidance to the eyes or ingestion (duh)... it was just the strong wording that freaked me out a bit. Also, the oil creep was just way too messy for my liking.

The Sil-Glyde AGS Lubricant looks interesting. It doesn't look very different from MG Chemicals - if I ever see it in person, I'd consider looking at it.

As for bicycle supply stores, I have an entire shelf full of bicycle greases and lubricants, and all of them contain petroleum distillates or some variant. I haven't looked much harder beyond what I have on hand, but I'll stay away from bike greases just based on the majority of what I have here.


I like Super Lube, because not only is the viscosity spot on, but the Teflon is a huge plus for that added bit of "slickness" that we all expect a grease to have. It works so well, that I only ever use the slightest layer of the stuff, and it's why this little 3 oz tube has lasted me almost a decade.

As for Fastenal, if anything gets seized, I'm not on the hook. I've had them order stuff in for me before and they don't ask me to pay until they receive the items. I'm ordering direct from the Canadian location - there's no reason why Fastenal Canada Inc. would put my money on the line, just because they couldn't sort out their inventory system internally.

I'm gonna give them a call tomorrow anyways and find out what they say.

[KBarlow]

Would anyone recommend this stuff?: http://www.airsoftparts.ca/store2/in...oducts_id=1448

Silglyde brake lubricant is extremely thick, and I'm starting to believe that it is robbing my gun of power. I just installed a new piston, piston head, cylinder head, air nozzle, S100 spring and hop-up. The compression is great, but the velocity is low. It seems to be shooting around 300fps with .20g BBs, when Modify claims the the spring is rated closer to 370fps. I'm thinking the grease in the cylinder is so thick that it's slowing the piston down.

[SuperHog]

If you guys love your airsoft guns, Super Lube is the best for it. Look up the company and this lube. Do your own reading.

Silicone great on orings and plastic but that is it. It is not designed for the high speed action of the piston. The best lube for that is pneumatic oil that is is rated safe for o-ring seals. Grease creates drag at high speed.

As for your gears, Silcone can be a grease or oil, but neither contains friction reducing features needed to reduce wear.

A light coating on the gear teeth with Super Lube is all you need. It is fully synthetic and food grade safe.

I have been using it over 10 years and can testify to that.

[ILLusion]

SuperHog hit the nail right on the head. Silicone is actually a very poor lubricant. At best, it's use in airsoft is limited only to cleaning and keeping o-rings moist. Beyond that, there is no need for it.

I'm a firm Super Lube supporter as well, and recently started carrying it. I've also used it for 10 years. A single 3 oz tube lasted me through 10 years of gun smithing!

[KBarlow]

Is it good for in the cylinder? Where do you get it?

[SuperHog]

Sure it can be used there. But grease adds drag, just more load for the motor.

Super Lube does synthetic oil in a 7ml precision oiler that would be the ideal for the piston o-rings.

You locate their dealers at www.super-lube.com or I believe ILLusion is a dealer in Canada??

[ILLusion]

Super Lube Oil is NO GOOD for airsoft use. Despite the non-reactive properties it claims, I've seen it cause more than a few hop up rubbers to swell up (mostly Guarder clear rubbers.) There are more inert lubricants that can be used for the piston head.

Because the cylinder and piston assembly are responsible for firing air directly out the nozzle and in to the hop up rubber, I can not recommend using Super Grease Oil in that area.

Generally, yes, the viscosity of gear grease can slow down piston movement, but I find SuperLube Grease to be on the lower end of the viscosity scale (compared to a lot of the other greases available out there), and only a very very very thin layer is required to keep the surface slick. If you slop too much on, you will notice stiction in the movement. Same goes for pistol slides on rails - only a VERY SMALL AMOUNT is required. When I apply it, I smear on the first coat with one finger, and then use a second clean finger to wipe as much of the excess off. Whatever remains is more than good enough to lubricate, and will also prevent gunk build up from dust or material wear.

Originally Posted by KBarlow

Is it good for in the cylinder? Where do you get it?

As I stated just above, I carry it.

[SuperHog]

Hmmm, you would expect the Super Lube oil to have the same properties as the grease but in a oil format.

Never used the Super Lube oil on airsoft piston rings but, good to know now.

[Mitchell12]

Anal lube... safe on plastics and rubbers of all sorts.