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Re: Oiling your keys: a cautionary tale

Author: The Doctor ★2017
Date: 2015-05-27 22:53

(Disclaimer - I sell a NASA specified synthetic key oil in various standard and custom blended viscosities)
Good advice about cleaning rods, tubes, and articulating points. Yes, metal particles left in a sludge after oil evaporates is very abrasive. One problem with petroleum based oils and many synthetic oils is that they evaporate over time which concentrates the gunk left behind which becomes very abrasive. Most automotive oils, both petroleum and synthetic, have a viscosity range based on temperature - thinner at high temperatures and thicker at low.

As for clock oils. Today they are petroleum based. The old Nye clock oil was made from the oil in the sensory bulb in the head of sperm wales and had many of the qualities that we see in today's synthetic oils. Sperm whale oil however is no longer available so no more clock oil from them.

As for the perfect viscosity I would say that it depends on the wear already present on your instrument which is also affected by key binding and spring tension. The more wear, the more viscous the oil needed to maintain a film between metal parts. The lubricating properties of oils also depend on their shear properties and oils of the same viscosity may have different shear values. There is actually a very technical field of expertise for lubricating products called Tribology.

My choice for key oil, which I also have researched and sell, is a synthetic oil made for the NASA space program that does not evaporate (a necessity for the vacuum of space), has better shear and lubrication properties because it forms a molecular bond with metal and has antirust and anticorrosion additives which mineral oil sewing machine oil and most motor oils do not have. It also does not change viscosity or have a viscosity range between -140 and 300 degrees Celsius. It is expensive.

Not saying that the other suggestions in motor oils, but not clear mineral oil, are not adequate - as always - whatever works for you.

L. Omar Henderson
www.doctorsprod.com

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