Silicon Grease

[Blade Runner]

How about vaseline instead?

[Kelly G]

How about vaseline instead?

 

Vaseline is not a good alternative (an emphatic NO) as it is a petroleum based product - Petroleum and plastics don't necessarily get along well together. Stick with the 100% pure Silicon grease.

[Ray-Vigo]

Petroleum has the tendency to rot rubber and plastic.

Edited June 17, 2010 by Ray-Vigo

[jszh]

Not meant to be offensive, is personal silicone lubricant safe for pens? They are certainly safe for latex (rubber condoms), human body (food-grade?), and often sold in plastic bottles. Available in many drug stores.

 

Ingredient List:

Dimethicone, Hexamethyl Disiloxane, Docosamethyl decasiloxane, Tocopheryl Acetate

Edited June 21, 2010 by jszh

[ZeissIkon]

Not meant to be offensive, is personal silicone lubricant safe for pens? They are certainly safe for latex (rubber condoms), human body (food-grade?), and often sold in plastic bottles. Available in many drug stores.

 

Ingredient List:

Dimethicone, Hexamethyl Disiloxane, Docosamethyl decasiloxane, Tocopheryl Acetate

 

First, why would you possibly spend what personal lubricants cost for a pen lube when $5 will get you a lifetime supply of the real deal? And second, the tocopheryl acetate, at least, is almost certainly capable of sustaining/feeding bacteria growth, which is typically discouraged inside a pen (I don't know whether the biocides used in inks can overcome growth in the presence of an organic food source).

[jszh]

Well, if one happens to be in a location where the pure silicone is not easy or too costly to order, and if personal lube does no harm (Not all personal lubes contains vitamin E and some small bottles cost only 1.5 $), why not? There are free pre-lubed latex at doctors' offices in Canada. If one just needs to fix one pen and is not sure if he will need a lifetime supply (assuming those "pure" products never go "bad"), I would say grab a free silicone-lubed condom from a family doctor's office. But that is true only if personal lubes do not harm fountain pens. It is also possible that some people have personal lubes at home and don't need to buy. For the same reason most people use hair-driers instead of buying heating guns.

 

I am not suggesting one uses it before knowing it won't hurt the pen.

 

 

 

 

 

First, why would you possibly spend what personal lubricants cost for a pen lube when $5 will get you a lifetime supply of the real deal? And second, the tocopheryl acetate, at least, is almost certainly capable of sustaining/feeding bacteria growth, which is typically discouraged inside a pen (I don't know whether the biocides used in inks can overcome growth in the presence of an organic food source).

Edited June 23, 2010 by jszh

[Pastors Pen]

Found a small container of pure silicone grease in the plumbing dept. of my local (independently owned) ACE Hardware store. $3.97

[Dutchpen]

anyone have experience with Loctite 8104 silicone grease for greasing pistons?

 

here in Holland they are available in 1L cans (€64) or 75ml tubes (€11).

 

 

 

thanks

 

Lennard

Edited September 15, 2010 by lennardvanzwam

[sternaAuparadis]

Hi!

Gouletpens company in the US is selling small quantities for cheap. The shipping costs may not be worth it but I would certainly write to the owner Brian Goulet at: http://www.gouletpen...iconegrease.htm (although I am Canadian, I have an address in the US so I still pay low fees). Good luck!

 

Great info, thanks.

 

I think that we can safely point any thread asking about silicone grease to this one!

 

Appreciated.

 

And honestly, the Clearco stuff is great, but you can only get it by the pound, or by 2oz tubes, minimum quantity of 12.

 

I buy it buy the pound, and it lasts even me almost a year. A pound is WAY too much for a typical collector.

 

Is anyone interested in buying it by the small tub? Maybe I'll figure out a fair price, and start selling it. I have these little tubs that hold 1/5th of an oz. Perfect amount to last most collectors a long time.

Unfortunately I am in the wilds of Canada, so getting you to ship some would be prohibitively expensive. I actually contacted Dow Corning to get samples, hoping for just a gram for my new eyedropper pen, but they only send sample to large companies who may potentially be ordering many pounds of it. One fifth of an ounce is exactly the right amount. As it is right now, I only have one eyedropper pen, but now that I have used it, I hope to get many more in future. I like the simplicity and the focus on the nib, rather than on the works.