Silicone Grease Alternative?

[DaveBj]

The Goulets sell a small container of silicone grease for $2.50 (no affiliation). An even smaller container comes with every TWSBI piston filler. Sounds like a good reason for placing a pen order

[GHigley]

Does anyone know why the TWSBI silicone lubricant is a liquid and the Goulet silicone (and Dive Shop, etc.) is a gel?

[Ron Z]

The liquid is usually dimethicone, a low viscosity version of silicone lubricant. Essentially the same as a silicone "personal lubricant," it washes off fairly easily which means that it gets into the ink etc. much more easily. Something like Molikote 111, and the scuba or plumbing silicone grease is a high viscosity grease. As such it is is resistant to washing off, so stays where you put it and is less likely (or takes longer) to get into the ink and therefore the feed. You need some kind of lubricant on piston rods and often piston seals, and I prefer to use the stuff that's thicker and stays in place. I would not recommends using the liquid silicone on/in a pen.

 

The stuff I sell and use, is the Molykote. A bit thicker than some others, but you don't need much, and it stays in place.

[byggyns]

Does anyone know if automotive grade silicone dielectric grease has detrimental additives? I bought the plumbing stuff for my pens, but have always wondered if I could pull the tube of dielectric out of the toolbox in a pinch. I can't really see any difference between them when comparing side-by-side.

 

 

These are the ingredients on the MSDS:

 

POLYDIMETHYLSILOXANE

MODIFIED SILICON DIOXIDE

OXIRANE, METHYL-, POLYMER

 

The oxirane is the only thing listed here that ws not listed above with the plumbing silicone. The weight is listed as 0.5 - 5.0% of the mixture. Any idea if this chemical can harm our pens?

Edited October 27, 2014 by byggyns

[OakIris]

Does anyone know if automotive grade silicone dielectric grease has detrimental additives? I bought the plumbing stuff for my pens, but have always wondered if I could pull the tube of dielectric out of the toolbox in a pinch. I can't really see any difference between them when comparing side-by-side.

 

 

These are the ingredients on the MSDS:

 

POLYDIMETHYLSILOXANE

MODIFIED SILICON DIOXIDE

OXIRANE, METHYL-, POLYMER

 

The oxirane is the only thing listed here that ws not listed above with the plumbing silicone. The weight is listed as 0.5 - 5.0% of the mixture. Any idea if this chemical can harm our pens?

 

Not sure either, byggyns, but this is from the article on Wikipedia about oxirane, also called ethylene oxide:

 

Although it is a vital raw material with diverse applications, including the manufacture of products like polysorbate 20 and polyethylene glycol that are often more effective and less toxic than alternative materials, ethylene oxide itself is a very hazardous substance: at room temperature it is a flammable, carcinogenic, mutagenic, irritating, and anaesthetic gas with a misleadingly pleasant aroma.

 

 

It doesn't sound very nice, does it? But I have no idea what that might mean in terms of using a silicone grease that contains oxirane to lubricate pen pistons, etc. We do have some chemists among us, hopefully one of them will chime in here.

 

Holly

[byggyns]

I'm thinking that additional chemical is for high temperature stability. The dielectric grease works on the sockets for halogen lights, lubricating brake parts, and for spark plug boots. All of those applications get into the hundreds of degrees frequently and sometimes over 1000 degrees F. I do know that it does not have adverse affects on the softer rubbers used in the auto industry, it actually prolongs the life of hoses (lube the hose nipples and the rubber does not crack as quickly in that area- a normal failure point), spark plug boots, and weatherstripping (prevents drying out / cracking). How it would affect the harder rubber like ebonite or body materials like celluloid or resins, I have no clue.

[GHigley]

The liquid is usually dimethicone, a low viscosity version of silicone lubricant. Essentially the same as a silicone "personal lubricant," it washes off fairly easily which means that it gets into the ink etc. much more easily. Something like Molikote 111, and the scuba or plumbing silicone grease is a high viscosity grease. As such it is is resistant to washing off, so stays where you put it and is less likely (or takes longer) to get into the ink and therefore the feed. You need some kind of lubricant on piston rods and often piston seals, and I prefer to use the stuff that's thicker and stays in place. I would not recommends using the liquid silicone on/in a pen.

 

The stuff I sell and use, is the Molykote. A bit thicker than some others, but you don't need much, and it stays in place.

 

Thanks, Ron.

Interesting that TWSBI sends their piston fillers with the liquid lubricant. I've yet to put it into a pen and certainly won't now on your recommendation. Good to know what I can use it for though. Waste not - want not.. ; )

GH

[Tanzanite]

Does anyone know if if Mares special silicone grease for diving equipment is suitable for fountain pens? It is a quite thick grease. I have not been able to find a list of ingredients.

[Monophoto]

You can get silicone grease in the plumbing secton of just about any hardware store. It is routinely used in one-handle faucets.

[Ron Z]

Does anyone know if if Mares special silicone grease for diving equipment is suitable for fountain pens? It is a quite thick grease. I have not been able to find a list of ingredients.

 

We usually recommend buying your silicone grease at a scuba shop. The main thing is to avoid a petroleum based/hydrocarbon grease, which doesn't play well with rubber. Most of the materials I use for restorations with the exception of latex sacs are Viton or high grade (as in a higher nitrile content) buna-N rubber, both of which are both chemical and wear resistant. I won't say that they are impervious to petroleum greases, but mabye a bit more resistant. Even so silicone is safer as the pen itself is not likely to be impervious to the grease.

[inkstainedruth]

Silicone grease is available at HomeDepot for $3. Look in the plumbing department's area for faucet replacement parts.

But read the label -- some of that stuff is not 100% silicone (I know -- I checked; even went onto the manufacturer's website to get more info about the "ingredients").

I got my silicone grease from the Goulets (usual disclaimer applies). And while it's a small container, it goes a long way because I'm just applying it with a toothpick when necessary, so I'm only using a tiny bit at a time.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Tanzanite]

We usually recommend buying your silicone grease at a scuba shop. The main thing is to avoid a petroleum based/hydrocarbon grease, which doesn't play well with rubber. Most of the materials I use for restorations with the exception of latex sacs are Viton or high grade (as in a higher nitrile content) buna-N rubber, both of which are both chemical and wear resistant. I won't say that they are impervious to petroleum greases, but mabye a bit more resistant. Even so silicone is safer as the pen itself is not likely to be impervious to the grease.

Does that mean that all silicone grease at scuba shops are good to use with fountain pens?

[Ron Z]

That was my source for many years.

[Garageboy]

Would any of the dow molykotes or nyogels work?

[Ron Z]

See my post

 

Would any of the dow molykotes or nyogels work?

 

See my post earlier in the thread. The problem is that they often require the purchase of a rather large quantity of grease.

[Garageboy]

Whoops, I missed that

Glad to see that the stuff you're selling is a very high quality product

[CPMcAfee]

Silicone grease is available at HomeDepot for $3. Look in the plumbing department's area for faucet replacement parts.

[CPMcAfee]

I got the danco silicone grease stick no. 88693 is this the right stuff to use? It doesn't say if it's 100 percent pure.

This the stuff you find at home depot in faucet repair if you're wondering.

[caoquocdat]

http://www.promotionalimprintedpen.com/uploadfile/product/big/gel-ink-pen.jpg

is there a little silicone grease in these gel pens ? can i use it for fountain pen ?

[Ron Z]

I wouldn't. Expedient/handy often isn't the best. Especially when the right product to use is relatively inexpensive and readily available. You might get away with it, but then again you really don't know what is in the stuff at the back end, and whether it really IS silicone grease.