Rubber O-Ring Seal

[Batman]

Hi everyone, I have a rollerball pen that has a rubber o-ring to make sure that the barrel doesn't get unscrewed easily. Recently when I decided to change the refill I noticed that the seal was kind of dry and it became harder to untwist the barrel. I have silicone grease but decided not to use it as I find it to thick. Instead I used mineral oil (the kind you use to lubricate your electric shaver blades), and it work great but I was wondering if this will degrade the rubber o-ring in the long run?

 

 

[Left FPN]

IMHO the very slightest of silicone grease would have been better.

[tmenyc]

I agree with Force. Yes, it's a little thicker but it stays put. Oil travels and seeps into places it's not meant to be in, which one often wants in a lubricant, but not in a pen.

 

Tim

[Erik Dalton]

Yes and No. O rings are made of many different materials today. It is the Latex ones that will get eaten up by the mineral oil. In almost all cases Silocone Grease is a safer alternative.

You can still take the O ring out of the pen, clean it with a bit of dish soap then reinstall with silicone grease with no harm done.