KY Jelly & Other Lube Myths

I was talking to a guy at work who's an olde tyme yarn spinner. He can tell tall tales with the best of them. Today he was going on and on about how KY Jelly makes the best lube for autos. According to him KY has all the properties necessary for proper function, viscosity, heat resistance, and ease of you. Then he started in about how used motor oil makes the next best lube. He claimed that the Russians and East Germans used it in their Maks. Any truth to his stories?

I've heard of motor oil. Not sure how ky jelly would last over time but vaseline I guess could work like a mild cosmo.

Considering KY is water soluable, I doubt you'd want to use it as a lube in anything but an absolute emergency, where you don't care if you get more than one shot. High humidity, rain, snow, whatever would quickly destabilize it and render it useless, possibly even harmful. It also would probably get absorbed by any dirt or crud once it warmed up and started to break down. When dealing with guns, you're not talking about 100 degrees. You're talking a few hundred. A water soluable lube coujld probably start to cook at those temp. Dump a glob in a hot frying pan and see what happens.

Motor oil is, from what I hear, what competitors use when they realize they've forgotten their lube at home. Mobil 1 synthetic or transmission fluid will work nice, as they tend to bond to metal better. Wipe on, cycle a few times, wipe away excess.

Either one will offer extremely limited protection against corrosion...That's why they make "gun oils".

I'm a big fan of the synthetic motor oils for use as firearms lubrication, especially Mobil 1. Any of the other brands will also do just fine also (Redline, Pennzoil, Amsoil,Castrol, sure I missed several but you get the point, I am sure) and possess enough anti-oxidation and EP/AW additives to serve as a firearms lubricant.

Not so sure that I'd be able to get that excited about putting a water based lube on my gun, but if it was all that I had and needed to do so to make do, then I s'pose that it would have to suffice.

Mobil 1 synthetic or transmission fluid will work nice, as they tend to bond to metal better.

They tend to do so because they, along with several of the other brands, use varying forms of modified (poly)olefin esters that possess an enhanced affinity (cling) for metals.

As for the ComBloc forces using it, I suspect that such an item of "Decadent Western Contraband" would be rather expensive to obtain for the average conscript and once obtained I would also assume that they would prefer to use it for it's intended purpose rather than waste it on their issued weapons when they could simply 'borrow' some engine oil from one of their vehicles or use nother "field expedient" lubricant like cooking oil.

GS

"he started in about how used motor oil"

Why would all the microscopic particulates make it better than fresh motor oil?

Why would all the microscopic particulates make it better than fresh motor oil?

I very much doubt that it would.

Clean/virgin oil would be optimal, but "in a pinch" used motor oil could work also. I'd be concerned about all the contaminants/acidity/carcinogenic content for used motir oil realting to anything, but the 'emergency' use of used motor oil.


GS

guess what!

KY is mostly water and glycerin.

there is no viscosity really, there is no heat resistance...keep it in the bed room.

motor oil on the other hand is hydrocarbon based which makes a far better gun lube.

Motor oil dribbled from a dipstick is known as "Field Expedient" lubrication, and has been used in war zones for as long as weapons and motor vehicles have been in war zones together.

Mobil 1 Synthetic oil has a following, and several people swear by it. I've never used it, so I can't make a call...but too many do use it to discount its effectiveness without at least trying it.

I believe olive oil will tolerate a higher temp before it burns.

Let's see, this is for deep fat frying:

Type of Oil: Smoke point

grapeseed: 485 degrees F
Avocado: 480
extra virgin olive: 420
sesame: 410
canola: 400
Macademia: 385

I imagine bacon grease would work, except for the salt content and the animals following you around looking for a handout.

JT

I've used the motor oil before, so I know that one is true. Haven't heard of the KY though, but have heard of vaseline being used (the thick, greasy petroleum stuff) but it tends to let particles stick to it and only works well for a short period of firing before becoming detrimental (I have some bored friends).

EDIT NOTICE:

It is all too easy for something like this to plunge into crudeness and off topic remarks. The topic starter post appears to be a legitimate quest for information, so the thread can stay open.

It will be closely watched, however. Unsuitable posts will be mercilessly removed. If you've posted something "cute" or risque, and it's been deleted, then consider yourself warned.

For others who made straight replies, thanks for your restraint in not hopping onto the grade school "humor" wagon.

Johnny Guest
THR Staff
Handguns: Autoloaders forum moderator

I don't see anything wrong with Hoppe's light gun oil or good ol' CLP.

I also doubt a water soluble solution, but field expediency has made for use of a number of different lubricants. I agree Mobil 1 has a big following, but I have found it attracts dust and powder residue that some other synthetic weapons lubricants/protectants do not. Ok, so I live in NM, and there is dust on everything, even during a snowstorm.

I've never found KY to be much use for anything. As a previous poster said, it's glycerine and water... the proctologists can keep it.

Used motor oil has all kinds of nasty acids in it, which is why you drain it & throw it away [1].

Food oils (olive/grapeseed/peanut) goes rancid.

Synthetic oil is good stuff.

Koos

Edit : prophet, thanks for the link.

Here is one of the best articles on Lube.........

http://www.grantcunningham.com/lubricants101.html

KY jelly was invented for use as a lubricant for, as mentioned, proctologists, but also for ultrasound gliding probe thingies, whatever they're called.

KY was designed to break down quickly and not leave a greasy residue (if you're getting an exam back there, or an ultrasound on your abdomen, you probably don't want a greasy residue). That's why it's not the best for... bedroom usage. KY brand does make lubes intended for exactly that, but they aren't the standard "KY Jelly."

Using it on a pistol slide is a bad idea, not only for the water content, but also for the fact that it breaks down and ceases to lubricate after a short period of use.

I'd honestly use cooking oil before KY - but only if I can't find a nearby vehicle for the automatic transmission fluid (my standard oil).

An excellent article on lubrication (which I posted about 2 minutes ago on the other thread on lubes):

http://www.grantcunningham.com/lubricants101.html

Note that motor oil is a poor choice, but ATF is good.

I've used cooking spray before (on the rails only) with fantastic results. Course, I also used windex as a gun cleaner that day. Worked pretty well too.

EEZOX.

I use it for cleaning and lubing

One use that I have found standard K-Y is eminently suited for is to smear lightly on the rubber weatherstripping on T-tops and Targa tops. It keeps them from sticking and tearing in hot weather...seals them in the rain...and
any clean-up needed is a snap. Reapply each time the top(s) are removed, and the rubber seal will last nearly forever.

For lubricating guns? Nahhh...

K-Y is water-soluble because it is water-based. Basically using it is like putting gelled water on your steel weapon and leaving it.

My bet is you will create ferrous oxide (rust).

I don't think you wana pull Ky out at the range.

I don't think you wana pull Ky out at the range.

That gets the nomination for the single funniest response thus far on the thread.

http://www.wtv-zone.com/jnib/gifs/smilies/laugh.gif

I imagine the water of the KY would evaporate pretty quickly leaving you with dried ick. Past that I imagine you can make just about anything wet work well enough as a lube in most guns, although probably with varying degrees of protection from wear.

Pat Rogers says "I have used every type of lube imaginable, going from WD-40 (especially good when you have a dirty gun), 3 in 1 oil, suntan lotion, butter to Vagisil- don’t laugh, it works. I may not want to use any of them for the long haul, but for a quick fix it beats having a non functioning gun."

What are the odds that after reading a thread about the lubricating properties of KY jelly and handguns I'd be googling "pat rogers" vagisil to find that quote. If you're in a pinch though, good to know....