# RadioShack Lubricant?



## NeoteriX (Apr 27, 2006)

*Alternatives to Radio Shack Lube?*

I swung by my local Radio Shack, and it appears the highly reccomended "Multi-Purpose Lube Gel" wasn't in stock. Aside from the premium (and expensive) Nyo Gel, are there are cheap alternatives that you might easily find in a brick and mortar store?


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## parnass (Apr 27, 2006)

*Re: Alternatives to Radio Shack Lube?*

Check the plumbing department at Home Depot for a small, round plastic tub of silicone grease. That's what I use.


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## Lumatic (Apr 27, 2006)

*Re: Alternatives to Radio Shack Lube?*

How about Lithium grease from a hobby or R/C boat/car/airplane/other store. I used Traxxas White Lithium Grease from EBAY until I found Nyo Gel. Just try Hobby Lobby or a hobby shop.


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## prof (Apr 27, 2006)

*Re: Alternatives to Radio Shack Lube?*

Do a search on silicone grease. The topic has been discussed quite a bit. There was a thread on local sources, also. 

The stuff from radio shack has some petroleum chemicals, not recommended. As I recall, one person destroyed an oring using it (YMMV). The plumber's grease from Lowes is good, however.


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## scott.cr (Apr 27, 2006)

*Re: Alternatives to Radio Shack Lube?*

I've used Tetra brand Teflon grease, and it's very slick, but if you get it on a conducting surface be careful to wipe it all off. My lights lit very dimly if I got a little on the conducting surfaces.


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## paulr (Apr 27, 2006)

*Re: Alternatives to Radio Shack Lube?*

I don't like that radio shack gel. It gets gunky after a while. Lithium grease is preferable, I'd say.


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## Luna (Apr 27, 2006)

*Re: Alternatives to Radio Shack Lube?*

silicone grease:

Permatex makes it or you can go to the local scuba shop .


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## RebelXTNC (Apr 27, 2006)

*Re: Alternatives to Radio Shack Lube?*

If you need something thinner, I have used synthetic oil designed for paintball guns, which are always heavily dependent on O-rings. It works without being gunky or migrating too far, but it won't last as long under heavy use. For something that is only opened occasionally, like a stock L1P, it lasts just fine even when applied sparingly with a cotton swab.


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## Sub_Umbra (Apr 27, 2006)

*Re: Alternatives to Radio Shack Lube?*

I've been using a silicone grease from the plumbing section of the local True Value for a couple years. It's cheap and seems to work well but the plastic container it came in was really crappy. At Walgreens I found a cheap 'lip balm' in a very nice little jar for a buck or so and I bought it just to put the grease in. It still cost me quite a bit less than making a minimum order online and shipping costs.


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## Stormdrane (Apr 27, 2006)

*Re: Alternatives to Radio Shack Lube?*

I've used SS2000 High Performance Silicone Lube. It's inexpensive and works great on o-rings.


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## shoeblade (Apr 27, 2006)

*Re: Alternatives to Radio Shack Lube?*

The oil form radioshack is a PTFE oil which is teflon, not silicone.
It is manufactured by SYNCO
You can get the same stuff renamed "Super Lube" or "Brain Lube" from omega yo-yos


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## BF Hammer (Apr 27, 2006)

*Re: Alternatives to Radio Shack Lube?*

Look for "Super Lube" at your local harware store. The Tru-Value down the street from me carries it, as well as the liquid oil version.

I've also seen the same stuff sold in the sporting goods department with fishing tackle. It's branded as "Zebco Reel Grease".

"Brain Lube" is also the same stuff and sold by Yomega yo-yos, not Omega.


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## onthebeam (Apr 27, 2006)

*Re: Alternatives to Radio Shack Lube?*

So, let me get this right. . . If I buy silicone lube from the pool or dive shop, it's a very good solution for o-rings in lights, right???


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## wylde21 (Apr 28, 2006)

*Re: Alternatives to Radio Shack Lube?*



shoeblade said:


> The oil form radioshack is a PTFE oil which is teflon, not silicone.
> It is manufactured by SYNCO
> You can get the same stuff renamed "Super Lube" or "Brain Lube" from omega yo-yos


 
Just a small correction. There is no such thing as a PTFE oil (at least not at room temperature). Some lubricants have PTFE particals suspended in solution. My guess is that the "Super Lube" or "Brain Lube" stuff mentioned is a sythetic oil (most likely PAO based) with PTFE added. While this would work as an o-ring lube, it is not recommended.

Stick with silicone grease, as stated above. The "plumber's" stuff available for cheap at hardwear stores is the best deal.


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## KevinL (Apr 28, 2006)

*Re: Alternatives to Radio Shack Lube?*

Pick up a 25g tube from lighthound.com, that stuff lasts FOREVER, and it's only $11. I bought the huge 50gm tube in 2004 thinking I would use it often - who was I kidding. That tube should run out somewhere in 2054, provided the Nyogel remains stable till then.

Silicone grease is fine, too. I use that occasionally for other stuff that doesn't require premium Nyogel.


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## buba (Apr 28, 2006)

*Re: Alternatives to Radio Shack Lube?*



KevinL said:


> Pick up a 25g tube from lighthound.com, that stuff lasts FOREVER, and it's only $11. I bought the huge 50gm tube in 2004 thinking I would use it often - who was I kidding. That tube should run out somewhere in 2054, provided the Nyogel remains stable till then.
> 
> Silicone grease is fine, too. I use that occasionally for other stuff that doesn't require premium Nyogel.



50gm? I purchased a 1lb (450gm) tube of Permatex Ultra Slick synthetic grease with PTFE for about $10 at an autoparts store. I use it on every thread device I own including flashlights, wheel lugs and even spark plug boots. I think 450gm is enough that I should consider putting it my will for generations to come.

That said I second KevinL recommendations. I have a small tube of Nyogel 759. It makes the metal twisty switches like the McE2S and Surefire A2 smooth as butter. My flashlight lube rule is simple 'Nyogel 759 on metal twisty's and Permatex everywhere else'.


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## KevinL (Apr 28, 2006)

*Re: Alternatives to Radio Shack Lube?*

Reminds me of the pound cans of Thermalloy ThermalCote grease I purchased in the middle of nowhere in Arizona a number of years back. We intended this grease for computer CPUs and their heatsinks, the pound cans have seen me through countless generations of both chips, heatsinks, and Luxeons. At $5 each, I bought two, and just like you, I wonder how many will use them long after I and my lights are gone 

I haven't even been able to use up a quarter of the first can I brought back in more than half a decade. Fortunately, Thermalloy's spec sheets mention that shelf life is "indefinite". I think I am actually in a position to be able to find out some day....


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## jsr (May 30, 2006)

I've read several mentions of a silicone lubricant that people have been using for the threads from RadioShack. I've gone to a few RSs now and haven't found any lubricant that states silicone. All I found is a tube called "Multi-Purpose Lube Gel". It says it's "adhesive" in that it sticks to what you apply it to.
Is this the silicone lubricant from RS that people are referring to?...or something else?
Thanks.


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## Brighteyez (May 30, 2006)

That sounds similar to something I purchased several years back. It's called Multi-Purpose Lube Gel, Radio Shack part number 64-2326. I don't think it's silicon based, but I've used it on flashlight threads for awhile now without any apparent detrimental effects.


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## TonkinWarrior (May 30, 2006)

Yep. Radio shack 2326 lube. Used it on my Surefires/Peaks/Pelicans/Inovas for a couple years. No problemos. No leakies. Looks kinda clotty going on, but it sticks.


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## GhostReaction (May 31, 2006)

"Multi-Purpose Lube Gel". is the one I m using for all my lights before dipping em in teh pool


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## chmsam (May 31, 2006)

There are lots of threads on this and other lubes.

This stuff is sticky, thick, and contains some petroleum priducts (check the MSDS and it lists the ingrediants). That's fine for the o-rings in some lights, not so good for others.


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## jsr (May 31, 2006)

Thanks guys!

chmsam - where do you find the MSDS report? There's not much info on RadioShack's site. I was hoping to avoid petroleum based lubes as I've read here their affects on o=rings. Strange that it would affect some o-rings but not others.

Anyone know how lithium grease is on o-rings? I have white lithium grease I use for car stuff.

Thanks.


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## Tajji (May 31, 2006)

I’m not a material expert but there are many materials for o-ring manufacturing. To name a few there are Butyl, Fluorel, Nitrile, Viton…etc. and there is not a single universal lubricant for all the o-ring applications. Some might be swollen up, and some might be dissolved by using the wrong lubricant. For Lithium do not use on natural rubber, Butyl or Ethylene-Propylene based o-rings and for Silicone do not use on Silicone VMQ based o-rings.

 

My point is that you need to identify the type of o-ring on your lights and apply the lubricant accordingly.

 

Here’s my 2 cents.


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## jsr (May 31, 2006)

Thanks Tajji. I have no idea what type of o-rings are used, and I doubt the light manufacturers or dealers would know either. Just looking to lube the threads on my Jet1, upcoming P1, some Nuwais, and maybe my SLs.


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## chmsam (Jun 1, 2006)

For the MSDS, go to radioshack.com, search on "lube gel," and on the side of the page there is an option to look up "MSDS." Takes you right to a PDF file on it. Search engines are beautiful things.

lube gel MSDS

BTW, while it's always good to be on the safe side, unless you're using a light in a life or death situation, the o-rings aren't gonna instantly vaporize if you use petroleum. Still, better to be safe than sorry. Check for silicone lubes in autoparts stores (and most brake lube silicone grease is the same thing as di-electric silicone grease, only the brake grease costs $2 more for a tiny tube), plumbing supply shops, and dive shops.


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## Alloy Addict (Jun 1, 2006)

chmsam said:


> <snip>Check for silicone lubes in autoparts stores (and most brake lube silicone grease is the same thing as di-electric silicone grease, only the brake grease costs $2 more for a tiny tube), plumbing supply shops, and dive shops.



What does the brake grease cost $2 more than, the Radios Shack stuff or something else?

I don't try to be dense, it just happens sometimes.:lolsign:


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## leukos (Jun 2, 2006)

This is the stuff:


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## Skyline (Jun 3, 2006)

Honestly, the O-rings cost a few pennies each. I prefer to focus on the lube that works best, attracts dust least, migrates least, etc.

I really like the RS Lube Gel. It also has Teflon particles in it, and it's very smooth.


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## chmsam (Jun 4, 2006)

Sorry to take so long to reply -- I was out of town working a rally.

To clarify: the silicone brake grease can be up to $2 more than dielectric silicone grease sold in some of the same auto parts stores. Same tube, same size, same label, and same stuff, just on a different cardboard blisterpack.


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## Alloy Addict (Jun 5, 2006)

Thanks for the clarification and the information.:thanks:



chmsam said:


> Sorry to take so long to reply -- I was out of town working a rally.
> 
> To clarify: the silicone brake grease can be up to $2 more than dielectric silicone grease sold in some of the same auto parts stores. Same tube, same size, same label, and same stuff, just on a different cardboard blisterpack.


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