Mr. Timberwolf - Ballistol

[john jesseph]

Hello Timberwolf (and all)- I bought a Starrett combination square from you ten years ago. I recall that you used a mix of Ballistol and mineral oil on your tools. Is this still something you do? Just curious. Thanks!

[Timberwolf]

Hello Timberwolf (and all)-  I bought a Starrett combination square from you ten years ago. I recall that you used a mix of Ballistol and mineral oil on your tools. Is this still something you do? Just curious. Thanks!

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Hi John,
Yes, Balistol is still my "go to" for tools and firearms....I keep a piece of flannel that has been "dampened" with it in a zip-lock bag and periodically wipe surfaces down with it..A can of it can last for years.. Mineral oil is not essential but if you can find in "heavy" grade it will give a little more "body" to the mixture...a thin film is all it takes. I know from experience that Balistol is an excellent product and I trust it, but there are other good rust preventatives on the market as well. A heavy "grease-like" rust preventative that I also trust is a product originally developed for firearms in particular, is one called Rig..I used it 50 yrs ago and still use it for long term storage ...it is excellent for preventing rust on cast iron. I know most good gun shops have it for sale..A small container of it will last for many years. It works to prevent oxygen and moisture from getting to the surface of the metal. Boeshield is another good rust preventative. I hope the Starrett is serving you well...

[john jesseph]

I threw a bottle in the “shopping for shut-ins” virtual cart, thought I’d check it out. You answered my next question, what viscosity mineral oil you used to mix, and what proportion.

I’ve experimented and settled on my choices of solvents, cleaners, lubricants, and rust inhibitors. I’m going to put RIG on my list to consider and experiment with.

To elaborate on the above: I’m a big fan of LPS 1, LPS 2, Kroil, Boeshield, Fluid Film, microcrystalline wax, and Jojoba.

[Timberwolf]

I threw a bottle in the “shopping for shut-ins” virtual cart, thought I’d check it out. You answered my next question, what viscosity mineral oil you used to mix, and what proportion.

I’ve experimented and settled on my choices of solvents, cleaners, lubricants, and rust inhibitors. I’m going to put RIG on my list to consider and experiment with.

To elaborate on the above: I’m a big fan of LPS 1, LPS 2, Kroil, Boeshield, Fluid Film, microcrystalline wax, and Jojoba.

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I have read on gun forums that R.I.G. stands for Rust Inhibiting Grease...I don't know if that's true, but I do know it works very well for doing that. And I know lots of "gun guys" depend on it for protecting some pretty valuable firearms...When I was young, I had what old tyme German machinists used to call "poison hands"...meaning tools would rust overnight when I handled them if I didn't oil them. Since I have gotten old, my hands are not as "clammy" and that doesn't happen any more but I still don't take any chances. I think it's less important WHAT material you use to protect your tools, than how consistently you do it.

[AHill]

Most of the rust prevention tests I've seen rank Boeshield T-9 at the top. It's not cheap, but a little goes a long way. It comes in liquid or spray.

This guy who runs the Project Farm YouTube site does some pretty good testing and buys it all himself. Here's a test he did on gun CLP's. Ballistol was one of the products he tested. His test was more oriented toward how the products performed for guns.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fibRewlndLg

[Timberwolf]

Most of the rust prevention tests I've seen rank Boeshield T-9 at the top.  It's not cheap, but a little goes a long way.  It comes in liquid or spray.

This guy who runs the Project Farm YouTube site does some pretty good testing and buys it all himself.  Here's a test he did on gun CLP's.  Ballistol was one of the products he tested.  His test was more oriented toward how the products performed for guns.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fibRewlndLg

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The power company I retired from {Florida Power} did extensive tests on corrosion protection...submerged metals used on lines, metal poles etc. For periods of time.....determined that ordinary chassis grease did very well along with silicone grease..wax didn't do very well...Boeshield is excellent but I personally found it to be really "messy"..As a dielectric, we used silicone grease on our fiberglass booms..When you're working 100KVA barehand at 100ft up in a bucket and it starts raining, you want any water that gets on the boom to "bead up" and not provide a good path to ground..silicone grease was best but the booms had to be cleaned and grease reapplied weekly, or dust would cling to it and high voltage could travel to ground on the dust..The fact that silicone repels water makes it effective for corrosion prevention.

[TraditionalToolworks]

Most of the rust prevention tests I've seen rank Boeshield T-9 at the top.

Yes, and they have "Rust Free", which is a rust remover. T-9 will not remove rust, only prevent it. It is the best, IMO, I use it for everything other people commonly use WD40 for, and I only use WD40 as a cutting fluid for aluminum. Being a sailor, I learned long ago that WD40 is horrible on any electrical wire covers, it's eats them and corrodes the wire connections and gums up winchs, so most all racers use T-9. For me it's not good for mechanical OR electrical, so I find WD40 more annoying than it's worth. It does work really well as a cutting fluid for aluminum, but tap free does as well...just more expensive...

I also have used Ballistol and have a can on the bench by me, but I have T-9 there also. Ballistol is also good for and recommended for leather, which is why I had originally bought it, and then saw that it was widely used on firearms. But I use CLP more than I use Ballistol, I heard the Government uses CLP. There's another one I've tried on Firearms which is FrogLube. And this bring us to why I HATE Ballistol and will only use it if I would have to go out to the garage/truck, but I always regret it. It STINKS and is such a foul odor that just hangs around my office/shop area, even if I open the windows and have the fans going, that Ballistol is foul to me. CLP less offensive, and FrogLube being pleasant. I think it's some type of mint smell...WD40 smell like old tennis shoes.

CLP is the handiest and I got a 2 for 1 sale years ago and still using those cans. I also use it as quick lube while I'm polishing turds...(i.e., cleaning old dirty rusted tools). Rust Free is the only rust remover that smells good to me. It smells like coconut, other than that I use diesel. In fact one thing diesel is great for is washing your hands when they're filthy greasy, it doesn't irritate the skin. That is not so of mineral spirits, at least for me...my hands seems to end up itching even if I wear nitrile gloves...

Now I'm having second thoughts, if it doesn't bother Jack, and he's already old than I'm projecting for myself. which is about a dozen years younger than his age...maybe I should start using Ballistol more???

[john jesseph]

My Ballistol arrived, so I’ll get some heavy mineral oil and apply to some tools this weekend. I don’t currently have a shop or a workbench, but I can do some tool sorting, maintainance, and culling/thinning. I need to go visit my machines and get some Boeshield on the tables ASAP.

[john jesseph]

Forgot to ask: what’s your proportion of Ballistol to mineral oil? Thanks!

[Timberwolf]

Forgot to ask: what’s your proportion of Ballistol to mineral oil? Thanks!

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Approximately 75% Ballistol...25 %Heavy mineral oil..I just want the viscosity to be a little thicker...If you can't find the heavy, I wouldn't add M.O. at all....