[ARC5] [Milsurplus] Anti-Backlash Gear swarf

[Mike Hanz]

On 1/25/2012 8:20 PM, Richard Schumann wrote:
> Anybody mentioned clock oil?  I suppose it's like instrument oil.
> It comes in a neat clear plastic squeeze tube with a looooong tip like a needle to get in those hard to reach places.
> I didn't even know it existed until I needed to lubricate an old mantle clock.  I guess the stuff doesn't evaporate like normal oils.  Got some off Ebay.

Some of the horologists I know suggest that "clock oil" has changed over 
the years, from the sperm oil used for a couple of centuries, to jojoba 
oil, which apparently turned out to be superior to sperm oil, and 
finally basically light ATF without any of the additives required for 
friction clutches.  Of course, the clock oil distributors don't like you 
know that their cost for rebottling it into those little bottles is 
quite low.  Anyway, that's the conspiracy theory that I hear.  I've used 
the Starret in clocks and it seems to have worked fine, at least for the 
old clock or two I've had around the house.  I haven't tried synthetic 
ATF, but I suspect a drop in each of the bearings wouldn't hurt either.  
I don't do watches - a jeweled bearing may require something different.  
Nye Lubricants seems to have the market covered for that branch in 
instrument oil - there are several versions listed on Amazon under a 
"nye lubricant clock watch oil" search.  T'ain't cheap, though.