Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 11
  1. #1

    Default Excellent comparison of some CLP products

    Well worth the watch. Project farm does some decent tests.

    Some of the old favourites aren't all that great at lubricating.


  2. #2

    Default Re: Excellent comparison of some CLP products

    Im actually subscribed to his channel.

    Small note is. He is testing the standard Hoppes oil. Hoppes has in last couple of years started producing their Elite range which more competes with the other brands. As it includes advancements made in lubricating Tech. He should have actually tested that range as well and not just the old mix.

  3. #3
    Moderator Skaaphaas's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Elsewhere
    Posts
    18,528

    Default Re: Excellent comparison of some CLP products

    Quote Originally Posted by jager View Post
    Well worth the watch. Project farm does some decent tests.

    Some of the old favourites aren't all that great at lubricating.

    Thanks for posting. I love this guy’s videos.
    Sent electronically, thus not signed.

  4. #4
    User
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Klein Karoo
    Age
    56
    Posts
    1,024

    Default Re: Excellent comparison of some CLP products

    Full disclosure: I am the senior lubricants technical advisor at one of the biggest oil companies in the country. They call me a tribologist.

    I do not use a CLP product, and definitely not one carrying the US mil spec.

    My rationale is that the US military specifies a single product that will work everywhere, i.e. hot and cold (extremes), and cleans, lubricates and protects (hence CLP). The physics of lubricants does not (currently) allow one product to do all this well.

    This means the mil-spec CLP products are a compromise. If you are happy to overlook the -40 degrees (C or F, it's the same) requirement, you can do much better in "normal" weather conditions (normal for South Africa, let's say 0 to 40 degrees C). And if you separate your cleaning from your lubrication/protection, you can do even better.

    So, I use a nitrosolvent for cleaning (I like Hoppes #9 but pretty much any nitrosolvent works for me), and I use a fairly heavy (high viscosity) synthetic (poly-alpha olefin) oil to lubricate.

    So, it is my professional opinion that I, as a normal citizen and competition shooter in South Africa, can do better than these all-in-one solutions (which is designed and made for someone with constraints I don't have).

  5. #5
    User
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Sandton
    Posts
    8,770

    Default Re: Excellent comparison of some CLP products

    Quote Originally Posted by zs6hdv View Post
    Full disclosure: I am the senior lubricants technical advisor at one of the biggest oil companies in the country. They call me a tribologist.

    I do not use a CLP product, and definitely not one carrying the US mil spec.

    My rationale is that the US military specifies a single product that will work everywhere, i.e. hot and cold (extremes), and cleans, lubricates and protects (hence CLP). The physics of lubricants does not (currently) allow one product to do all this well.


    This means the mil-spec CLP products are a compromise. If you are happy to overlook the -40 degrees (C or F, it's the same) requirement, you can do much better in "normal" weather conditions (normal for South Africa, let's say 0 to 40 degrees C). And if you separate your cleaning from your lubrication/protection, you can do even better.

    So, I use a nitrosolvent for cleaning (I like Hoppes #9 but pretty much any nitrosolvent works for me), and I use a fairly heavy (high viscosity) synthetic (poly-alpha olefin) oil to lubricate.

    So, it is my professional opinion that I, as a normal citizen and competition shooter in South Africa, can do better than these all-in-one solutions (which is designed and made for someone with constraints I don't have).
    You could be called a lot worse than 'tribologist' ;-)

    It's great to get a professional's insight into a topic that for most of us is a bit murky and magical.

    Do you have an opinion on Ed's Red, i.e. equal parts ATF, paraffin, acetone and turps? I've used the stuff for years and it works well for my needs especially on my shotguns where it does a good job of getting the off the plastic fouling.

  6. #6
    User
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Klein Karoo
    Age
    56
    Posts
    1,024

    Default Re: Excellent comparison of some CLP products

    Quote Originally Posted by oafpatroll View Post
    You could be called a lot worse than 'tribologist' ;-)

    It's great to get a professional's insight into a topic that for most of us is a bit murky and magical.

    Do you have an opinion on Ed's Red, i.e. equal parts ATF, paraffin, acetone and turps? I've used the stuff for years and it works well for my needs especially on my shotguns where it does a good job of getting the off the plastic fouling.
    I have made some Ed's Red to test, and have a bottle standing on a shelf. It works well and the ATF in there is actually a pretty good lubricant. A bit thin for my liking, so I always lubricate with dedicated oil as well.

  7. #7
    User
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Klein Karoo
    Age
    56
    Posts
    1,024

    Default Re: Excellent comparison of some CLP products

    I would also like to comment on the testing from the video.

    There are several industry standard lubricant testing machines, for example the HFRR (High Frequency Reciprocating Rig) test, the Timken load test and several others. Each test a specific characteristic which might look impressive but not be particularly applicable to your situation. An example is the test from the old Prolong (or PS23?) TV ads, the one with the Dodge Viper running with oil drained.

    That test could be passed with MILK (full cream :D ). I would not run my Dodge Viper on milk.

    The test in the video has the lubricant replenished continuously by the bottom of the wheel running in the lubricant. While this is an OK test, it does not replicate the situation on a reciprocating slide on a pistol or self loading rifle. In the case of my pistol, lubricant that is squeezed out as the slide cycles might not get back into the rails, which means a different characteristic of the lubricant than the one tested, comes into play. Many people like a tacky grease, I actually think a moly or graphite grease (solid lubricants) is not such a bad idea, except that the moly stains your clothes something awful.

  8. #8
    User
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Sandton
    Posts
    8,770

    Default Re: Excellent comparison of some CLP products

    Quote Originally Posted by zs6hdv View Post
    I have made some Ed's Red to test, and have a bottle standing on a shelf. It works well and the ATF in there is actually a pretty good lubricant. A bit thin for my liking, so I always lubricate with dedicated oil as well.
    Thanks, I use it for cleaning so that's good to hear.

  9. #9

    Default Re: Excellent comparison of some CLP products

    Quote Originally Posted by zs6hdv View Post

    So, it is my professional opinion that I, as a normal citizen and competition shooter in South Africa, can do better than these all-in-one solutions (which is designed and made for someone with constraints I don't have).
    Makes sense.

    I like cleaning and fiddling with my guns, so I use 4 products. A solvent, an oil, a grease and Ballistol for protection.

    I use Hoppe's to clean, oil for most contact/wear points, teflon grease for areas like slide rails and shotgun hinge pins. I then wipe down everything else with a Ballistol rag for rust prevention.

    What's your take on using synthetic motor oil for lubrication. Any issues with dodgy vapors etc?

  10. #10
    User
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Klein Karoo
    Age
    56
    Posts
    1,024

    Default Re: Excellent comparison of some CLP products

    Quote Originally Posted by jager View Post
    Makes sense.

    I like cleaning and fiddling with my guns, so I use 4 products. A solvent, an oil, a grease and Ballistol for protection.

    I use Hoppe's to clean, oil for most contact/wear points, teflon grease for areas like slide rails and shotgun hinge pins. I then wipe down everything else with a Ballistol rag for rust prevention.

    What's your take on using synthetic motor oil for lubrication. Any issues with dodgy vapors etc?
    I think you can do worse than using a synthetic motor oil. Dodgy vapours is not on my list of worries. <-- This is not me saying, go use a motor oil on your guns. But you're not going to break your gun using a synthetic (or even mineral) motor oil.

    As a student, decades ago, I ran my CZ 75 Pre-B on two stroke oil, after reading in (I think) a Guns and Ammo magazine that not many things run faster and hotter than a two stroke motorcyle engine, so it should protect your gun. That Pre-B still runs flawlessly, tens of thousands of rounds later, although it is now much less used in favour of the Shadow.

    Much more important than the exact lubricant used (and that goes for your car as well), is the maintenance and housekeeping associated with lubrication. If you only spray Q20 on your gun once every five years and never shoot it, it might not work when you want it to work.

    I try to keep my gun reasonably clean and lubed, my thinking is that I'd rather only have oil in the slide rails than sufficient oil mixed with a few months worth of soot, forming somewhat of a grinding paste. But I shoot regularly, so I take the barrel out every couple of hundred rounds to remove the soot which builds up on the feeding ramp, and use the opportunity to wipe down the rest of the gun and re-apply oil.

    I cannot remember when last I had a stoppage.

Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •