# oil



## ome (Jun 14, 2013)

What type of oil should be used on the threads of a brown and sharp micrometer?


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## Richard King (Jun 14, 2013)

They used to call it Instrument Oil when I ordered it years ago, but I would suspect sewing machine or gun oil would work as a substitute.  Possibly 3 in 1 oil too.


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## Shade (Jun 14, 2013)

Kano Labs - Microil; Starrett makes an instrument oil also.  You can use a good quality R&O or Turbine oil, in a low viscosity grade.  http://www.kanolabs.com/indLub.html#anchor221676 http://www.starrett.com/metrology/p...ls/Precision-Shop-Tools/Other-Shop-Tools/1620  I have both, they also make a good gun oil.


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## itsme_Bernie (Jun 14, 2013)

I just bought Starrett Instrument Oil online...  I will try to see where I got it

Bernie


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## ki4byz (Jun 15, 2013)

I use naphtha “lighter fluid” to clean and lube all my precision tools.
  I have been using it for 30 years with no problems.
  Squirt, wipe, blow, squirt, blow, leaving a light film for lube.


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## Metalmann (Jun 15, 2013)

ome said:


> What type of oil should be used on the threads of a brown and sharp micrometer?




Like these guys suggested, any type of thin oil such as Clipper Oil will be fine.

Precise adjustment of your micrometers take up nuts, is just as important as lube.

Brand names, don't really matter.:winner:


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## ome (Jun 17, 2013)

Thank you Guys, i see that Enco sells an instrument oil.  
Can acetone be used instead of naptha for cleaning ?


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## Shade (Jun 17, 2013)

ome said:


> Thank you Guys, i see that Enco sells an instrument oil.
> Can acetone be used instead of naptha for cleaning ?


 I would stay away from acetone or alcohol they can effect some plastics and paints.  Naphtha or Stoddard solvent is safer, aka charcoal lighter fluid.


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## 4GSR (Jun 19, 2013)

I would stay away from "3 in 1" oil.  It will gum up your mics over time.  I recently pulled some from storage that I probably haven't used in 5 or 6 years.  Had to work them a little to free them up.  I have a bottle of the Starrett instrument oil I now use.  Haven't had any problems using it.  Ken


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## Todd (Jun 27, 2013)

the starret instrument oil is what i use.  on the bottle it just says that it is a highly refined mineral oil though, so i am sure a good clean mineral oil would work just fine as well


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## KBeitz (Aug 11, 2018)

Clock oil....


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## Bob Korves (Aug 11, 2018)

Starrett 1620 oil is used as a mainstay product across many industries for lubricating precision threads and is readily available.  I have a gallon of light turbine oil and also a partially full gallon can of Velocite #3 (ISO 2) spindle oil that I use for the plain bearing spindle in my B&S 2A surface grinder.  Both seem to work just fine in micrometers and such over long periods.  When I run out of them I might get the Starrett product...


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## markba633csi (Aug 11, 2018)

Just when I thought I knew most everything about oil..


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## jdedmon91 (Aug 11, 2018)

Todd said:


> the starret instrument oil is what i use. on the bottle it just says that it is a highly refined mineral oil though, so i am sure a good clean mineral oil would work just fine as well



Growing up my Dad used the Starrett instrument oil on his fishing reels the main reason was because it is so highly refined it had less odor. So it good for more than micrometers 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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