Tom W3TDH wrote in
:

I need suggestions for a long lasting lubricant paste for the swivels I
use in my antenna support system. The critical aspect is it must be
compatible with polyester & Nylon ropes. If anyone knows of a lubricant
that is applied as a paste and will continue contributing a lubricating
layer for an extended time but that is also not destructive of
artificial rope I would love to hear of it.

--
Tom Horne W3TDH


Try 'Krytox', used for scuba breathing gear, specifically the rubber O-rings
and valves. It's a PFPE grease (perfluoropolyether), and uses various
thickeners, often powedered teflon. It is very inert, tends to stay where it
is put, and so long as heavy weather can't get in to force displacement, it
should last as long as you need it to. As far as I know, it won't be degraded
with UV, and will not outgas much with ambient heat. I'm not sure what if
anything will degrade it quickly.

On 10/9/2014 10:28 AM, Lostgallifreyan wrote:
Tom W3TDH wrote in
:

I need suggestions for a long lasting lubricant paste for the swivels I
use in my antenna support system. The critical aspect is it must be
compatible with polyester & Nylon ropes. If anyone knows of a lubricant
that is applied as a paste and will continue contributing a lubricating
layer for an extended time but that is also not destructive of
artificial rope I would love to hear of it.

--
Tom Horne W3TDH


Try 'Krytox', used for scuba breathing gear, specifically the rubber O-rings
and valves. It's a PFPE grease (perfluoropolyether), and uses various
thickeners, often powedered teflon. It is very inert, tends to stay where it
is put, and so long as heavy weather can't get in to force displacement, it
should last as long as you need it to. As far as I know, it won't be degraded
with UV, and will not outgas much with ambient heat. I'm not sure what if
anything will degrade it quickly.

That may not be a good lubricant. Its intended purpose is to help with
the seal of the o-rings. Lubrication is not really needed there.

That said, I'm sure it is a better lubricant than not having one. Of
course this all depends on what is being lubricated. I assume the
swivels are made of metal, but which kind and what surface?

--

Rick

rickman wrote in :

That may not be a good lubricant. Its intended purpose is to help with
the seal of the o-rings. Lubrication is not really needed there.

That said, I'm sure it is a better lubricant than not having one. Of
course this all depends on what is being lubricated. I assume the
swivels are made of metal, but which kind and what surface?


Good point, but it's actually excellent where I've tried it. I have used it
in fans, sleeveless bearings and such, and while it has a butter-like
tendency to part between two moving surfaces rather than gloop between them,
requiring a bit more than might normally be called for with a grease to make
sure there is enough where it matters, it excludes dirt well, does not form a
grinding paste easily because it tends to keep grit on its outer surface, and
does not migrate like a silicone grease does.

In short, I really like the stuff. I've seen a few fans just carrying on
like the Energiser bunny, for years, logn extended beyond the point where
other greases had been tried and found wanting.

I suspect the main thing to watch for is than on many surfaces it is more
coherent than adherent, but swivels to attach lines to will have enough
complex curves to retain the stuff.

It, or somethign very similar, is used as standard in car door hingers,
apparently.