Penetrating Oils

DaveP

DaveP

Active member
I got this from a post on NCRS discussion board. There were no links or attribution other than that within the post itself. Enjoy:

Penetrating Oils

Machinist’s Workshop Mag™ recently published some information on various penetrating oils that I found very interesting. Some of you might appreciate this. The magazine reports they tested penetrates for break out torque on rusted nuts.

They are below, as forwarded by an ex-student and professional machinist. They arranged a subjective test of all the popular penetrates with the control being the torque required to remove the nut from a “scientifically rusted” environment.

*Penetrating oil .......... Average load*
None ........................... 516 pounds
WD-40 ..................... ... 238 pounds
PB Blaster .................... 214 pounds
Liquid Wrench ............... 127 pounds
Kano Kroil .................... 106 pounds
ATF*-Acetone mix...............53 pounds

The ATF-Acetone mix was a “home brew” mix of 50 - 50 automatic transmission fluid and acetone. Note the “home brew” was better than any commercial product in this one particular test.

Our local machinist group mixed up a batch and we all now use it with equally good results.

Note also that “Liquid Wrench” is almost as good as “Kroil” for about 20% of the price.

Steve from Godwin-Singer says that ATF-Acetone mix is the best and you can also use ATF- lacquer thinner 50 - 50 mix.
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Norm

Norm

Donating Member
Re: Penetrating Oils

In the shop I work at we are not allowed to use things that are flammable. So no wd-40, we use a product called Move-It.
 
warmpancakes

warmpancakes

New member
Re: Penetrating Oils

Norm said:
In the shop I work at we are not allowed to use things that are flammable. So no wd-40, we use a product called Move-It.
Click to expand...

same here, If we cant get a MSDS sheet we cant use it but ive had great results with Kano kroil,
 
Treymen

Treymen

Donating Member
Re: Penetrating Oils

It is true that there are much better penetrants than what most of us can purchase. But as stated above, most are flammable and some (such as the laquer based) are straight up dangerous, toxic and even lethal. ATF/Kerosene actually works quite well also
 
bezerk

bezerk

New member
Re: Penetrating Oils

what was the load the put on the bolt to begin with? going from 516 to 53 pounds i have to call BS.
 
G

green73

Donating Member
Re: Penetrating Oils

I have had good luck with SeaFoam's penetrant lube recently. I have yet to try the ATF/Acetone mix but have known about it for quite a few years. Another option is http://www.gibbsbrand.net/ In the hot rod world this gets great reviews for more than just a penetrant/lube. It is rumored to keep raw/bare steel from rusting in the open air for quite some time, with no ill effects on painting it later. I have no experience, and only regurgitating what I have heard though. I do intend on getting a can of the Gibbs stuff one of these days.
 
berzerker

berzerker

wookie
Re: Penetrating Oils

work supplies p.b. blaster . it works better then wd40 imo . And it's better then nothing at all. of course.. if the fastener is really stubborn . My favorite tool is the good old is the smoke wrench . : )
 
SY2932

SY2932

Administrator
Re: Penetrating Oils

Interesting info, thanks for sharing :). Back in the day when I was an aspiring gunsmith, we didn't use anything other than Kano Sili Kroil on rusted guns. It claims to penetrate into spaces as small as .000001" (one millionth of an inch). Removing rusted 4/40 screws on a firearm rules out many techniques typically used... It IS expensive and not intend for use in California :roll:.
 
TYRODD

TYRODD

My ass. Look at it.
Re: Penetrating Oils

Kroil has been my go to penetrating oil for over 12 years. Works great as an air tool oil and gets extra credit for smelling awesome.:tup:
 
warmpancakes

warmpancakes

New member
Re: Penetrating Oils

Quickstop [UK] said:
Another thread ruined.
Click to expand...



A study done by Machinist's Workshop magazine in their April 2007 issue looked at different penetrating oils to see which one did the best job of removing a rusted bolt by measuring the pounds of torque required to loosen the bolt once treated. If the study was scientifically accurate, it turns out a home brew works best!
Here's the summary of the test results:

Penetrating oil ..... Average load

None ...................... 516 pounds
WD-40 ................... 238 pounds
PB Blaster .............. 214 pounds
Liquid Wrench ...... 127 pounds
Kano Kroil ............. 106 pounds
ATF-Acetone mix....53 pounds
 
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