DIY chain lube?
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Thread started by
KiMS1 at 06.30.10 - 10:28 am
a friend of mine is in Namibia for the peace corp. its super cold (it's winter right now), way dry, and super sandy.
since shes in teh middle of nowhere, there are no bike shops where she can buy chain lube.
is there anything else, some other kinda fluid she can use to lube up her chain?
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let's send her a case of triflow.
mmaceda06.30.10 - 10:44 am
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![](/images/forums/small/3in1oil_1277920038.jpg)
The title was just too much for iJunes ... i'm sure he's workup up a homemade batch of White Lighting right now.
......
Back to reality ....
I am guessing what bikers have been using for years before ppl started marketing bike chain lube. is 3 in 1 oil. I'm sure it will work fine and much better than nothing.
trickmilla06.30.10 - 10:47 am
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Any vegetable oil will work - palm, coconut, peanut, olive, soy, etc., so she should be able to hit up any market and be set. Coconut oil might be best if she can find it, since it's near solid at room temperature and might be less likely to attract grit.
JB06.30.10 - 10:49 am
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it obviously doesn't have to be this brand. Any place that has machines will have some sot of machine oil. I'm sure even motor oil would work in a pinch.
trickmilla06.30.10 - 10:50 am
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Nice suggestion for getting completely off petrol!
trickmilla responding to a
comment by JB
06.30.10 - 10:50 am
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I use the bar & chain oil they sell for chainsaws, and have been doing so for some time. It does a better job keeping sand out than the White Lightning I used to use, it's a lot cheaper, and if there's a performance hit for it being thicker, it didn't hurt me in my last triathlon. Not that she would need high performance if she's just commuting.
Jacksua06.30.10 - 10:53 am
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Anal Lube works good.....
Foldie06.30.10 - 11:03 am
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Dip chain in melted candle wax, like in the old days? Oily lubes suck for dry sandy places
Gav06.30.10 - 11:12 am
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does anyone around have a generator? or a moped? she can use gear oil
adrian06.30.10 - 11:23 am
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candle wax?
I know one of the thread applications works.
But not sure about the chain application (i.e white lightning)
md206.30.10 - 2:52 pm
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candle wax (paraffin wax) used to be used as chain lube. People would melt it and dip the chain in.
Gav responding to a
comment by md2
06.30.10 - 7:24 pm
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i might have this reversed. Paraffin is a candle wax, not all candle wax is paraffin
Gav06.30.10 - 7:26 pm
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