What properties should a penetrating lubricant have?
The properties a penetrating lubricant must have are quite varied and some even contradict one another. For example, in order to provide good penetrating properties high fluidity is needed, whereas in order to provide good lubricating properties low fluidity is needed instead. It is also important that a penetrating lubricant displaces water and softens rust, and after application forms a stable film that provides lubricating and anti-corrosion properties. All these requirements are met by mixing various components. High penetrating ability is obtained by introducing substances with short molecular chains into the composition, lubricating properties are provided by oils with long molecular chains, and corrosion inhibitors deal with rust. The multi-component nature of such a lubricant can be confirmed by a simple test. You can simply drop the lubricant onto filter paper. The stain on the paper will very quickly take the form of concentric circles. It is not hard to guess that the more viscous substances will be in the centre, while the components with good penetrating ability will spread the widest. In fact, the amount of each of these components in the composition of the lubricant is what mainly determines the balance of its properties.
What is penetrating lubricant used for?
It should be understood that, because of its versatility, a penetrating lubricant will lose out to narrowly specialised lubricants in individual disciplines. For example, it cannot match graphite grease in load-bearing capacity and therefore cannot be used in heavily loaded mechanisms; it loses to PTFE lubricants in anti-friction properties, so if it is critically important for you to greatly reduce the coefficient of friction, it is better to use PTFE; in water resistance it loses to lithium greases, so if a mechanism is constantly exposed to jets of water, a penetrating lubricant will not be the best choice. On the other hand, it penetrates well into hard-to-reach places and is able to soften rust, which makes it indispensable when a rusted fastener has to be undone. Penetrating lubricant is also good for the care of locks, hinges, lightly loaded bearings and gear drives, and telescopic aerials – it penetrates well into all small gaps and at the same time is able to deposit a thin layer of lubricating materials on the most inaccessible surfaces. Thanks to its ability to displace moisture it is very effective at preventing locks from freezing in the cold season – it is enough to treat the mechanisms immediately after every wash and whenever the temperature is expected to change from above to below zero.
Can penetrating lubricant be used to treat bicycle and motorcycle chains?
Recommendations to use penetrating lubricant for treating chains can often be found on the Internet. At first sight this really does seem logical: after all, it penetrates well into the chain joints and lubricates it. However, it should be borne in mind that bicycle and motorcycle chains work in the open air and are often exposed to precipitation, so if you ride in the rain a penetrating lubricant is not the best choice, since it will be washed out of the chain fairly quickly. In addition, motorcycle chains work under very high specific loads, and a penetrating lubricant with a low load-bearing capacity simply will not withstand such forces. That is why for motorcycle chains we recommend using specialised lubricants. With bicycle chains the situation is also not so clear-cut. If you cycle a lot, in any weather and not only on the flat, it is also better to use a special chain lubricant. But if you use the bicycle from time to time and only in good weather, you can use the penetrating lubricant you have to hand: under low loads and in the absence of water it will cope perfectly well.