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penetrating oils.

MIKE WISKEY
I got this from a gunsmith friend... interesting
Machinist's Workshop magazine actually tested penetrates for break out torque on rusted nuts. Significant results! They are below, as forwarded by an ex-student and professional machinist, Bud Baker.



*Don't forget the April 2007 "Machinist's Workshop" magazine comparison
test.*
**
*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 about
as good as "Kroil" for about 20% of the price. *
**
*Your experience may vary, etc., etc.*
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Comments

11 comments

Date Votes
  • He Dog
    Verrrrrry Interesting! Wish you had posted this BEFORE I bought the Kroil.[:p]
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  • Cornflk1
    Going to try the "home brew" today, might even make some penetrating oil as well [^][^][^]
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  • Colt Super
    I love to find stuff like this.

    You can great info from the SAE website - Society of Automotive Engineers.

    Scientifically documented facts beat the hell out of personal anecdotes.

    Doug
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  • jonk
    Hmm. I'm skeptical. I don't doubt the results but would like to know their sample size as rusted bolts are a very subjective thing.
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  • nononsense
    Excellent! This gives us more information to work with when we're all confronted with that 'stubborn' bolt or screw. Automatic Transmission Fluid has been on the list of penetrating oils for gunsmiths for decades.

    I suggest though that if you choose to use acetone, you learn a little more about it. Acetone evaporates rapidly, even from water and soil. This means that it requires a certain type of container in order to slow down the evaporation. Mixing a large batch of this and letting it sit in a plastic bottle would be a waste. I would keep the two components around but separate, mixing them only on demand.

    Thanks Mike!

    Best.

    OleDuk,

    I use glass reagent bottles for a lot of chemistry that I use at the bench but there are also some laboratory grade plastic bottles that will hold the acetone.

    The acetone I get from the hardware store comes in metal 1-quart cans.

    Best.
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  • Emmett Dunham
    The penetrating oil tests are great and I have already mixed a batch up, the only problem is that Kroil has atrabutes that all the others listed do not and for all around maintance the others can't get on the list.

    Great Imformation


    Emmett
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  • OleDuk
    Nononsense, I believe the acetone would attack a common plastic container. Better to use glass or metal, no?

    OleDuk[:)][:)]
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  • barnhartmd051977
    Great I just ordered a Gallon can of Kroil, Then I red this form... Life is never dull around my house...
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  • vdms55
    i got to liking kroil so much i started to drink it. you suspose i can drink the home recipe stuff
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  • He Dog
    VDM, sure, drink all you want. Once.
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  • Bert H.
    quote:Originally posted by OleDuk
    Nononsense, I believe the acetone would attack a common plastic container. Better to use glass or metal, no?

    OleDuk[:)][:)]


    I do not believe that to be the case... when I buy 100% pure acetone, it comes in a plastic bottle.

    I wonder if adding acetone to Kroil will increase its penetrating properties?

    Acetone and Kroil are the two primary cleaning agents in my arsenal when I tackle a 100+ year old Winchester in need of a good clean-up.
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