After reading the terrible story about the use of Silicone oils on a thread in the the General Airgun Info section, I am wondering whether we should use these oils at all if there are better alternatives.

I refer mainly to the use of ABBEY silicone oil for lubrication of leather washers in old springers as recommended in a number of tuning threads in this forum. I have used this oil and to date I have had had no problems, but the seeds of doubt have been sowed.

Has anyone had experience with other lubricants for leather washers such as Weboil, synthetic oils or neatsfoot oil.

Mike