Reply With QuoteI wouldn't worry about it,don't belive everything you read.I use hempseed oil from sainsburys,good oil brand.Easier to get hold of then neatsfoot & nice on salads too!
My mother was flexible,but couldn't do Thursdays
I have read in the recent past that Neatsfoot is ideal for leather piston washers and the like. I purchased some and have serviced various air rifles and pistols since then using it(where applicable). My concern is that I have since read that Neatsfoot as we know it today is not as pure as it once was and contains water. If this is the case do I have any concern in regards to internal rusting of the cylinder? Does the water evaporate off? I love a good tinker but I don't exactly relish trying to remember which of my collection I've rebuilt since purchasing it or infact the possibility of having to replace 'contaminated' washers.
Although I have a regular plink due to the number of air rifles and pistols I have some don't get touched for a while so the actions won't be being cycled if this makes any difference. Atb,Phil
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I wouldn't worry about it,don't belive everything you read.I use hempseed oil from sainsburys,good oil brand.Easier to get hold of then neatsfoot & nice on salads too!
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Ive been using it....the real stuff but my own in depth experiments has halted its use.Originally Posted by junglie
I have noticed that it goes quite sticky during cold periods and can affect velocity and accuracy....marginally.
I have discovered that Bisley gun oil (green can low viscosity mineral oil) has had no detrimental effect on leather washers after around 2 years of use now.
I have found it to have none of the inconsistancy effects and does not seem to diesel in sub 10 ftlb stuff...pistols etc.
My mother was flexible,but couldn't do Thursdays
Thanks for your replies Gents. Clarky did you notice any signs of rusting when using neatsfoot do you recall? Atb Phil
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No problems in that regard ....just this thickening and slowing in cool temps.
My main worry was finding something that does not rot the valuable leather washers that are so hard to come by and new ones needing a lot of care to get them functioning correctly.
I believe i have managed this with the Bisley oil.
Interestingly Tony Wall had also recommended its use when i was over at his shop last year, apparently containing no additives or nasties.
You dont argue with Tony....nobody better at it.
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How about a bit of Ballistol? Seems to keep my sling in nice condition.
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it would be a bad idea..
Its a surface protector for Leather and metal components ....not a remain liquid and viscous substance.
So it would be fine for sling or riding boots as a water repellent but a real bad idea for your piston washer that needs to remain open and soakable .
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I have been treating leather seals with Neatsfoot oil in my vintage air guns for many years without encountering any rust or other problems.
I Like Gingers Best
I have an old bottle of Equimins pure neatsfoot oil which is years out of date but it still does the job, no probs with rust.
blah blah
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Does it not soak into leather then?
That's a rhetorical question, by the way, to which the answer is 'yes, Ballistol does soak into leather and keeps it supple' - just what is needed for piston washers.
Happy Shooting!! Paul.
"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking that we used when we created them" - Albert Einstein.
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it does indeed soak in just like any other emoilient but it acts as a barrier repelling further loading.
With a leather piston washer we need continual wetting of the leather.
It might be fine and difficult to notice any difference but ultimately you may not be able to resoak the inner material of the leather.
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Oils mentioned so far here - Ballistoil sounds the better - low viscosity and from memory its not a mineral oil .
Another poster said certain Mineral Oil which I always thought was a def No but if it works and TONY say's so.....
So what about WD40 .
Very easy application .
Lazy mode would be to squirt in thru the cocking slot , invert the airgun , with the transfer port blocked . Oil would settle around the Leather Piston Seal .
As its so viscous , absorbs easily into the leather and evaporates ... .
So no risk of combustion ?
I did hear /see the WD40 being used to quickly bring back a tired springer before .
Plus for the run in period you may get some vapourised residue down the barrel - gives it a clean in the process .
My mother was flexible,but couldn't do Thursdays
Thankyou for everyone's thoughts and advice. I think I'm going to strip a few down and take a look and maybe have a bit of an experiment with a few bits myself. All part of the fun I guess. Atb Phil
Twinkle Pixie Hunnybuns
Common myth,WD40 is not an oil its a degreasant,ultimately would get rid of any oil the piston washer was carrying.
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This is correct. WD40 has other components for degreasing and penetrating ...an extremely bad idea as a lube.
It leaves a meniscus film which dries as hard crud if left long enough.
The best use for WD is freeing up seized parts but then re lubing with correct products.
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