Best lube for leather Piston seal

[series2a]

What's the best method for lubricating a leather seal.???and what lube is best.

[silva]

I use neatsfoot oil. Its always worked fine, though some people use green oil. If you search the forum you will find some useful threads on this. I can probably send you some if you don't want to buy a full bottle. Though you might be able to scrounge some if you know any horse people or if there is a saddler in your region.

[PhatMan]

Series2a,

For the last two (2) leather piston washers I have installed, I have been using Krytox GPL105 oil.

(I know the traditional way is to use neatsfoot oil - I can hear the chappies saying burn him for being a heretic )

The Krytox oil is incredibly slippy and also totally non-flammable. Ideal properties for an oil for seals.

So far, so good - the rifles have been shooting superbly (ca. 2000 pellets through each one), with no ill effects from using the Krytox

The only downside that I can see is the gaspingly high price for the Krytox - ca. £46 for 30 mL

However, you don't use that much to soak up a leather washer, so the price isn't that bad per washer (!!!!).

Have fun & a good weekend

Best regards

Russ

[kamyonsofor]

Hi car engine Mineral oil 5w30 or 10w40 ,NOT SEMI OR FULL SYNTHETIC. the 30 or 40 is the viscosity (thickness) so 30 is thinner than 40, 5w is the winter temperature degree.Every gun I have on getting/ receiving whether air springer, pump, underlever, part cock them and few drops of oil thru the breech seal and close up and leave them upright overnight and my sgc's I use 10w 40 with no probs even on my Fac's and sgc's.

[clarky]

Hi car engine Mineral oil 5w30 or 10w40 ,NOT SEMI OR FULL SYNTHETIC. the 30 or 40 is the viscosity (thickness) so 30 is thinner than 40, 5w is the winter temperature degree.Every gun I have on getting/ receiving whether air springer, pump, underlever, part cock them and few drops of oil thru the breech seal and close up and leave them upright overnight and my sgc's I use 10w 40 with no probs even on my Fac's and sgc's.

This is good advice for the leather seal but after a very long period of buying, making and lubing i have finally called time on the leather seal...
Quite recently my last leather piston head chuck out to parachute washer has completed my entire collection and no turning back...
There just isnt enough consistancy ...for me .

[silva]

Various skilled engineers and airgun smiths have experimented with the Bsa Lincoln Jefferies types and I gather the general consensus was that leather washers shoot as well as synthetic ones in these rifles. But it may have moved on perhaps

[pelletcaster]

I was thinking to use some hydraulic oil - simply because I have it on hand.
Any comments on this?

[AdeC]

Silicone oil?

[JLB]

Silicone oil?

Never ever, ever, ever ever, you get the picture, use silicon oil.

John

[clarky]

Silicone oil?

....It galls metal to metal contact ...
Its only use is a wipe over to protect metals ....or so once thought..
Im not even sure about that now....

[pelletcaster]

Once more my humble question:
hydraulic oil?

Any ideas?

[TonyL]

Its only use is a wipe over to protect metals ....or so once thought..
Im not even sure about that now....

I've used it for nigh on 40 years to protect the exterior of my guns with no issues and would say that it excels in this area.