To clean or not to clean

[bitshird]

I recently had a 7MM. transmission that felt particularly sticky, so I soaked it in mineral spirits, and it freed up to the point of having virtually no resistance to turning until it gets the light snap at the fully extended position.
I remember a discussion several weeks ago regarding the thick coating that the wonderful folks in Asia put on the parts to inhibit rust, is it smart to remove the goo and have the transmissions feel as though there is no resistance, or allow them to be stiff, also what would a person do to lubricate them (no wd40 it's not a lubricant) or does it seem necessary?

 

[Texatdurango]

Try it on a few and see how you like the difference. I assembled a few Sierra pens a while back and encountered the "sticky" transmissions so cleaned them with lacquer thinner to free them up. They felt horrible afterwards, so much so that I didn't use them and grabbed some "sticky" transmissions instead.

I think there is a viable mechanical reason these are coated and it's not simply because "the wonderful folks in Asia put on the parts to inhibit rust"!

 

[Hello]

While I'm new to pen turning, I do know a small bit about metals and lubricants. The goo in the tranny of the 7mm is a colorless axle grease basically. It can be replaced with vitamin E oil if you're nervous about trying to find and apply something like axle grease. The rust protection bit is likely a non-issue once the pen is assembled.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I had an interesting experience trying to get an answer to this same situation with CS. I noticed that Cigar kits were particularly sticky. So, I sent an e-mail to CS asking if they should be cleaned. Before getting a response, I had another tech question about an unrelated situation so I called. After settling the first problem, I asked about the sticky transmissions. Tech on phone said absolutely do not clean. The sticky is for a reason and that is to make them work after assembly. OK. Later, I got an e-mail response to the same question from a different tech. He said to clean them and recommended WD-40 (which I had been using). Go figger. [] Glad I could help.

 

[karlkuehn]

I kind of like the stickyness myself. It's one thing to have a locking mechanism that holds the nib out while writing, but I think that the sticky is the one thing that stands between a pen staying closed and me having ink spots under my pockets.

Granted, some of them seem a little over-sticky, but maybe just a drop of solvent to smooth it up a little would help. Never thought of trying that.

 

[Randy_]

Anyone ever take one of these twist mechanisms apart to see what is inside of them? Or for that matter, a Parker twist mechanism. I doubt the parts of these mechanisms are subject to rust. It looks to me like the outer tubes are chrome plated and the inner pieces are plastic, brass or pot metal. I suspect the grease serves purely to lubricate and provide the smooth "feel" of the operating mechanism.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I agree, Randy. They look like aluminum and brass to me. Some traction inside the tube might be benficial. OTOH, I have seen Cigar trannys that were gunked up so badly they cried to be cleaned.

 

[Texatdurango]

This discussion reminds me of talking to a new pen turner a few months back. His slimlines would barely retract in and out, one was stuck in the out position permanantly and he was blaming the grease in the transmission for causing the sluggish feel when in reality the cause was the poor fit of the pen.

I'm not saying anyone here would ever make such a pen , Just something to keep in mind when you start talking about the pen being hard to open and close, it MIGHT just be caused by something else.

 

[btboone]

The stuff is called Motion Control Grease or High Shear Grease. It is used in things like stereo knobs, or the gears of a cassette player door, where a smooth even motion is desired. I used to design paper towel dispensers, and we used some there. A company called Nye Inc makes it. It is very sticky, and comes in different viscosities.

 

[Glass Scratcher]

Ok, So it should be Motion Control Grease, question is- is it?

 

[bitshird]

Bruce, Thanks for the info, at first I thought it seemed like good idea, but in retrospect the pens feel kind of sloppy, I wish I could strike a happy medium, I will try and locate some of the Motion Control Grease, any recomendatio on a viscosity rating? I was getting ready t4ry some mineral oil, or as Hello suggested Vitamine E oil, [:I]