Oiling a bracelet

[LordRasta]

I've heard members doing this, can you use any oil? More information please.

[lazarini]

i used wd40 on some of mine if needed and felt a bit hard ... i heard people leave them soaked in oil or wd 40 overnight for that extra buttery feeling

Laz

[DemonSlayer]

Yes any oil can be used. I've used vegetable oil and olive oil (smell might be unpleasant to some) but it did the job.

[LordRasta]

Thanks guys. Oh and Demon, niiiiiiiiiiiiiiice avatar!

[mjmills]

It depends on what you want, magnatec car oil (Castrol GTX Magnatec) will really make the bracelet smoothe to use, and push pins/screws will slide out much better. To use it I put the bracelet in a zip lock bag with the car oil, and leave in a cool dark area for 3 hours, then soak in soapy water, and rinse heavily.

If you want to refinish as well, then garage door lubricant is very penetrating, and gives a beautiful shine to the bracelet, looks very nice when done, same procedure as before.

I have used both, both with perfect results (my semaster bracelet had 2 screws that were burred, and wouldnt budge, 3 hours in magnatec and they came right off, and the bracelet felt nicer)

[kokedose]

I use Johnson's baby oil, smells nice and does a great job giving the bracelet a nearer feel of a gen.

Be lucky all

[Toadtorrent]

Don't all the auto products and especially WD40 stink to high heaven????

I can't imagine walking around smelling like a Jiffy Oil Change garage being something I would want when wearing what is supposed to be a $7000 watch...

[lanikai]

WD40 .. stands for - Water dispensing (formula 40)... good for dispensing moisture in older carburetors .. the silicone spray lubricants work well and don't attract as much dust (they are synethetic ).. found in automotive sections... it's what we use to keep the actions smooth on the cable rods at the gym.. it does not collagulate, as other lubricants do..

[Guest Carl]

I use Nyoil which is a high quality watch and camera oil. You can Google it and buy it any number of places worldwide.

It is clear, highly refined, and has no noticeable odor. But if I didn't repair mechanical cameras as a job and then later as a hobby, I probably wouldn't know about it.

Most rep bracelets are greatly improved by some judicious oiling. The improvement can be dramatic.

Carl

[Logan]

Just remember that whatever you use is going to be on your skin for a long time and your body will absorb some of it. Many lubricants that are designed for machine parts are not friendly to your body. WD40 and many mineral oils for example are not safe for long term skin exposure. In particular teflon based products are know to be poisonous due to the chemical used to liquify the teflon.

Any food oil or baby oil is probably your safest bet. You only need a tiny amount to do the job, it won't smell if you don't use to much.

Another trick is to ultra sonic clean the bracelet first to remove any excess polish, which being abrasive leads to squeaking and stiffness.

[pizzanooo]

I soak bracelets in bleach for a hour or so. Then brush out with hot water and soap. Then soak in GDO (Garage door opener) lubricant for awhile and rinse with hot water. Dry thoroughly, then wax with a good auto product.

[sul]

I use Johnson's baby oil, smells nice and does a great job giving the bracelet a nearer feel of a gen.

Be lucky all

Yes I use Johnson&Johnson baby oil too, only good words about this product.

Baby oil ( no matter what manufacturer product) is probably te best and safe way.

[RobbieG]

To me, pure high quality silicone is the only way to go. And you can get it in a spray can with the little red swizzle stick nozel which is perfect from bracelets as you can use the air in the can to force the lubricant into the spaces in the bracelet. It is oderless and won't attract dirt like oil. I wouldn't use WD40 or vegetable oil for the simple reasons of smell (and in the case of vegetable oil it will turn rancid) and both will attract dirt, sweat particles (salt), etc. Stick with silicone. It is the only choice for high quality metal parts. You can get it in any hardware store by the other lubricants like WD40 or in the fishing section as people use it for high end reels.

[dsgb30043]

I wouldn't use WD40 or vegetable oil for the simple reasons of smell (and in the case of vegetable oil it will turn rancid) and both will attract dirt, sweat particles (salt), etc.

I have used canola oil many times without any problems, and it has next to no smell at all. I don't know how closely related to vegetable oil this is, but I have never had it go rancid or smell bad.

I just don't know about having a synthetic lubricant (silicone, wd-40, etc.) on/absorbed into my skin over extended periods.

[RLudlowe]

I use silicon fuser oil, usually left over after a copier has been serviced at my office -

It works great - is completely clear, odorless and hypoallergenic. Plus it lasts about a year in normal daily use.

Best - it's free.

[supermanx]

I always use silicone for cleaning but aleays feel it leaves the bracelet feeling tinny... so i follow up with a heavier oil like gun oil or baby oil.

[fakemaster]

If your watches stink for an extended time after you finish with them then you aren't cleaning them enough afterwards.

[tictoc65]

Ive never used it, but a food grade mineral oil would probably be a good choice.

never goes rancid, no toxins, 100% clear

[warburton5m]

Silicone lubricant is the way to go....the ones you use for sex works just fine...so you only need to buy one bottle.

[Shundi]

Edit:

Just cross-referencing

I personally disassemble the entire bracelet, clean it with mild soapy water, rinse, dry...place in a large container of baby oil in a dark room for 3-4 days (still disassembled) and for Rolex bracelets I use latex gloves to reassemble the bracelet IN the oil (sounds like overkill and prob is...but it works ), pat and wipe all excess oil, wash thoroughly, pat dry and use a high quality auto wax... if there's any stiffness afterwards I might try repeating the procedure or, worst case, swapping the screws...