Lubricant to use

[cavemud2]

What is the best thing to use to lubricate the working parts of ascenders,chest rollers and other gear after washing all the mud and grime out of them.Is wd-40 safe? And if there is left over residue will it hurt the ropes? Thanks

[Patrick Wilson]

Had actually been thinking about posting this. Interested to see replies.

[cavemud2]

I know there are so many types of lubricants out there. Just wanting to make sure i dont hurt my gear as well as my ropes and the others ropes i use.

[LukeM]

See previous topic: Lubricating Ascenders

[Chads93GT]

I use chain wax for my mountain bike. Works great, no mess.

[Cody JW]

Chad is right , you can go to your local bicycle shop and find many kinds of dry lubes that lube but do not collect dust like WD 40 or other common lubes. These lubes are expensive compared to WD 40. I paid about 6 bucks for a small bottle. I also use as chain lube on my road bicycle.

[Squirrel Girl]

WD-40 is not a lubricant. WD-40 literally stands for Water Displacement, 40th attempt.

ProLink Chain Lube is my favorite, as it somehow is formulated to shed dirt.

[gregmathis1]

I don't know if I'm setting myself up for trouble but I don't lubricate any of my gear I just clean it thoroughly and allow it to dry in the sun. My oldest ascender is an old petzl with the screw out thumb latch and it seems no worse for wear and seems to work as good as new. The screw links are another matter. Since mine are steel they do get machine oiled then wiped off. Am I making a mistake?
Greg

[Tenzin Beck]

WD-40 is not a lubricant. WD-40 literally stands for Water Displacement, 40th attempt.

I feel the need to second this since it's a very common misconception. WD-40 is occasionally useful as a solvent, but it should never, ever be used for longterm lubrication.

[Extremeophile]

WD-40 is not a lubricant. WD-40 literally stands for Water Displacement, 40th attempt.

I feel the need to second this since it's a very common misconception. WD-40 is occasionally useful as a solvent, but it should never, ever be used for longterm lubrication.

I thought it was basically a mixture of kerosene and a light mineral oil. The mineral oil is in fact a lubricant... maybe not as long term as grease, and more likely to attract dirt than wax would, but still a lubricant. Since hydrocarbons and water are not soluble in each other, it would naturally displace water. The kerosene would make it a good penetrant and solvent for other hydrocarbons, but should quickly evaporate.

[Extremeophile]

Oh, and I also use an emulsified wax designed for bicycle chains. Mine claims to be made with Teflon fluoropolymers. I'm sure that's not just a bunch or marketing hype. I can tell every time I open a carabiner gate that those fluorpolymers are reducing friction while repelling dirt and water. I'm sure it makes me a better caver.