Oil for clippers

[Shel_B]

Sweetie has a few yard and garden tools that need some maintenance. She has several clippers like this one, in various sizes, that are hard to operate. I want to adjust them and lubricate their rubbing parts. What type of oil should be used? I thought I might just stick a finger into a partially used quart of motor oil and apply it to the surfaces. Thoughts on that plan? Better oil/lubricating choices?

 

[JC1]

Sounds good to me. That or some ATF (Maxlife perhaps lol)?

 

[Malo83]

3in1, seems like this oil has been around forever.

 

[FT92]

i use motor oil ,3in 1 oil, have even used WD 40

 

[BMW Dom]

I have always used WD 40. I don't know if it's the best choice, but it has worked well for me.

 

[Tdbo]

I use whatever is handy, even white grease at times.

 

[mark pruett]

I'd probably just use the can of this stuff that I have laying around, and call it a day. (why I bought that stuff in the first place!)

 

[WylieCoyote]

I clean mine with WD-40 and use some old OLD Pennzoil Platinum I have sitting on the shelf to lubricate the blades. Wipe off the excess, and start trimming. Use the same stuff in my office shredder.

 

[Kawiguy454]

I use M1 diff lube for that stuff, a few drops in the hinge and work it in. as the lighter volotiles evaporate it leaves a nice coating behind.

 

[Shel_B]

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[Badgerstate]

Sweetie has a few yard and garden tools that need some maintenance. She has several clippers like this one, in various sizes, that are hard to operate. I want to adjust them and lubricate their rubbing parts. What type of oil should be used? I thought I might just stick a finger into a partially used quart of motor oil and apply it to the surfaces. Thoughts on that plan? Better oil/lubricating choices?
View attachment 70315

Id use some kind of dry lubricant spray or mineral oil. You dont really want to be using motor oil because it isnt made for that and you run the risk of contaminating any plants that you trim with it.

 

[RDMgr]

Jet-lube 769 in a spray bottle of aerosol can

 

[Dennywires]

3in1, seems like this oil has been around forever.
View attachment 70324

+1

 

[billt460]

I have always used WD 40. I don't know if it's the best choice, but it has worked well for me.

Same here on all garden tools. Spades, shovels, clippers, rakes and hoes. I just wash them off with the hose when I'm done. Let them sit in the Sun for an hour or so. Then give them a good soaking with WD-40. Wipe off the excess, and you're good to go with no rust.

 

[Schandyman]

Sweetie has a few yard and garden tools that need some maintenance. She has several clippers like this one, in various sizes, that are hard to operate. I want to adjust them and lubricate their rubbing parts. What type of oil should be used? I thought I might just stick a finger into a partially used quart of motor oil and apply it to the surfaces. Thoughts on that plan? Better oil/lubricating choices?
View attachment 70315

Couple drops of 3-1 oil

 

[Shel_B]

Id use some kind of dry lubricant spray or mineral oil. You dont really want to be using motor oil because it isnt made for that and you run the risk of contaminating any plants that you trim with it.

Your concern about contamination with regular oils isn't something I'd thought about. Thanks for bringing that up ... worth looking into.

 

[Shel_B]

I clean mine with WD-40 and use some old OLD Pennzoil Platinum I have sitting on the shelf to lubricate the blades. Wipe off the excess, and start trimming. Use the same stuff in my office shredder.

I'm not convinced that using motor oil and WD-40 is the best choice for a shredder. An office supply guy recommended paper shredder sharpening and lubrication sheets. Here's one example, many more exist on many venues:

Robot or human?

 

[Dave9]

^ Been lubing my shredder for years, just putting mineral oil on a sheet of paper. In my case two sheets, the paper isn't as wide as the chute (it's a big standalone, high end shredder) so on both ends of the chute. Mineral oil is what is typically on those lube sheets.

Garden cutters, mineral oil would work, but I use more viscous vegetable oil, figure it is less toxic to the plants/trees, except chainsaw gets bar oil, and hedge trimmers I use (x)W-30 motor oil. Screw the hedges, they grow too fast and I want the trimmer blades to last longer because it's more of a burden to sharpen all those little teeth than a simple clipper blade. It probably slows down the hedge trimmer by some small % over a lower viscosity oil but not enough to notice.

 

[Silver]

A good silicone is amazing on smooth metal surfaces.

 

[HankHill]

I use any oil thats handy at the time. A super old quart of anything, actually any type of oil I have. I've used lightly dirty oil before. The real question is, how do you/often do you sharpen the edges? That's an OCD tick that I have... Gotta be sharp, surfaces free and clear of burrs and metal fragments.