Silicone Oil and Silicone Grease - Which Type Should I Use? Where Should I Use It?

[Ezana4CE]

I’d like to preface this by saying that I am in no way an expert on the topic. What I aim to do is compile factual and experience-based information on this topic for the HAM Community.

I have used silicone oil and silicone grease on o-rings and dowty seals (bonded washers) almost the entire time I have been into airguns. I generally have used Super Lube O-Ring Silicone Lubricant part no. 58204 and Trident Pure Silicone Grease #LP20. However, before I was comfortable buying and using these products on o-rings in my airguns, external regulators, internal regulators, SCBA tanks and valves, and compressors, I shopped around and asked questions about several silicone based lubricants. There are various silicone oils, silicone-based blends, and silicone greases for: electrical work, plumbing/pools, food grade silicone, diving applications, etc. After reading all of this, I couldn’t differentiate one from another. What I resorted to was looking up the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) on these products. Since I used Trident #LP20 and SuperLube 58204 as my benchmarks, I look for products with the exact same ingredients, preferably with no additives. Keep in mind that some products may not have a published MSDS.

• Trident Pure Silicone Grease #LP20 is documented as being 100% dimethylpolysiloxane
• Super Lube O-Ring Oil part no. 58204 is documented as being 100% Polydimethylsiloxane

Is this the right way to shop for these products? I don’t know, but it is what I have done. One thing I have learned is that silicone should not be used as a metal to metal lubricant.

Where should I use these lubricants? The first silicone lubricant I began using was Super Lube silicone oil part no. 58204 on all of my o-rings. It was later explained on a forum that the oil should be used on moving parts like probe o-rings or fill probe o-rings and the silicone grease should be used for static applications like reservoir o-rings or manometer o-rings. I really don’t know for sure. If you do, feel free to clarify the “why?” for us.



Below are links to the aforementioned products’ MSDS. You can reference them or add to the list of trusted products that you use. Please included links to the MSDS for your contributions.

Trident Pure Silicone Grease #LP20

http://www.tridentdive.com/aalp20.pdf

Super Lube O-Ring Silicone Lubricant part no. 58204

https://www.super-lube.com/Content/Images/uploaded/documents/SDS/SDS_Super_Lube_O-Ring_Silicone_Lubricant-EN-sds.pdf

 

[Northeastbeast]

As long as its a high flash point it should do the trick. Superlube makes a few oring friendly variations.

 

[pan60]

should do fine although os the MSDS sheet a contribution to the safety data?
if it provides everthing you need I dont guess it would matter.
anytime I need a lube and didnt have a manufactures guideline I contact manufactures of lubes and ask them what do I need for this aplication but they will need a lot of information not something I have ever thought about with the airguns because the information is available readily to me for my guns I simple asl Tom about what I needed and I figure if its good for the EVOL it should work on any of them.
I also notice that reseal and o-rings kits come with the grease for o-rings but I would have no issues using the oil you just need it to get most things together once in place most art moving around at least with few exceptions.
I use ATF on many moving points that have little to no concern with flashing do to high pressure.
got in the habit of the ATF in the numbers and just use it.

personally I would like to see EVERY companie to offer 0ring charts like TOM at AAA does as well as the diffrant lubes to use for o-rings rivets points and or metal to metal.

 

[FL22]

Helpful general information.

Airgun Lubricants – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly | Blog | Pyramyd AIR

By B.B. Pelltier Lubricating an airgun is necessary, yet it can be tricky at the same time. To begin with, airguns are often made of different materials than firearms, so cleaning and lubricating them with the same products you use on the rest of your guns is not a good idea. You probably...

www.pyramydair.com

In the comments I believe he answered why to use a silicone oil.

 

[Linehauler73]

I paid a hefty price for trident. No idea if it is in fact the same thing as oteys silicone grease from Home Depot but it looks and feels identical so I stopped using trident. All has been good.