The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

De Soto Frank wrote: How about making a thin slurry of graphite & a quickly evaporating solvents, such as lacquer-thinner, as a vehicle, that can carry the graphite into the tight spaces, then will flash-off, leaving the graphite solids behind where they can do some good ?

I've had success with getting photographic shutters loosened up by using a mix of powdered graphite and naphtha, a/k/a lighter fluid or Coleman liquid fuel (Ha! Try finding that anymore!). Lighter fluid is sold under brand names such as Ronsonol or Zippo. Some photographers, myself included, have resolved sluggish shutter issues with the so-called "Ronsonol soak." Mix graphite and naphtha (lighter fluid) in a small needle point oiler, shake well, and spritz the mix into the shutter (after removing the lens elements, of course!), then exercise the mechanism through all speeds and f/stops. For phonograph knobs, you could use the same technique by applying the mix between the metal and the knob. Disclaimer: I have no experience using this method with wood!

Thanks for all the suggestions! I ended up using graphite powder with lighter fluid, applied it and spun the crank as described. Worked like a charm!
I did the same thing with an Edison Fireside crank. It's nice to have them turn freely. We'll see how these work over the long term.
Thanks again!
Bob B.

Glad you had success with the graphite/lighter fluid. In my experience, the graphite remains long after the fluid has evaporated, which BTW it does very rapidly.