The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello All,
I've been looking for off the shelf products that I can use in spring barrels
There seem to be three basic products.
1. GRAPHITE GREASE
2. ALUMINIUM GRAPHITE GREASE
3. COPPER GRAPHITE GREASE

The metal based grease seems to be for high temperatures and also for high pressures.
Can anyone recommend the best product?
Has anyone used one of these products over a period of time.

Edison's original formula was petroleum jelly and flake graphite.

Some folks have moved to more modern lubricants, such as polyethylene and molybdenum content.

John

Graphite grease is nasty stuff. I use black lithium/moly grease with great results, and it is nowhere near as messy to clean up.

As has often been mentioned in other threads, HMV motors are notorious for spring problems caused by solidified graphite grease. The characteristic bumps and bangs as the motor runs down will eventually lead to broken springs unless remedial action is taken.

Garrard motors, used by the majority of British manufacturers, are seldom troubled in this way.

Great advances in lubricant technology have been made since our machines were built, so I agree that graphite grease is best consigned to history.

I recently serviced the motor of the Victor Auxetophone in the Johnson Victrola Museum. Even though the machine was completely restored and rebuilt in 2003 and it was played several times a week, the graphite grease had already hardened and clumped together. I also like the black lithium / moly grease. Works well and is a lot less messy.
Andreas

I would recommend a good lithium/molybdenum disulphide grease with a very low coefficient of friction such as CV Lith-Moly made by Comma which does not seem to age harden. Graphite grease is not to be recommended in my experience as it soon produces "bumping" as the springs unwind following a fairly rapid decrease in viscosity.

Thank you ALL for your advice.
I've gone for the Comma product at a very reasonable price too.

Looks like Comma CV500G 500g Constant Velocity Lith-Moly Grease is a UK product. Anyone know of a US equivalent?

Clay

White lithium lubricant is available in hardware stores. I've only seen it in spray cans there, but formerly (and maybe still) it was available in tubes; that's the form I would look for and use if I were going to use it on spring motors.

The white lithium in a tube is what I have been using as a gear lubricant. So far so good with it.

Clay