The Forum at Handcuffs.Org

Right kind of oil?

17 visible archived posts · 17 preserved total · topic ID 1298

Dale 27 Apr 2006

I just purchased a pair of Peerless handcuffs. I want to go ahead and lubricate them but don't know what kind of oil to use. I was wondering if anyone could tell me what kind to use with the name and also what kinds of oils to stay clear from. Thanks in advance for your input.

Edgeplay_Cgo 27 Apr 2006

They shouldn't need much in the way of oiling. I use gun oil. Any reputable brand should do. I think I use Rem Oil, because they have it at Wally World in tiny bottles. I don't see an reason why fishing reel oil, or light machine oil should not be suitable.

About the only thing I would particularly avoid, would be heavy oils or automotive motor oil. The latter has too many additives.

joe tanner 27 Apr 2006

just use plain ol WD-40.... WD-40 cleans, lubs, & evaporates... use of almost anything else (oils) will attract dust & dirt particules which turns into grime..... joe

JP 27 Apr 2006

I just use some 10W-30 oil that I have in the garage. Heck, if it works in the car, it'll work for my chains too.

JP

K. Emden 27 Apr 2006

Rem-Oil, made by Remington is a great light oil, which leaves no varnish buildup and has teflon. It works very well on firearms and handcuffs. The mistake most often made is to use too much oil. As Joe correctly pointed out, oil will attract dirt and dust which over time will gum up the works.

When I started my career, a very wise veteran officer advised me to mix white vinegar with water and boil handcuffs to clean out the works. Remove the handcuffs which due to the heat will dry quickly, and then sparingly lubricate. Just a small drop on the hinge, one on the double lock pin and one on the hinge of the locking bar would do. Work the cuffs to distribute the lubricant.

I modernized the method with gun scrubber aerosol spray, compressed air and Rem-Oil lubricant.

Does it work? My first pair of Peerless cuffs, which have seen use since 1975, function like new.

A thread on this topic a few months back contains some great responses and is worth looking up and reading.

cindi 27 Apr 2006

Hi
I was made aware of this lubricant (Militec-1) by a similar subject discussion on this Forum. I ordered a free sample from this company but have'nt used it yet. If you want to try a sample just e mail them:

http://www.militec-1.com/

K. Emden 27 Apr 2006

Miltec is great. It has been tested on department firearms. It penetrates the metal and lubricates very well. I'm sure it would work fine on handcuffs. It is hard to find. As was pointed out, Rem-Oil is available at Walmart.

Cindi 28 Apr 2006

ok Just tried out the Militec. Very smooth for application but I found it to be "sticky" on the metal Darby Replicas. Perhaps it does'nt like the humid South Florida climate Hmmmm. Funny thing though it was only sticky on the metal and not on my fingers after messaging it into the Cuffs.
As far as lubricant I'll have to wait and see what the cuffs are like a bit later on from it.

C

James 28 Apr 2006

K. Emden 28 Apr 2006

#10

Cindi:

Were the Darby replicas nickle plated? Miltec penetrates into the metal and remains for a long period providing continual lubrication for moving parts. We tested it on Glock pistols and I have used it on some personal firearms, however none were plated. Miltec may not pentrate nickle plating. Miltec worked very well and lubricated even after significant shooting.

Use care when dealing with nickle plating, as some substances have been known to damage nickle plating. Perhaps some of the collectors of nickle plated cuffs will be able to give more information on that subject.

The major dirt related problem police find with cuffs is that many are carried in leather cases or in patrol bags. Dust, lint, dead skin cells, dirt, etc. over time will clog up the works and as stated, excess oil makes the problem worse.

Since collectors will rarely expose cuffs to rain, snow, daily use or exposure to dust, cleaning and lubrication should be rarely needed.

Old cuffs, possibly rusty, will benefit from WD-40 or some of the light, penetrating solvents or lubricants, some of which are very good at freeing inoperative mechanisms. Because of the penetrating qualities of WD-40, most police departments forbid its use on firearms, since it has on occasion penetrated and deactivated cartridge primers.

Many police departments recommend the use of Rem-Oil or Breakfree CLP. Both work well on firearms but personally, I prefer Rem-Oil for cuffs. It is lighter weight and does not seem to attract dust.

During an earlier thread on this topic, a writer mentioned that officers used to clean firearms and handcuffs by soaking them in kerosene. Gunscrubber or Stoddard solvent will also work well to degrease and clean. Also, detergent cleaners designed for ultrasonic cleaning tanks work well on cuffs. I was told about boiling cuffs in a vinegar and water mix years ago.

Cindi 28 Apr 2006

#11

The Darbies are the Cheap Mild Steel type metal , No coating.
They tend to get surface rust so I message them with oil from time to time and apply it everywhere if I use them Underwater.

Cindi

K. Emden 28 Apr 2006

#12

Use underwater would certainly constitute severe use. If they are not plated, surface rust may be removed by a product called navel jelly. Also, steel wool will work. Perhaps the stickiness you attributed to Miltec may cause it to remain on the parts and protect the cuffs from rust.

A few cans of aerosol gunscrubber might be of use. Blast the gunscrubber into one end of the wet darbies to remove the water and clean the works. Follow that up with sufficient lubrication to coat and protect the internal parts. WD-40 displaces moisture, pentrates and protects metal surfaces, but it does leave a varnish buildup after it evaporates. I don't know if this would eventually create a problem with handcuffs. Rem-Oil also comes in aerosol form.

After a shift worked in inclement weather, wise officers field strip, clean and lubricate pistols or revolvers. An officer whose firearm is immersed in water will prudently consult with the department armorer for a detailed inspection and cleaning. Proper and prompt care of equipment prevents rust and problems later. Most officrs ignore handcuffs, which is probably why most jails have bolt cutters on hand.

K. Emden 28 Apr 2006

#13

Regarding the Naval Jelly. It may damage blued steel or parkerized surfaces. Its use on unplated steel cuffs should work fine.

Edgeplay_Cgo 28 Apr 2006

#14

> WD-40 displaces moisture, pentrates and protects metal surfaces, but it
> does leave a varnish buildup after it evaporates.

For that reason, I don't use it on my guns any more. It can leave a gummy residue. There are similar water displacing sprays made for gun use, that are non-gumming. Birchwood Casey's Sheath comes to mind. Of course, they're more expensive, but a spray can lasts a long time.

Gun oils, in general tend to be rust preventative.

Other oils, like automotive motor oil, various machine oils, bacon fat, bear grease, etc., mainly prevent rust by providing an airtight coating on the surface. Rust prevention isn't their primary role.

For underwater use, perhaps the stainless Darby copies made by the Pakis would be morte suitable. I'd feel less badly about buggering up a set of Paki Repros than a nice old pair of Hiatts.

- Dennis

Anonymous 29 Apr 2006

#15

The comment about kerosene made me try to find what was posted. I think this is it:

In the old days, before the synthetic stuff came out, we all used kerosene. You could buy a gallon of it for less than the cost of a little bottle of gun solvent. You tossed your revolver and handcuffs in a bucket, filled it with kerosene, soaked them for a few hours, occassionally brushing them and swishing them around in the kerosene, let them air dry or blew them out with an air hose, oiled them, and went on your way. It also stunk up the house and made your wife mad at you, but it was cheap and quite effective. Also, if you had a dirty gun and an inspection was called, you dabbed a little kerosene inside your holster and hoped the smell would cause the captain to think you'd recently cleaned your gun and pass you by.

abit 30 Apr 2006

#16

Rem oil works just fine for me too....it cleans, protects, and lubricates what more can ya ask for

Dorson 27 Jul 2006

#17

Hi all,
I had a job to do right around the corner from Militec in Waldorf, MD and stopped into there offices to talk to them and get a sample. What he said is clean the metal real good so it is clean, dry of all oils, etc. Then apply the oil, and heat it up to around 150F for 15 minutes to get the oil to bond with the metal. Thinks like a hair dryer will do for the job. He also said it will leave a dry film when done. I haven't had a chance to test it yet but thought I would pass along what he said.

-Dorson