[Help Thread] Lubrication Thread

[jayefbe]

Maru is like shock oil in that it is a thin lube, but they're different.

OR you could get some maru lube.

While Maru is cheap, you need to re-lube every couple of days. I wouldn't recommend it except as a something to take the cube to that next level. Certainly not a good all-around cube.

 

[pipkiksass]

Do some lubes dry out, leaving a residue which reduces friction, and others stay 'wet', or do all dry out eventually, achieving the same result? Some people talk about leaving spray-type lubes to dry - is this because the light coating dries out more quickly than syringed-in and worked-in lube, or is it a completely different kettle of fish?

I've always just lubed my pieces and core with the same lube - I have some Rubiks.com lube, which is at least a decade old, and a syringe of lubicle, which is thecubicle's branded silicone/siloxane. Every now and then I dismantle my cube, clean it, and relube using the lubix method (i.e. Core plus small blob on inside of a corner, then work in).

I recently ordered a cube pre-lubed from ukcubestore, which is lubed with 2 different products (50k diff + Maru). Still waiting on it, just wondering what the general consensus is on sprays vs 'liquid', or syringed lubes, and on single-product vs multi-product lubing. Is it all just a matter of personal preference?

 

[YddEd]

Maru is like shock oil in that it is a thin lube, but they're different.



While Maru is cheap, you need to re-lube every couple of days. I wouldn't recommend it except as a something to take the cube to that next level. Certainly not a good all-around cube.

I'm pretty sure someone in a 2 year old thread said that if the maru lube dries, it it better to use. Idk though.

 

[windhero]

Do some lubes dry out, leaving a residue which reduces friction, and others stay 'wet', or do all dry out eventually, achieving the same result? Some people talk about leaving spray-type lubes to dry - is this because the light coating dries out more quickly than syringed-in and worked-in lube, or is it a completely different kettle of fish?

None that I know of, no good lubes dry out and leave residue if you break it in first. The only spray type lube I know that has to be left to dry is CRC, but that's a bad lube to begin with. Lubix, differential oil, shock oil or any of the sort just have to be broken immediately. Then they wont dry out and leave residue for sure.

I've always just lubed my pieces and core with the same lube - I have some Rubiks.com lube, which is at least a decade old, and a syringe of lubicle, which is thecubicle's branded silicone/siloxane. Every now and then I dismantle my cube, clean it, and relube using the lubix method (i.e. Core plus small blob on inside of a corner, then work in).

You can use the same lube on the core as on the pieces. Lubix is around 38-43k weight differential oil (This is my personal opinion, not a fact), traxxas 50k works exactly as well. Lubix and traxxas are applied both to the core and the pieces. The ultimate fast setup would be lubix to the core (or a mix of 40k weight differential oil) and 20-30k diff oil on the pieces. For most this is way too fast.

I recently ordered a cube pre-lubed from ukcubestore, which is lubed with 2 different products (50k diff + Maru). Still waiting on it, just wondering what the general consensus is on sprays vs 'liquid', or syringed lubes, and on single-product vs multi-product lubing. Is it all just a matter of personal preference?

Maru wears out quick, so that's basically useless unless you have a backup bottle. The lube within the core wont wear out for a while, but I recommend you just buy a bottle of 50k diff and apply a small drop on the pieces, work it in.

 

[pipkiksass]

I recommend you just buy a bottle of 50k diff and apply a small drop on the pieces, work it in.

Thanks for all that - very informative.

Presumably my Lubicle lube is pretty close to Lubix in terms of viscosity. They make it in speedy, gummy, or standard. I would assume speedy is closest to Lubix, and mine (standard) is a little more viscous. Heavier is more viscous, right? So if (as you suppose) Lubix is in the 38-43k range, my Lubicle lube is likely pretty close to 50k already.

Whereabouts on the pieces would you apply lube. I watched a Lubix video AGES ago, can't remember if it was about tensioning or an edge mod video or something - either way I can't find it now. In the vid, Donovan applied a final drop of lube to the base of an exposed corner before inserting the final edge (i.e., on a Dayan cube, the flat bit below the stalk on the corner piece - I tried embedding an image, but upload keeps failing!). But I can't see how this lube would ever work itself onto the other contact surfaces of the cube.

 

[Kattenvriendin]

Well I just a few days took my 5x5 out of the cabinet (open, no doors) that it has been sitting in for.. LONG. And I think LONG means 6+ months. It was lubed with lubix most likely, so traxxas like stuff, and it was really gummy and sticky when I gave it a few turns.. but then once the cube was more and more used the stickiness cleared right up and I had me a nicely turning cube again that was lubed proper.

I think you have to wait longer than 6 months in any case for that stuff to dry out.

 

[windhero]

Thanks for all that - very informative.

Presumably my Lubicle lube is pretty close to Lubix in terms of viscosity. They make it in speedy, gummy, or standard. I would assume speedy is closest to Lubix, and mine (standard) is a little more viscous. Heavier is more viscous, right? So if (as you suppose) Lubix is in the 38-43k range, my Lubicle lube is likely pretty close to 50k already.

Whereabouts on the pieces would you apply lube. I watched a Lubix video AGES ago, can't remember if it was about tensioning or an edge mod video or something - either way I can't find it now. In the vid, Donovan applied a final drop of lube to the base of an exposed corner before inserting the final edge (i.e., on a Dayan cube, the flat bit below the stalk on the corner piece - I tried embedding an image, but upload keeps failing!). But I can't see how this lube would ever work itself onto the other contact surfaces of the cube.

This video explains how I and many others (apparently Lubix personnel too) lube their cubes with diff oil.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4paID_54lQ

Higher weight = higher viscosity = stickier lube, you got that right. If you use too much lube it becomes gummy, thats why it has to be the right amount. If you do put too much it doesnt matter, but you have to break it in a bit longer.

 

[AFatTick]

Assorted Silicone Lube is Slowing my Cube Down!

I have recently bought 5cc of weight 2 lubricant from: http://thecubicle.us/assorted-regular-silicone-lube-p-61.html. When I applied it to my pieces, it slowed them down by a lot. The fast cube is now very sluggish. Cleaning it restores it back to the original speed but putting a tiny bit of lube will make it slow again. I have seen videos of how well it works. Any reason why it's doing this?

 

[ben1996123]

dont apply it to the pieces then

 

[AFatTick]

Good point lol. Meh. I just wanted a fast fluid cube.

 

[Smiles]

what cube are you using? how much lube are you applying?
i've never heard of this happening before but maybe it's just the way you feel about it. maybe it's the same speed but smoother now and you're just feeling the lube moving around. probably not though.

edit: did you apply to core?

 

[AFatTick]

I am using a DaYan Guhong V2. I have tried using a lot and a little. They both make it sluggish. I don't think its the gummy feel that some people like, it's just really weird :O

I applied it to the core, it feels nice. It's just the pieces that make feel slow.

 

[YddEd]

I am using a DaYan Guhong V2. I have tried using a lot and a little. They both make it sluggish. I don't think its the gummy feel that some people like, it's just really weird :O

I applied it to the core, it feels nice. It's just the pieces that make feel slow.

I put just a tiny drop in my guhong v2. It's amazingly fast and smooth. (My guhong is at VERY loose tensions but doesn't pop like my Zhanchi )

 

[AFatTick]

Are you using the cubicle lube? If so, what weight?

 

[YddEd]

Are you using the cubicle lube? If so, what weight?

Actually I used 20 wt Shock Oil.

 

[heavenlystar]

WD40 Zhanchi

Is WD40 a good lubricant for a Dayan Zhanchi if you do not use silicon?

What would be the next best lub other than silicon?

 

[Gabriel Mattar]

i've heard that wd40 will destroy the plastic of your cube

 

[uniacto]

Is WD40 a good lubricant for a Dayan Zhanchi if you do not use silicon?

What would be the next best lub other than silicon?

CRC spray. It's actually silicone spray, but it's not silicon oil.

i've heard that wd40 will destroy the plastic of your cube

yep!

 

[Clarkeeyyy]

Sorry if this has been asked a million times, i searched and ended up here. Whats the closest the to lubix but cheaper and preferably free shipping?

 

[KongShou]

Sorry if this has been asked a million times, i searched and ended up here. Whats the closest the to lubix but cheaper and preferably free shipping?

Traxxas diff oil 50k