[Help Thread] Lubrication Thread

[ianliu64]

Get Weight 4 Cubicle Lube.
Not too thick, not too runny

 

[NathanThorburn]

3-IN-ONE Silicone Spray - UK Help

So I bought the 3-IN-ONE Silicone spray from the local hardware shop, I have used it. But the actuation force is like really bad (sticky feeling) but when I get it to move I can flick a side almost 360. This doesn't last long though, and it just gets sluggish. Anybody else have this Silicone spray and can you tell me if there is anyway to make the sticky feeling go away?

Thanks,
Nathan

 

[ScottTheCuber]

The same happened to me!
WHat I did Is I turned each face of the cube for a few minutes and you HAVE TO keep moving the faces around and doing turns this will eventually break it in.

 

[KongShou]

The solution is not to use spray

Use diff oils

 

[5BLD]

This spray is not good, it does soften the plastic a little iirc, so it helps to break it in then get rid of the stuff.

 

[Ninja Storm]

I personally don't like silicone sprays in cubes other than Rubik's Brand cubes, but if you do want to use the stuff, go with 100% silicone.

 

[rj]

If product A dirt cheap and product B is reasonably cheap, product B is expensive compared to product A. Expensive compared to = More expensive than.

The data was not presented in a biased way. I have timed solves with maru lube and the trend is that it wears out in around 30 solves depending on what puzzle I am using. With diff oil its hundreds of solves.



The timer does not lie.


Inb4 "maybe your hands got tired" bs. I'm a 192cm tall guy; holding and solving a 100gr puzzle does not wear me out no matter how long I do it for.

I did a test. I left a drop of maru lube on plastic overnight. When I woke up, it was like a very small amount of wt 5.

 

[Lchu613]

Really?
That's interesting.

 

[rj]

Really?
That's interesting.

Yeah, so Maru lube doesn't totally wear out, it just turns into a tiny amount of wt 5.

 

[TDM]

I know nothing about lube, so I have several questions:
1. Is The Cubicle a good place to get lube?
2. Which is each of the different weights of these useful for?
3. What's the difference between this and this?

 

[Lchu613]

Cubicle is great for lube.
wt 1-2 are really really runny, wt 3 is moderately runny, good for pieces and decent for core, wt 4 is good for core and decent for pieces, and wt 5 is best on core but not as good for pieces.

Maru Axis is like thickened normal Maru, it's more viscous and is made for the core, but I don't know how good it actually is.

 

[windhero]

I did a test. I left a drop of maru lube on plastic overnight. When I woke up, it was like a very small amount of wt 5.

Great, so now we know. I suspect Maru is infact Maru axis oil (diff oil) + a solution that is mostly water. I suppose what Kongshou is true to some extent (That when you use diff oil + maru the maru lube does not wear out so fast), but I really doubt that the diff oil keeps the maru dry for so long if you managed to dry it out overnight. I'll try this today; I'm putting ~42K diff oil and maru lube in a bowl so that the lubricants dont spread around too much. 1 bead of diff oil and 1 drop of maru lube. I'll update you guys on how it went tomorrow.

 

[rj]

I know nothing about lube, so I have several questions:
1. Is The Cubicle a good place to get lube?
2. Which is each of the different weights of these useful for?
3. What's the difference between this and this?

The cubicle is where I get my lube, and I like it.

Wt 1-2 are good for big cubes and cubes that you want really fast. Wt 3 makes the cube smooth and buttery, wt 4 is lubix, and wt 5 is for the core!

Maru lube is for the peices, and Maru axis oil is for the core.

 

[TDM]

Thanks for the replies. I'll probably get some wt 3 and some wt 5.

 

[rj]

Thanks for the replies. I'll probably get some wt 3 and some wt 5.

Get some wt 1 to try too. Very nice stuff.

 

[windhero]

Here's the results:

Diff Oil

Added Maru lube

Mixed the two


The day after; the black spot is most likely a bread crumb that fell in accidentally during the morning.



So it doesnt matter if you use diff oil with the maru lube; the diff oil does not keep the maru lube from evaporating away. Maru lube does not last over 9 hours.

 

[rj]

Here's the results:

Diff Oil
View attachment 3146
Added Maru lube
View attachment 3147
Mixed the two
View attachment 3148

The day after; the black spot is most likely a bread crumb that fell in accidentally during the morning.
View attachment 3149


So it doesnt matter if you use diff oil with the maru lube; the diff oil does not keep the maru lube from evaporating away. Maru lube does not last over 9 hours.

Not all of the maru lube evaporated. About %1 stayed there. That %1 was wt 5.

 

[windhero]

Not all of the maru lube evaporated. About %1 stayed there. That %1 was wt 5.

Like I said earlier, I suspect what is left is Maru axis oil aka diff oil. It did feel very viscous so wt 5 aka 50k is most likely a correct guess. 50k on its own is not a great lube on pieces which is why I'd say using maru as a long term solution would be a bad idea compared to a runnier diff oil.

Next we have to crack what the other solution in maru lube actually is so that we can duplicate the effect cheaper with any other diff oil of high viscosity.

 

[kcl]

Like I said earlier, I suspect what is left is Maru axis oil aka diff oil. It did feel very viscous so wt 5 aka 50k is most likely a correct guess. 50k on its own is not a great lube on pieces which is why I'd say using maru as a long term solution would be a bad idea compared to a runnier diff oil.

Next we have to crack what the other solution in maru lube actually is so that we can duplicate the effect cheaper with any other diff oil of high viscosity.

I wouldn't be surprised if it were water and a bit of alcohol..

 

[rj]

I wouldn't be surprised if it were water and a bit of alcohol..

It's not alcohol. It is possible to lube the core by diluting with alcohol and pouring in. That's what I did with my 5x5.