There's oil. And then there's oil.

[Bob Wright]

Recently while teaching a lesson in my Sunday School class, I mentioned that the owner of an olive grove, in Biblical times, was a wealthy man. He was the equivalent of an oil-rich Texan. The olive tree, rather the olive, was the primary source of oil in those days. It was a clean lubricant, base for soap, and the primary oil for household lighting and cooking.

The Latin (?) name for the olive tree was olea, meaning oil. Crude oil was known at the time, but the knowledge of what to do with it was pretty much unknown. The Romans though that that oil came out of the rocks. Hence the word for rock, petro was added to indicate it was "rock oil" or petro + olea evolved into petroleum.

And the olive was the main source until the whaling industry was founded, and the fine sperm oil was derived from the whales. This oil was, and still may be, cherished by clockmakers as a fine, non-drying oil used for lubricating mechanical clocks. Whale oil was the prime source for oil then until the processing of crude oil, or petroleum, came into vogue.

Just something to think about the next time you clean and lovingly care for your fine firearms.

Bob Wright

 

[reuben_j_cogburn]

more than once I have had to use olive oil to wipe my guns down up at the homestead......... because I had nothing else.......
It did the job!!

 

[Bull Barrel]

Italian motorcycles thrive on olive oil! Some folks recommend yak fat.

 

[6GUNSONLY]

When my plain leather, oil-finished boots get to looking a little dry, I give them a spray with olive oil cooking spray.

 

[Bob Wright]

I neglected this in my above dissertation: My preferred gun oil for the past sixty years has been a 50/50 blend of automotive motor oil and Three-In-One machine oil. Prior to that it was J.C. Higgens gun oil.

Bob Wright

 

[graygun]

I neglected this in my above dissertation: My preferred gun oil for the past sixty years has been a 50/50 blend of automotive motor oil and Three-In-One machine oil. Prior to that it was J.C. Higgens gun oil.

Bob Wright

How does 50% automotive oil make it better and what weight?

 

[Bob Wright]

I neglected this in my above dissertation: My preferred gun oil for the past sixty years has been a 50/50 blend of automotive motor oil and Three-In-One machine oil. Prior to that it was J.C. Higgens gun oil.

Bob Wright

How does 50% automotive oil make it better and what weight?

Motor oil contains additives that remove/reduce carbon. I've never given weight any consideration, normally 10W-30 is what I have on hand. Also I think motor oil tend to "cling" to the surface a little better.

Years ago an old gunsmith told me that many automotive products cut carbon, and I tried it and never looked back. I'm not trying to sell anyone on the practice, just that it has worked for me these many years.

Bob Wright

 

[JFB]

Italian motorcycles thrive on olive oil! . . .

I prefer the aroma of Castor Bean Oil!

 

[toysoldier]

There were two types of oil obtained from whales---rendered fat (used for lamps) and spermaceti, from the head of the sperm whale. Jojoba oil is chemically identical to spermaceti.

 

[Mike J]

I hadn't thought about motor oil reducing carbon build up but for some time I have been using synthetic motor oil as gun oil. It is high quality oil & much cheaper than paying for the tiny bottles of gun oil.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

"Oil wars" is always a fun game, whether it's about cars, motorcycles, bicycles, guns, fishing reels, and who knows what else that needs a drop of lubricant now and then, as long as there are two or more to play. That said, for my guns, I like a 50-50 mix of 3in1 and CLP.

Oh, wait, what's the "3" stand for? "Cleans, lubricates, protects!" Guess I can go back to using it straight then. ;)

Rick C

 

[Bull Barrel]

Italian motorcycles thrive on olive oil! . . .

I prefer the aroma of Castor Bean Oil!

That's British!

 

[ronto]

I use 0W-20 Mobil 1.

 

[Rook]

0W-20 Mobil 1 Synthetic in a syringe works on just about everything for me. A quart will last a long time.