Grease for helicoids

[Neanderman]

Anyone have any suggestions for what grease to use on a lens focusing helicoid?

Thanks.

Ed

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I've used lithium grease.

 

[phfitz]

Ed,

try Super-Lube grease at any hardware / auto store. Clear, clean, synthetic, teflon, nice 'body' to it, a decent amount of drag. All around great stuff.

www.super-lube.com

 

[John_Brewer]

Molybdenum Disulphide, a superb lubricant and tollerent to extreme temperatures. Reasonable cheap and available from gun shops.

 

[rexp]

I have to second the Super Lube suggestion. I used it on the last lens I repaired with excellent results. The feel was very close to "factory". We have tubes of it at work, and unlike some other lubricants, it does not seem to separate. Some lubricants will divide themselves into the waxy lump that stays put, and the always-on-the-move runny oil.

 

[glennfromwy]

There is a grease made specifically for this purpose. It is called stop grease and if memory serves, it is available from Micro Tools.

 

[Murray@uptowngallery]

There is something about Molybdenum Disulphide that had a safety factor...maybe just because it's a powder and you don't want it in your lungs. Last place I worked got really uptight about it. They apparently lost certification for using it for a very specific critical industry and had to find a workaround.

I haven't greased a helicoid, but I have done folder lens front cells with a synthetic # 28...I just forgot if it was Shell or Mobil. Wide temperature range. Pretty burgundy wine color too.

 

[John_Brewer]

There is something about Molybdenum Disulphide that had a safety factor...maybe just because it's a powder .

In this instance you would use moly paste which is less dangerous than than many chemicals found in darkrooms. Safety data (MSDS shhet) for a typical moly paste is here Dead Link Removed. I do agree that moly powder is more hazardous though.

 

[Murray@uptowngallery]

Multi-commentary.

1) Neanderman...I like that name...I pilfered it and bestowed the name Neanderboy upon a kid at my daughter's bus stop...not to his face, of course!

2) Now I too have a helicoid dilemma, a lazy one-touch zoom that can't hold it's own weight in any position other than horizontal.

I don't know how far one can get into a 35mm zoom to address loose zoom; I guess that's technically not helicoid, probably, since it slides and the focus rotates. I hoped it needed silicone damping grease or the like.

 

[Gerald Koch]

In the past I have used the lube made for fishing reels. The last tube I bought was made by Penn. Usually available where sporting goods are sold.

 

[Donald Qualls]

I've been very happy using Permatex Superlube teflon grease (obtainable at Radio Shack, where a few bucks will buy a multi-decade supply) on both classic front-element focusing threads and the helicoid in my Varexon 135 mm M42 lens. It's slippery, doesn't separate as some greases can, has no gritty residue as lithium grease often does, and gives a nice smooth damped feel.

 

[NiceDays]

try Super-Lube grease at any hardware / auto store. Clear, clean, synthetic, teflon, nice 'body' to it, a decent amount of drag. All around great stuff.

www.super-lube.com

Old thread, but to not create another one i rather reply here.


Which particular one to use they have many products, this one okay?

 

[skahde]

Very popular in the german industry when a dampening-grease is needed: Klüber Catenera, available worldwide in three different viscosities and in large as well as small quantities. I used KSB 8 for several lenses (Summitar 2/50, Summaron 3.5/35, Nikkor 1,8/85 K, Minolta MD 1.4/50 mm and some more) and on the helicoids in my Focomat IIc and the resulting feeling is excellent!

CATENERA KSB 8

CATENERA KSB 6, 8, 12 are adhesive dampening greases based on synthetic hydrocarbon, ester and paraffin oil. They contain silicate as thickener.In the food and pharmaceuticals industries, CATENERA KSB 8 may be preferably used for applications where technically unavoidable contact with the food...

www.klueber.com

 

[pdccamerqs]

I have used the Helimax-XP product that has lithium grease and PTFE - it's a little expensive, but it lasts a long time!

https://www.amazon.com/MicroLubrol-Helimax-XP-Telescope-Instrument-Focusing/dp/B00D0HOLBE/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2A2W0QWL51RYU&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.oDuq2f7K_aT_lXCGxlmgna6sMtNZTFS-oRAif4AjVeqR6SvQ53o2_ZHFPITbshrlKOBf8dFDWWNdvvbFrrahXbGpTjgTyV5fKqBL3HpYFb563XMp7_vm2QLBDYjbi0-UcEYQuzHNao2XtyEgnaItA65mZ7TJVjS-5LadTQkAejpeP2kHHn0cW84d7GtZViUr2-CfAr-heRV3ezICVdE-SMA_kzQ_5jh8H9cgW8f6t73ukT5C6YsxC-ask6NV1-k3DSSDsb8kTgKOVFMo4FMP6Gh20q5sEbvy_iGaXvt-fCY.IG_-JaJ7ZAAylcYQ0yTDt09MFWKO8bk63V2Ct4BwdGA&dib_tag=se&keywords=camera+helicoid+lube&qid=1766861724&sprefix=camera+helicoid+lube%2Caps%2C169&sr=8-1

 

[DutchDarkroom]

I don't have any experience with this but i remember there being a specific grease for this.

Helicoid Lube+ Damper Grease for Lenses & Cameras

Helicoid Lube+ is a premium-grade synthetic optical lube that comes in 6 different thicknesses, from NLGI 000 to NLGI 3, covering most of the typical lubricant scenarios on camera lenses. The focus rings on vintage lenses are often less smooth (or sometimes over-loosened) than they used to be...

polarbearcamera.com