AR Sponsor
Posted: 5/10/2009 12:40:33 PM EDT
|
Anyone ever use Smooth Kote?? A gun shop that I love and trust has just started selling this stuff and everyone has been raving about it. The sho owner and employees have applied to to thier .22 conversion kits as well as their .223 bolt carriers and bolts. They swear that all of the carbon and junk completely just wipes off after this stuff is applied.
For some reason, I was a little uneasy about it. Anyone used it. 
|
|
Its Molybdenum Disulfide in alcohol or some sort of suspension fluid that evaporates away to leave the Moly behind on the surface. Molybdenum Disulfide is the active ingredient in MOLY Grease.
Moly does reduce friciton, a lot, but its dry and like graphite, it doesn't stay on the surface very well and you can loose lubrication. Moly can burnish into the metal, which helps keep it slippery as well. Grease and Oil, you can tell when the surface is dry and needs lube, dry lubes, you don't know. I use TW25B grease on my .22 Pistol, with the same results you speak about for the Smooth Kote, but the TW25B dissipates to leave a waxy coat on the surface. Like you said, with TW25B all the dirt and carbon wipes off with a rag. Seen people use the Smooth Kote to BURNISH Moly into the bore of their barrels, and even buff it into the surfaces of their triggers for a trigger job of sorts. It has its uses, but personally, I don't know if I would use it as primary lubrication on anything bigger than a .22 unless I saw some evidence it prevented wear as well or better than the popular Oils and Greases on the market. This "MAY" be one of the lubes to consider mixing (well of sorts). You can apply it to dry metal surfaces and buff it in, to burnish moly into the metal surface, as long as all the solvent has evaporated, you can then apply the primary lube over it. The idea is the Moly can be worked into the pores of the metal surface (burnish) and stay there as another layer of protection against wear from metal to metal contact, with the primary lube oil/grease as the primary lube preventing metal to metal contact. Molybdenum Disulfide is a GREAT lube, very slippery, BUT like I said, I don't think you see it more often because its a dry powder, like graphite, that doesn't stay on the surface very well in much volume and you have to worry about lack of lube because all the Dry Moly blew out of the contacts points and only left a little burnished in on the surface of the metal. |
|
Quoted:
This "MAY" be one of the lubes to consider mixing (well of sorts). You can apply it to dry metal surfaces and buff it in, to burnish moly into the metal surface, as long as all the solvent has evaporated, you can then apply the primary lube over it. The idea is the Moly can be worked into the pores of the metal surface (burnish) and stay there as another layer of protection against wear from metal to metal contact, with the primary lube oil/grease as the primary lube preventing metal to metal contact. This is exactly what I am going to do..... we will see |
|
Quoted:
I was told by the former head of development for a major oil company that MOS2 does not work well as a lubricant. Yet its used in all sorts of Friction Reducing Coatings and is well know for reducing friction. Like I said above, I suspect that it does NOT work well as a lubricant is because its a dry powder like graphite, it doesn't stick around, either falling out of, working it ways out of OR just blows away from the surface your trying to lubricate with it. NOW, if you burnish it into the surface of the metal, like many of the coating do when used, it would provide some anti-friction protection. The only question is, can an amateur burnish it into the metal themselves? Sure, I'm guessing if you buff the powder (or residue left behind by this product) with a cloth or cloth/felt wheel on a dremel it would burnish it into the metal surface, BUT I DO NOT KNOW THAT, I can't see how it would hurt, unless you use it in replacement of liquid/semi-liquid lubes that would probably lubricate better. I'm suggesting using it in addition to the lube. |
|
You are correct in that if falls out of solution. The best moly is the organic type which is soluble in oil, so it is carried to where it is needed. This type is also clear and is used in many types of lubricants. It takes very small amounts to work. Even this is more a friction modifier, rather than a true AW.
Moly will burnish in but takes quite a bit of force. You can't use a rag to burnish it into the metal. Moly coatings are very different from lubricants. They can reduce friction to a degree, but they are all softer than the base metal so they will wear off. True dry lubes are poor lubricants because they will always have MUCH higher amounts of friction than will liquid lubes, even under boundary conditions. Solid lubes are considered to be a "last line of defense", not a primary. |
|
Quoted:
Moly will burnish in but takes quite a bit of force. You can't use a rag to burnish it into the metal. Moly coatings are very different from lubricants. They can reduce friction to a degree, but they are all softer than the base metal so they will wear off. In fact, the coatings that come to mind have been internal combustion engine parts, like piston skirts and bores, and the idea was the force that wore coating off the part would actually be burnishing the moly into the metal surface to provide the lasting protection. I can see trying to burnish Moly into metal with a rag as being futile. What I was considering, was to burnish into the BCG Carrier bore, where the bolt rings ride, maybe the bore of the barrel as well, with a clothe wrapped around brush. Hopping the force during operation would burnish it in. Might even try it on the trigger contact points. I figured as long as I don't have so much left laying around to gum up the rifle, it wouldn't hurt. Of course, I'm NOT sure how well the chrome lining of both of those would hold any moly, it may be pointless. All these items will still be properly lubed with a liquid lube. I agree, that as a primary lube Moly is a bad idea, especially in a firearm so dependent on good lube like the AR. I'm suggesting |
AR Sponsor