[78-L] One question about mainspring greasing

[Iñigo Cubillo]

As Cole Porter said in I've got a kick out of you... "My story is much to sad to be told... but practically ev'rything leaves me totally cold..."

I've been searching for a suitable grease for mainsprings in gramophones since long years ago. There's an extended opinion that the troubles we're suffering from, about stuck springs and barrels, is the blame of the grapphite grease. But I'm lately being completely deceived. The problem is not the grease, but the lack of use of the motor for 20 years.

Some other gramophone mainspring barrels I've never entered in are working perfectly, although maybe 50-60 years have passed since last grease refreshing.

Besides this, I've been tryng other greases since 20 years ago, and with NO SUCCESS.

- Dow Conning's MOLYKOTE, which I was advised about in the 80s, is a Molybdene Disulphure grease, with advertedly great properties on hard working ball bearings and sliding surfaces. It simply doesn't work in gramophone springs. Two broken springs can be a good testimonial.

- Ordinary Lithium grease simply doesn't work on mainsprings. They continue thumping inside the barrel, and do not slide well.

- The said Edison's mixture, vaseline and graphite powder, broke another spring.

- Finally, what seems to be working, though not too well, is the mixture of lithium grease plus grapphite powder, but the springs still thump. It can be that the DIY mixture is not the proper thing, or that the lithium grease I'm using is not good. But it is the only greaase I can find here around.

I've been trying to locate a shop in Madrid where they sell grapphite grease, and it doesn't pop up easily. Anyway, through the web I've seen several similar products in the catalogues of TEXACO, BARDAHL, and other well known lubricant makers. But I don't know well... There seems to be two main types of grappite grease: the one based in Calcium grease and the lithium one. I'm a bit suspicious about lithium, and I think that probably the calcium based greases were the real thing in those ole' days.

Have any of you tried these products? Can any kind soul give me some advice about this?

I know that Mike Child in Bedford, UK, is currently selling GG, but the cartridges or pots are so heavy that the posting price must be added to the already high cost of the grease, making the whole thing unaffordable. Any soul there around, at the other side of the Atlantic can give me some advice on a commercial product from a main brand, available also in Spain?

Any comments will be fine.

Thanks, guys 'n girls !!!

"Sticky Springs" Inigo,
from Madrid, SPAIN