Rust prevention with Lanolin - It's better then oil

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I did read about lanolin allergies, but it was my understanding it is relatively rare. It is still a product in common use in the health and beauty industries. That being said, thanks for bringing the topic up! Users should certainly be aware.
 
To be fair, the only reason I know of lanolin reactions is because my wife, niece and mother-in-law all suffered from unpredictable bouts of itching (nothing serious though) that we all supposed were due to washing powder or something similar, but after a year, or so we realised that it always coincided with renovation work I used to occasionally on vintage railway equipment and even though I never experienced any problems myself, our GP confirmed the cause using skin tests and told us that most of the time, reactions are mild enough to be mistaken for insect bites, exposure to certain garden plants, or even heat rash....
 
Based on your family's experiences it almost sounds like the allergy is genetic.
 
I might agree if wife and mother-in-law were genetically related to my niece ;)
 
I grew up with the real deal as on our sheep property we could have up to 15,000 wooly creatures running round. Handling greasy wool at shearing time meant your hands were always soft and you boots were supple. Lanolin is a byproduct of the wool scouring process. There is a baby cream called Bepanthin which is lanolin based and very good for nappy rash, chafes and dry lips. I have also used lanolin based grease on firearms. Smelt like an old Ram!

The building I work in used to be a fabric warehouse many years ago and I can still smell that familiar greasy wool smell in the lifts after 30+ years as an office. Reminds me as a kid of visits to the central wool stores to see our wool sold at auction.
 
Almost two weeks later since I put lanolin on the lathe I still have no rust. I was concerned today before I pulled the tarp off as it's been doing alot of raining and been very humid lately. I'm quite pleased!

Speaking of tarp, I picked up a canvas drop cloth to put over the lathe. Word to the wise... vacuum it first! (Don't ask me how I know) I picked up a cheap harbor freight paint sprayer and will spray the tarp down with my lanolin mixture.

I also put some in a little hand spray bottle. It's worked very well for some small intricate parts that are awaiting my attention for a little bit on another project.
 
If you want to stop steel rusting on surfaces which don't rub up against each other you may want to try linseed oil. I discovered that when I put linseed oil onto the wooden handle of a shovel and some got onto the rusty steel shank that it reacted with the rust to form a dry, black shiny coating which didn't rust any further. It only works when there is a reasonable amount of surface rust already present. If linseed oil is applied to bright steel it goes sticky.
 
Some years back we had an old fellow bring a revolver into the shop for some work. Both myself and my partner were astonished because we knew for a fact that Colt never made stainless steel pistols back in the 20's.

The old fellow told us his dad purchased it new back in '32. Being farmers lanolin was what they had so the revolver had been rubbed down with it ever since. The old fellow and his dad had carried that thing nearly every day to control coyotes or hunt deer and Oregon in the winter is far from dry. After nearly 70 years all the bluing was gone, but there wasn't the slightest hint of corrosion. Except for the obvious holster ware that old Colt looked like it was brand new stainless steel.
 
Thanks for the info - if using lanolin to protect part machined/finished parts for a long term build (very long term in my case!) how do I get the lanolin off at a later date to prime/paint the surfaces or isn't this possible reliably? (Hope that isn't a stupid question - someone's bound to be laughing by now! ::)) I don't have any equipment to degrease and usually have to rely on degrease sprays or very hot soapy water (if hot enough the water then evaporates off quickly minimising rust).

Thanks, Nick
 
If I wanted to completely remove it from a surface I'd take a hair drier to warm it a bit, wipe it off with a rag, then clean up with kerosene or mineral spirits.
 
I have been using Brylcreem (A little dab 'l do ya) on my hair ever since I had hair.--It pleases me to no end that the top of my head is never going to rust!!!---Brian
 
Hot water and soap. Lanolin is the lubricant in shaving cream. In the old days when a barber gave shaves the third and last pass was with melted lanolin. You wouldn't feel stubble for three day or get razor burn.

That old guys revolver was so saturated with the stuff it was impossible to blue. We would have had to bake it to ash inside the metal.
 
I have found this treatise on the use of lanolin very helpful. I have used Lanotec (aerosol form) for several years now on our son's racing bicycle - on the chain, the duralliers and the associated moving parts. He often races in inclement weather (no accounting for the madness of youth) and the life of the chain and running gear has been extended dramatically. I would estimate often nearly doubling the life he gets out of the components. It seems to allow the shedding of water/dirt as he rides. He washes the dirt etc off the bike at the end of the day and recoats with Lanotec. It seems to prevent the accretion/buildup of stuck-on dirt that forms an abrasion paste.
I too can heartily recommend it fore this sort of use, though I did notice once a number of rather interested ewes in a paddock look at him with questionable intent as he cycled past their paddock...
Bill.
 
I had a serious rust problem with my machinery until I tried lanolin (Lanotec). It totally solved all my rust problems. I now spray it on everything. Vices, milling table, angle plates, rotary table, chuck, collets and more. It is garage wonder mist!

To clean it off in under 5 seconds I simply spray WD40 on it. It dissolves immediately and I simply wipe it off. WD40 really removes the hassle factor with Lanolin. I would be lost without it! I felt compelled to sign up and share this tip..

As a side note it also stopped my sneaky front door hinge. I tried a few other lubricants in cans, but it always squeaked after a month. Lanolin was sprayed on it over 6months ago and not so much as a squeak since..
 
Hi,
I've treated myself to a new mill vice which I would like to keep looking bright and shiny. I've purchased some lanolin but I'm not sure what mineral spirits are. Can anyone tell me what it is? I'm assuming it's not petrol (gasoline). The woman in the paint section of the local hardware suggested Turpentine or white spirits. The turps would be non drying while the white spirits would evaporate.
Thanks,
Alan C.
 
Mineral spirits is a turpentine substitute. Very slow drying and the modern formulation in the states is nearly orderless. Also known as mineral turpentine, white spirits and Stoddard Solvent.

Bill
 
heads up guys, Fluid Film is another lanolin based chemical company

http://www.fluid-film.com/products/

they seem to me much more widely available than lanotec or lanoflex

it is also available at orielly auto parts and autozone under part no. as11

will be picking some of this up on the way home
 
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