howard@garfield.UUCP (Howard . Campbell) (07/06/84)
--------------------------------------------------------------------- The other day, I met someone who'd been touring about 5 weeks, he had a very nice bicycle, and a VERY clean chain. He uses paraffin to lubricate it, and it works very well. ( So he said, his chain was no worse for wear, as far as I could tell, as well as being quite free-rolling. ) Has anyone used this method over a long period of time? ( Longer than five weeks? ) Does anyone have any expert opinions on wax as a chain lubricant? Does anyone know why it works? It seems to me that the wax is acting as graphite would. Howard Campbell, MUN - Garfield. ---------------------------------------------------------------------
ix21@sdccs6.UUCP (David Whiteman) (07/08/84)
About when I first started college I read in a bicycling book that those who did not want to lubricate their chain often should use paraffin. The book recommended using it about once a year. I started with a new chain (which the book did not say was necessary), soaked and scrubbed the chain in kerosine, and let dry overnight. Then I melted the paraffin in a old coffee can in boiling water, dunked the chain, and hung the chain on a nail and let the wax drip back into the can. Every year I would dig out the same coffee can and remelt the same paraffin. The wax is an excellent lubricant, and even if my bike gets stuck in the rain overnight I never had problems with a rusty chain. I've used this method for over seven years without problems; in fact unless you use WD-40 or chain lubricant before every ride and clean your chain every two weeks you won't have a more frictionless chain. David Whiteman
dsn@umcp-cs.UUCP (07/08/84)
Several years ago there was an article in one of the bicycling magazines in
which someone kept track of chain wear by measuring how much his chain had
"stretched" each time he did regular maintenance on his bicycle. His
conclusion was that paraffin was better at reducing chain wear than were oil
or petroleum distillate lubricants.
I've tried both petroleum distillates and paraffin as chain lubricants. I
haven't kept track of chain wear, but I prefer paraffin at this point--if
for no other reason than that the chain accumulates MUCH less grime in the
course of everyday use.
In case anyone wants to know, here's how to lubricate a chain with paraffin:
(1) Buy some paraffin at your local supermarket (it's available for use in
home canning). Melt the paraffin on the stove in an old coffee can.
(2) remove the chain from your bicycle and clean it thoroughly by soaking it
in kerosene.
(3) Set the can on the floor. Dip the chain in the paraffin, pull it out,
and hang it from a string over the can until the paraffin on the chain
solidifies.
(4) Put the chain back on your bike.
The same can of paraffin can be used again and again (as long as you clean
your chain before dipping it in the paraffin!)--
Dana S. Nau
CSNet: dsn@umcp-cs ARPA: dsn@maryland
UUCP: {seismo,allegra,brl-bmd}!umcp-cs!dsnpaul@hpfclk.UUCP (07/09/84)
Any reason to use kerosine as opposed to using gasoline? Will gasoline
work just as well?
Paul Beiser
Hewlett-Packard Ft. Collins, Colorado
...{ihnp4,hplabs}!hpfcla!paulron@brl-tgr.ARPA (Ron Natalie <ron>) (07/09/84)
I'd play it safe and put the can of paraffin in another pot of water rather than directly on the stove. -Ron
grt@hou2h.UUCP (G.TOMASEVICH) (07/10/84)
I have been waxing the chains on 4 bicycles for about 2 years. It lasts for about a month on two of the bikes I use a lot. If you get caught in the rain, you must rewax right away unless you get the water wiped off completely. On one bike, I gave up waxing this winter, as it got very stiff in the cold weather, and the chain did not feed properly through the derailleur. It is nice to change a tire or rehang a thrown chain or put the bike in the car without getting greasy. I see no difference in wear compared to oiling. If the chain is neglected, it will get noisy, but not necessarily squeaky. One can melt the parrafin in a can which is immersed in a bigger pan of water, with the chain coiled up in it. After the parrafin is completely melted, hook the chain with a wire, lay it on a paper and daub off excess wax with a paper towel. After the chain cools, work it over a pipe or something to loosen the links, then put it back on the bike. For a track bike, one must ride about a mile, then retighten the chain after excess wax wears off the chain pins and it stretches. On a road bike the chain may skip until the excess wax comes off. George Tomasevich, AT&T Bell Laboratories ihnp4!hou2h!grt (until hocda comes back up)
bab@cbscc.UUCP (Barb Berk) (07/10/84)
xxx Some of the mechanics with Bicycling magazine recommend paraffin on chains. A recent issue had an article on this method. I think they claimed that chain life would increase considerably by using paraffin over oil (largly because of less dirt pick-up). The recommended application method is a double boiler.
opus@drutx.UUCP (ShanklandJA) (07/11/84)
> In case anyone wants to know, here's how to lubricate > a chain with paraffin: > 1) Buy some paraffin at your local supermarket (it's > available for use in home canning). Melt the paraffin > on the stove in an old coffee can. IN A DOUBLE BOILER, PLEASE!! Fires can be pretty, unless you're in one. Jim Shankland ..!ihnp4!druxy!opus
tierney@fortune.UUCP (07/17/84)
#R:garfield:-138700:fortune:26500002:000:702 fortune!tierney Jul 16 13:28:00 1984 >> Any reason to use kerosine as opposed to using gasoline? Will gasoline >> work just as well? >> Paul Beiser **DO NOT **EVER** USE GASOLINE TO CLEAN *ANYTHING*!!!!!!! ** **DO NOT **EVER** USE GASOLINE TO CLEAN *ANYTHING*!!!!!!! ** **DO NOT **EVER** USE GASOLINE TO CLEAN *ANYTHING*!!!!!!! ** **DO NOT **EVER** USE GASOLINE TO CLEAN *ANYTHING*!!!!!!! ** Gasoline fumes are *EXTREMELY* explosive. Last winter TWO (2) of my friends spent some time in the hospital because they were cleaning auto parts with gasoline. Within 2 weeks of each other!!! Dont Dont Dont! Is that a good warning? Kerosine works just as good as gasoline anyway, and the fumes are nowhere near as dangerous. Charlie
ron@brl-tgr.UUCP (07/18/84)
Kerosene is safer. Gasoline is for your gas tank and should not be used anywhere else. -Ron
tw@hp-pcd.UUCP (07/29/84)
I have friends back in Texas that swear by the wax method, but I tried it
here once and had problems with my chain rusting up. That was in an Oregon
winter, though, which is a pretty demanding environment for any lubricant.
Tw Cook {harpo!}hp-pcd!tw or twc@hplabs.CSNET