Olive oil used for burnishing pivots.

[clockboy]

In this month BHI mag (August 22) it has an article on “Pivots and Re-Pivoting”.  It covers all aspects of this job and the different methods used. On burnishing the author states that he has used Olive oil for many years as the lubricant.. I have never used olive oil but I will try it out. Wondering if anyone on here has tried it.

[Neverenoughwatches]

1 hour ago, clockboy said:

In this month BHI mag (August 22) it has an article on “Pivots and Re-Pivoting”.  It covers all aspects of this job and the different methods used. On burnishing the author states that he has used Olive oil for many years as the lubricant.. I have never used olive oil but I will try it out. Wondering if anyone on here has tried it.

Coconut oil has the hightest concentration of saturated fat than any other food source, so it has a very slippery antifriction surface property.  A better choice ?  . A bit easier to apply also ?

Edited August 10, 2022 by Neverenoughwatches

[dadistic]

Another suggested lubricant for burnishing is Oil of Wintergreen. Side benefit of using it is that it smells really good

Hadn't heard about Olive oil. 

Cheers!

[oldhippy]

Nope not me. I thought it was used for cooking and rabbit food (salad). I have used my own spittle at times. 

[nickelsilver]

There's a bit of superstition surrounding pivot burnishing. Around here the old guys like lavender oil, but some swear by almond oil. I have a really old bottle (with a cork) of Moebius chronometer oil that was my magic Jacot stuff when I was younger. In the end a good thin oil is what's needed. I have almond and lavender in the shop and like both. If they aren't within arm's reach I might use thin clock oil. For quick cutting the thin lavender is the best.

 

In my pivot burnishing machines that use carbide wheels, an industrial one and a Rollimat, I use deororized kerosene. If I try thin oil I notice right away a reduction in the cutting action.

[VWatchie]

"Traditional here is pure lavender or almond oil, but 9020 or 9010 is ok (but expensive). For some reason the natural oils seem to work better." ~@nickelsilver

I have been using 9010 with good results. Not expensive for me as I'm a hobbyist using minuscule volumes of 9010 for my watch work.

16 hours ago, clockboy said:

On burnishing the author states that he has used Olive oil for many years as the lubricant.

Any motivation by the author for using olive oil? Did he mention what kind/brand of olive oil?

[clockboy]

2 hours ago, nickelsilver said:

There's a bit of superstition surrounding pivot burnishing. Around here the old guys like lavender oil, but some swear by almond oil. I have a really old bottle (with a cork) of Moebius chronometer oil that was my magic Jacot stuff when I was younger. In the end a good thin oil is what's needed. I have almond and lavender in the shop and like both. If they aren't within arm's reach I might use thin clock oil. For quick cutting the thin lavender is the best.

 

In my pivot burnishing machines that use carbide wheels, an industrial one and a Rollimat, I use deororized kerosene. If I try thin oil I notice right away a reduction in the cutting action.

14 minutes ago, VWatchie said:

"Traditional here is pure lavender or almond oil, but 9020 or 9010 is ok (but expensive). For some reason the natural oils seem to work better." ~@nickelsilver

I have been using 9010 with good results. Not expensive for me as I'm a hobbyist using minuscule volumes of 9010 for my watch work.

Any motivation by the author for using olive oil? Did he mention what kind/brand of olive oil?

No mention or make I did notice on a site it must be virgin olive oil but sure if it was just a tongue in cheek comment. 

[VWatchie]

10 hours ago, clockboy said:

No mention or make I did notice on a site it must be virgin olive oil but sure if it was just a tongue in cheek comment. 

I try some of the olive oil we have in the kitchen.

(OT, but I'm generally very suspicious of seed oils because they form aldehydes (highly carcinogenic) when heated in a frying pan. I always use real butter when frying. Expensive as hell, but better than cancer. In my opinion, food products made from seed oils are unfit for human consumption.)

[Neverenoughwatches]

4 hours ago, VWatchie said:

I try some of the olive oil we have in the kitchen.

(OT, but I'm generally very suspicious of seed oils because they form aldehydes (highly carcinogenic) when heated in a frying pan. I always use real butter when frying. Expensive as hell, but better than cancer. In my opinion, food products made from seed oils are unfit for human consumption.)

Quite right watchie you do need to watch your pan heat with some oils, rapeseed is another, both are far healthier as a dressing. Best oil is as you say pure butter from grass fed and finished animals if you can get it for red meat, coconut is good for most everything else.  But worse still is the Teflon that is coating your pan. This stuff is terrible and it doesnt leave our human system for decades. A good quality carbon steel pan is your best choice and then learn how to properly season it. One of the most healthy food choices you can make and always my first recommendation when i give advice would be to completely cut out processed foods. Reduce your preservative intake as much as possible, not easy, salt a relatively safe option. The caveman didn't ingest chemical or grain for that matter. If we get on to diet i will waffle on for hours lol.

[Shane]

On 8/11/2022 at 2:29 AM, oldhippy said:

I have used my own spittle at times. 

Oldhippy,

Since I read this I have been trying to remember a conversation that I had with an older gentleman about 25 years ago.

He is either now long gone or his participation would no longer be of any contribution.  His story was about a conversation he himself had with an older gentleman from his past.

The story, as I remember it, was that he rubbed his finger around the inside of his ears or under his eyes while performing  delicate work like this.  I just can't remember what that work was.

Shane

 

[Neverenoughwatches]

2 hours ago, Shane said:

Oldhippy,

Since I read this I have been trying to remember a conversation that I had with an older gentleman about 25 years ago.

He is either now long gone or his participation would no longer be of any contribution.  His story was about a conversation he himself had with an older gentleman from his past.

The story, as I remember it, was that he rubbed his finger around the inside of his ears or under his eyes while performing  delicate work like this.  I just can't remember what that work was.

Shane

 

I read a similar technique in an old book. That the  old watchmakers would draw a watchstem down the crease of their nose to grease it before inserting it in the watch.

[KarlvonKoln]

19 hours ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

I read a similar technique in an old book. That the  old watchmakers would draw a watchstem down the crease of their nose to grease it before inserting it in the watch.

I have heard of that someplace also.  But I've also noted that probably not everyone should do that.  I've worked on some vintage watches with nickel-plated brass cases, and something about the owner's skin or sweat or body chemistry would eat away at the case, and it would be covered on the underside with pitting and patina, and the nickel would be eaten away.  I don't know if it has something to do with alkali content or what, but if I knew my skin did that, I would not rub any watch parts on myself.

[Neverenoughwatches]

5 hours ago, KarlvonKoln said:

I have heard of that someplace also.  But I've also noted that probably not everyone should do that.  I've worked on some vintage watches with nickel-plated brass cases, and something about the owner's skin or sweat or body chemistry would eat away at the case, and it would be covered on the underside with pitting and patina, and the nickel would be eaten away.  I don't know if it has something to do with alkali content or what, but if I knew my skin did that, I would not rub any watch parts on myself.

I have a few old watches around 80 years where the case backs are very worn and almost eaten away. I cant imagine anything else but a chemical reaction between the metal plating and the owners body could have caused this.