Really, really thin helicoid grease?

H

hamradio

Well-known
Local time
9:00 AM
Joined
Nov 11, 2008
Messages
408
I've got a couple AI-Nikkors I'm regreasing, and am running into an issue I haven't had before. My usual go-to helicoid grease is Superlube, which does the job nicely on simple lenses like the Industar-61. However, the double helicoid with finer threads of a Nikkor 28/2.8 and 50/1.4 are giving me a hard time.

The lenses had stiff focus when I got them. I assumed that I would find nasty, dried up grease inside. Upon tearing each one down a little bit, it was obvious that I wasn't the first to open up these lenses. The grease of each was in fine shape, but they were way over-greased. I cleaned all of the old crap out. A dry test of the lenses was very smooth. I put my usual few dabs of grease on the threads, reassembled, and it was smooth but way, way too stiff. I cleaned the threads out, put less grease in. Slightly less stiff, and making the sound of dry threads.

Any suggestions on a really, really thin lubricant for these lenses? A terrible idea, but it almost feels like something as thin as a synthetic oil would make them feel proper.
 
You don't want it to be too thin, because it might start running in places you don't want it. I think superlube is fairly thin already. Wouldn't it be better to use the superlube as you have done, and work the mechanism until it feels right?
 
I've had some decent results with Dupont Krytox #205. It needs to spread very thin on helicoids; it can be stiff if too much is left in place.

I've also done something very heretical. Mix Tri-Flo oil with Tri-Flo grease to vary the viscosity. I figured that they might be working with the same basic materials. They mix together well and don't separate over time... well, three years at least. I did a mixture for a Leica Elmar re-lube it was still good after three years and with no signs of oil creep. Also the film can I mixed them up in showed no signs of separation. Well, I'll throw it out there.
 
Thanks for the suggestions...I was leaning toward a solution like the Tri-Flow one. I'd try out some greases from micro-tools, etc., but 'thin' is pretty subjective, and I don't want to spend $30 to figure out what one seller's definition of it is.

As far as the Superlube goes, even the smallest amount of the stuff gets the ring a little too stiff already (doesn't feel like it would've when new). It's just a little too heavy and sticky for this application. I usually try to avoid coating a whole helicoid in grease, but if I don't, it's noisy on these two lenses.
 
The best I found was real Nikon grease; I asked for some way back when you could still order from Nikon Parts. The gave me a tiny cup of it and it has lasted at least 10 years, I found just the mere wetting of a pinky was enough for one helicoid. It smells more organic/beeswax than most greases, not sticky or goopy. That grease makes it feel like factory. I have no idea where you could get some now, the cup I have once had a part number hand written on it but that might be faded. Good luck and let us know what you find.
 
White lithium grease designed for ball-bearings worked perfectly fine in my own Nikkor 28/2.8 Ai-S but you have to apply a very thin layer of it very evenly on the threads with a small paintbrush, not in dabs here and there.
 
I have used synthetic watch oil like Moebius 9015. Or try very little PTFE grease. Some lenses are so tight that even the smallest amount makes them hard to focus. One thing is to use thick moly grease to break it in and then swap to something lighter.
 
Canon parts diagrams list a few different greases depending on the applications. I use a really light grease they call FLOIL, which looks (to me) to be the same thing as the medium grease listed on the micro tools website. I've used both for lubrication on hasselblad, Leica and a few LF helicals. It feels buttery smooth when used and it's very, very light. Use a paint brush to apply deep into the helical teeth and wipe away any excess. Doesn't seem to creep, but I wipe down the helicals after excercising the focus mech a few times. Keep excercising the helicals until no extra grease comes out from the front or back and you should be alright.
 
You might want to try grease indended for use in bicycle suspension forks from Manitou or RockShox. I have some Yarrow Suspension grease - fully synthetic and very thin grease.
 
Helimax XP.
Got mine off Ebay I think.

You can still get Nikon Helicoid grease cant you?
i am sure I have seen it somewhere on Tinterweb.
About £1020.00/Gramme if I remember right.
 
I found that stuff too, and I might give it a try.

I put together one of the Nikkors with some white lithium thinned out with a drop or two of Rem Oil. It feels like it should, but makes some whispering/dry sounds. Oh well, I'm getting pretty quick at disassembling these things.

Thanks for the suggestions, all!
 
I would like to thank you for the HElimax link. My can arrived yesterday, and today I set my hands on 2 industars, one from '69 and anotehr one from '62.
The'69 one needed a decent blow with a hairdryer as no one could move the helicoids. It had hadrly been used and grease was petrified.
The'62 one had plenty of soft and hard spots.
After tanking apart, cleaning and applying helimax their feel is almost like new. Butter smooth, the focusing helicoid has a "like new" feel.
So thank you for this superb suggestion.
Tomorrow it's the turn of another set of industars...
Best regards
 
Hi,

Does it say on the tin, tube or whatever the viscosity of the stuff? Unless they've changed everything (as they do) it should be in centistrokes or C/s or c/s. Sorry that's a but vague but my experience dates back to the 60's and nothing is ever the same when you go back.

Regards, David
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom