Lubricating Centrepin

Tony Cummings · Apr 20, 2011

Anyone know the most suitable lubricant to use on an Okuma Sheffield centre pin?

Peter Jacobs · Apr 20, 2011

Tony Cummings said:
Anyone know the most suitable lubricant to use on an Okuma Sheffield centre pin?

I'd use sulphuric acid and when it totally corrodes go out and buy a Putrist . . . . . . . nah, only joking.

Most people go for a very light lubricant like sewing machine oil, you can get Singer oil still at some handicraft shops.

peter crabtree · Apr 20, 2011

okuma

I've had mine since they came out and have never used any lubricant, just keep it clean . Sewing machine lube is usually the stock answer.

quickcedo · Apr 20, 2011

If the bearings nead lubricant they've probably had it. They are so cheap to replace I wouldn't bother messing with them. They are a sealed bearing and not intended to require maintenance.

flightliner · Apr 20, 2011

Tony, I think most very light oils will be fairly suitable,3in1, and like peter says a sewing machine oil, over the last couple of years I have been using WD which is actually made from fish oils, not had any problems and things seem fine.

tigger · Apr 20, 2011

flightliner said:
Tony, I think most very light oils will be fairly suitable,3in1, and like peter says a sewing machine oil, over the last couple of years I have been using WD which is actually made from fish oils, not had any problems and things seem fine.

Wd 40 shouldn't be used for lubricating centrepins as it isn't a lubricant. 3 in 1 oil is pretty thick and so not so good for a free running pin. Singer sewing machine oil/ any sewing machine oil is excellent for centrepin lubrication as it's a fine oil.
Chris lythe invalidates his warranty if you use WD 40 on his centrepins.

chav professor · Apr 20, 2011

The difinitive oil for lubricating bearings would be the 'Rocket Fuel' range - they are designed primarily for beach and tornament casters... I use the yellow rocket fuel.

for multiplier reel bearings (which are the same as bearings used in centrepins) clean by removing the bearing and dipping in lighter fluid - this degreases and removes the old oil. place on a piece of kitchen roll and let the petrol evaporate. then add 2/3 drops of rocket fuel oil and good to go.

Just one thing! Ask yourself if your centre pin bearings need cleaning and relubricating? i personally wouldn't bother unless it is really claggy - centre pin reels dont need to spin at ultra fast speeds..........

the indifferent crucian · Apr 21, 2011

Firstly may I say that WD40 is NOT made from fish oils! I say this just so someone won't be tempted to pollute the waters saying it is a fish attractant. It may be one...but it is a pollutant!

3 in 1 oil is considered acceptable by Gary Mills, of the Mill Tackle Company..... he ought to know.

That said, he sells his own oil, and in a back to back test my Speedia ran quieter and longer using his oil.

There are several people selling sewing machine oil on ebay, as well.

WD-40 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Singer Sewing Machine Oil 125ml | eBay UK

The Mill Tackle Company: Fishing Reel Repairs, Ser

Bob Roberts · Apr 21, 2011

You will find some info on Dupont Krytox grease at the bottom of this link.

As it says, bearings already contain this grease and will never need replacing.

For some reason the old adage, buy cheap, buy twice springs to mind...

Bob Roberts
Bob Roberts – Fishing information for the complete angler

flightliner · Apr 21, 2011

I was always of the understanding that it had some fish oil content-- ok maybe not? but its main properties were to be a lubricant and water dispersal agent which it does to my satisfaction so I will continue to use it.---- its not bad on insect bites too!.

Fred Bonney · Apr 21, 2011

WD40 is a tad abrasive as I understand, which is probably why Gary doesn't like the stuff.

Keith M · Apr 21, 2011

I lubricate my pins with a mixture of sewing machine oil (or Lanoline oil) and pencil graphite (ground down with a pestle and mortar), I introduce this mixture using a needle one drop at a time.

I do not add very much at all 3-4 drops per bearing.

When I was younger I once ruined a couple of my pins by using WD40 because it left a sticky residue which clogged up the bearings as it dried out, so I would advise you to only use it to remove old oil or grease and then wipe it off completely with a lint-free cloth before lubricating with a fine oil.

the indifferent crucian · Apr 21, 2011

There seems to be a lot of confusion here.

Chris Lythe won't honour a warranty if you use 3 in 1 oil, not WD40.

Gary Mills hasn't mentioned WD40, to the best of my knowledge, but he thinks 3 in 1 oil is OK.

For the record, all my centrepins were lubricated using 3 in 1 oil until a month ago when I got some of Gary's 'Mill Pin Oil'...it's reet good!

That includes an irreplaceable one-off from Youngs from the Thirties.

WD40 alone is not a lubricant and has a slightly 'gritty' feel to it. But even with the modern CO2 propellant it is a great 'releasing oil' and can access places other oils wouldn't get to. Remember not all oils are lubricating oils.

3 in 1 oil IS a lubricating oil, but it also has anti-corrosion properties and penetrating properties...hence the 3 in 1 name.

Quite why Chris Lythe feels able to withdraw his warranty if 3 in 1 oil is used is beyond me, but I'm sure he has his reasons. Perhaps Sean has an idea?

Looking at Chris' website now, I can find no reference to warranty or WD40, but it used to be there...

Chris Lythe Centre Pins

To make matters even more confusing ...3 in 1 oil is now owned and made by the WD40 people

The fishing coach · Apr 21, 2011

Recently I inherited five traditional centrepins and an Adcock and Stanton after the death of a very close friend.

The Fishing Coach :: A story of a fishing friendship :: April :: 2011

Three Speedia's (two wide drum and one narrow), one Trudex and one Grice and Young Avon Royal Supreme.

All the reels had not been touched for at least ten years and had been stored in a workshop in a fume filled dusty atmosphere. They were in a terrible state, it nearly took two hands to turn some of them and they were sticky to the touch.

I was only really interested in the Adcock and Stanton (never been a fan of traditional centrepins) but I decided to give them all a good clean. Due to a post on this site sometime ago I used Singer Sewing Machine Oil and they all now spin nearly as freely as my ball bearing centrepins. Even the ball bearing race of the Adcock freed up after several flush throughs of the sewing machine oil.

I was going to put them on ebay but I am so impressed I think I will keep them to include in my coaching (showing both types of centrepins).

tigger · Apr 21, 2011

the indifferent crucian said:
There seems to be a lot of confusion here.

Chris Lythe won't honour a warranty if you use 3 in 1 oil, not WD40.

Chris told me over the phone that he invalidates his warranty if you use WD40 on his reels. I have spoken to him numerous times over the last couple of years, received one of my pins off him 12 months ago and have four more on order so I'm not confused at all.... since he told me himself.
He recommended sewing machine oil and one or two other synthetic oils from overseas (I can't remember what they where called but they where expensive).

michaels · Apr 21, 2011

I`ll chuck in my pennyworth
Quite a few years ago, I purchased a product called "C76 Micro lube ZX1, the ultimate friction eliminator", at one of the antique tackle fairs, I cannot recall or remember which one.
At the time it was quite expensive. I`ve since bought it from a specialist lubricate supplier, at much cheaper price. It works a treat on my "genuine" pins, and my ultra light fixed spools, come to think off it, on any of my fixed spools. But I have not used it on any pins with bearings. (I have none).
I`ve just phoned them and they said it would be fine, thats one of the design applications amongst others, of the product, for use in model car racing, gear/bearings etc. He also mentioned the use in fishing reels/pins etc. The applicator has a pin/needle sized applicator, so the oil can be applied at a drop at a time, in a specific place.
You can see the site for the rest of the information

stuartpengs · Apr 21, 2011

Over many years I have tried all sorts of oils and other concoctions and have found quite honestly sewing machine oil is the best for the purpose I use singer brand you may choose another brand.
There really is no need to make life any more complicated that that!

gremlin · Apr 21, 2011

Alan Roe said:
Over many years I have tried all sorts of oils and other concoctions and have found quite honestly sewing machine oil is the best for the purpose I use singer brand you may choose another brand.
There really is no need to make life any more complicated that that!

Would that be pins (devils tool!) that you have tried all those lubrications on?

Hello Alan...... :wh

Sean Meeghan · Apr 21, 2011

I'll ask Chris when I next see him, but I wouldn't have though an engineer of his calibre would refuse a warranty claim if someone used 3in1. It is after all a reasonable all purpose lubricant. I would totally understand if he refused a warranty when someone had used WD40 as it certainly isn't suitable as a lubricant for plain bearings. It was designed as a switch cleaner which evapourated quickly and left a very thin film of teflon (I think) on the surface.

I've changed my mind a bit on lubricants recently. I used to use a skate wheel lube on my tru pins, but I bought some Singer sewing machine oil off Ebay and my Match Aerial certainly seems to run a lot better than it did with the skate lube.

So my opinion (and it is just an opinion) is use sewing machine oil for true pins and skate wheel lube for pins with a ball race. I certainly wouldn't use the 'Rocket Fuel' type lubes on a ball race pin as I'm usually trying to slow them down a bit not speed them up.

I've also experimented on using 'dry' teflon lubes as used on bike chains and if you've got a true pin that's got a bit of shaft wear it certainly looks like something to try. It will gum up a reel with close tolerances though so don't try it on your Lythe pin or he'll strangle me the next time he sees me!

Tony Cummings · Apr 21, 2011

Perhaps I should have been a bit clearer; I'm not looking to lubricate the sealed bearings. It;s the cogs and rachet spring I'm looking to grease; they had grit around them and in cleaning them I have removed a lot of the grease that originally protected them.

The original grease looks fairly thick........

Lubricating Centrepin

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