What's the best penetrating oil?

OK, so I've been using the same stuff for 40+ years and there's always a case where something might work better. I just picked up a reference to PB Blaster on this board; I've never heard of it but their website says they have been making it forever. I've searched this forum for past threads on penetrating oils, but haven't found any. Just what is the best penetrant? What are you guys using? You CAN teach an old dog new tricks!!

Well I gotta believe this forum will cause many an opinion to be voiced. I get to go first. I've tried many, including "witchcraft" variety. I have not found a good "all purpose" penetrant. I have found different oils to be good in different circumstances and not neccesarily consistant. I've heard great stories about PB but have had poor results from it personally. I've heard lousy stories about Liquid Wrench and find it to be satisfactory. (and much cheaper) I've also found bees wax to do good work, mostly on stuck threads. I've found kerosene to do well with stuck pistons/rings. Probably the best results though have been found with good old fashioned heat.(where ever it's safe to apply) I've had poorest & most expensive results with large hammers. Cussing helps.

I know we've discussed this topic several times in the past year. unfortunately I can't remember the title of the post that got us started.

Since I "discovered" PB Blaster a couple of years ago I haven't uwed anything else. Before that I used kerosene or diesel fuel.

The most famous "penetrating" oil is pretty good...for cleaning oily dirt off of engines.

I have poor results with PB Blaster if I try to spray it on and remove stuck bolts immediately.

However, I have had awesome results if I let it soak overnight, or, spray it on every day for a week and then try to remove the stubborn stuff.

This appears to be another case where there is no ONE tool for all of the jobs.

I always have a can of PB around the shop.

A friend gave me a sample bottle of Rust Buster, from B-V associates Wixom, Mich. If you follow instrutions, it works real well! D. Smith

I've used PB Blaster with good results but it does not work in a big hurry. I used it on wheel lug nuts on a salt water boat trailer and after leaving it to work for a couple of days, the impossible to move lug nuts came loose. I have also had good results with a product called Kroil that comes from Tennessee. Again, as with the PB Blaster it needs time to work. The advantage I've found to PB Blaster is that I can go to WalMart and pick up one can and take it home. Kroil has to be ordered in quantity and the postage and the "wait for delivery" goes against it's convenience.

If your trying to get a piston unstuck, try straight transmission fluid or you can also mix it 50/50 with gasoline. This is MUCH cheaper to use than your store bought penetrating lubricants. Otherwise, I prefer KNOCK'R LOOSE, made by K&W. I've had VERY good luck with it & don't like using anything else. I usually get it at the local NAPA Auto Parts, but I'm sure it's available at other places, too. I've tried GIBBS, but I don't think it's what it's cracked up to be.

[Ted Brookover]

If you want Kroil by single cans Bob, go to a gun show, it is very popular among precision shooters for barrel cleaning. I never leave home without it.

As for the best penetrating oil?? I don't use much of any of them for that purpose, they are fine for cleaning parts or making an engine look good for showing, but if I have a frozen part, I always go to the "Blue Spanner" and follow it with dip in the bucket I keep by the bench.

Some days I have as many as 4 or 5 stuck (read that as "Solid Lump of Rust" ) ignitors to restore by the end of the day, no time for some Witchdoctor's "Flavor of the Day" Penetrating oil, a good hot torch and quick quenching never let's me down.

I bought some GIBBS at an engine show, I don't think it's what it's cracked up to be either. Maybe I did'nt give it a fair chance. I bought a little bottle of Serv-a-Lite Rust Buster at ACE HARDWARE from a little display they had on the counter. The stuff works better than anything that I've ever tried. I went back for more and they said they were'nt carrying it anymore, because it looked to them like it was evaporating, mine has'nt evaporated. Need to find a new source. For stuck pistons I've used a cup of Marvel Mystry oil with a tablespoon of gas. Set the cylinder on fire and let the oil boil. Pistons have always come right out. CHUCK

I believe that PB Blaster is the best available PENETRANT.I first found it about 3 years ago and it is all that I use now.

It uses capillary action to "follow" threads on a stuck object such as spark plugs,pipes,nuts/bolts,hub caps etc.It breaks the surface tension of a rust bond-that's how it is able to seep past stuck rings in a cylinder,it also works excellent if you have a stuck journal bearing because it will "pull" itself upward to the top of the bearing if you can only spray into the side of it and it creeps throughout the whole seizure with the capillary action to break the rust bond.

I don't think it is expensive at all because of the results you get,you dont have to mix anything together,you just point and spray and it has a pinpoint stream,not a mist.Some places may have liquid wrench cheaper than PB but when I last bought LW it was around $3 for 9 or 10 oz. and PB cost's me $4 (+ -) for about 15 oz. and it come's in a spray can while LW comes in a small tin dropper can.I like LW for small jobs where I can't have a mess or need only a drop or 2.

All in all it's good stuff and at a fair price for the results it delivers,it IS expensive compared to spray lubricants,but they are 2 different things,for 2 different jobs.

Try a can on your "Really tough projects" and post your results.And as with any PENETRANT give it reasonable time to do it's job.It took it a LONG time to get seized...schramm...

It doesn't compare to WD-40- because that's a lubricant.WD-40 is great for lubricating mechanisms and lite moving parts,but it is not really in the class of penetrants...

A few years ago a Rotanium Corp salesman showed me a demo in which he sprayed a "competitive" product onto a rusted steel plate, and then he sprayed his product on top of the competitor's. Right before your very eyes you could see his stuff creeping along the sheet below the competitor's oil coating. That was pretty impressive but I never figured out whether this was a viable demo or just a clever sales tactic. And they wanted me to buy a minimum of 24 cans at $12 per. I have never considered WD40 to be a penetrant. I always used it to clean and coat my aluminum car wheels, back when I could afford that kind of car. Then a WD40 salesman told me that "WD" means "Water Displacer"....okay, I can dig it.....

I vote for PB Blaster!

Ed Kinch

I like Rusty made by Kent Industrys have used Kroil and others but they set on the shelf after a few trys. Any of them will work better after seting over night. My opinion for what it is worth.

This thread could probably go on 'till November! My favorite, and we've tried everything there is is: Keystone No. 1 penetrating oil. It's probably available only from industrial suppliers. While I'm at it, Keystone cutting oil also works like a dream. Craig

My opinion on the best penetrating oil is one Called "RUST BOMB" Made by Conklin. Being a mechanic all my life I've tried and used them all. The only problem with Conklin products is that you have to find someplace or someone that sells it. It's usually sold by a distributer like Watkins or Amway is.If used properly I cannot find anything to compare it to. If anyone is interested repy back and I'll post their phone number and I'm sure they would tell you who or where it can be purchased in your area. Just my 1 1/2 cents worth Paul

i had a pump jake that was stuck. I put some PB blaster on every week for a month and it broke free with no problem. A friend mine has some Kroil and we have used it some frozen bolts and it broke free. Thats my two cents worth on this subject. Jerame

The absolute best penetrant is Propane, unfortunately, you can't use it at temperatures above -20. The best commercial product is PB Blaster. Liquid Torch from Castle, who claim they formulated it by reverse engineering PB, ain't worth squat unless you want to use it with your bic to make a flamethrower. The best homemade product is 1 quart of Mineral Spirits (paint thinner) with 1/4 cup of 30 weight oil added. The quickest way is HEAT, and plenty of it.

I used to use Howes penetrant for years,I got turned on to it by the local Ryder truck shop we did repairs for so if they use it it has to be good.Now I use Zep 45 Nc with Vydax and it has been the best yet.I have tried LW and PB but they dont come close to the Zep.Zep is also $6.00 I might add but the can is twice the size of PB and LW.John.

P B Blaster is what I use for everything . It is good stuff .

My 2 ounces. I still have good luck with kerosene which I sometimes mix good old liquid wrench right into. The torch also has done wonders for me on some parts I thought would never come apart with any type of fluid.