What's the best lubricant for your lock? When choosing the best product to lubricate locks, dry lubricants like graphite powder and PTFE lubricants are best. As mentioned above, oil-based products can attract dust and dirt which can damage the delicate internal mechanism of your lock.
Teflon-based dry lubricant is preferred by some locksmiths over other options, like graphite or WD-40. It's ideal because, besides lubricating your lock, it repels water and dust. That means that once you fix a lock with this type of lubricant, you can expect the lock to be in good shape for a long time.
The simple answer is you should not use WD40 to lubricate locks. WD-40 is one of the solvent-based lubricants and does not contain any lubricant and over time can make your lock even stickier by gumming the lock up.
A: Although WD-40 is magic stuff, it is not the best choice to lubricate automotive door locks and linkages. Although it does a good job of cleaning and temporary lubricating, it goes away, so it makes a good first step. Graphite has long been a popular lube choice, but we like to use bike chain lube.
However, graphite powder can be very messy if you don't apply it with care. Moreover, using too much of graphite lubricant on your door locks can become a problem when it hardens. Silicone Lubricants—Silicone lock lubricants provide excellent lubrication for door locks thanks to their fine texture.
Silicone spray is excellent for fixing squeaky hinges and is widely available both online and in DIY stores. Silicone spray is free from mineral oils and grease, and safe to use on a variety of surfaces as a lubricant including plastic, rubber and metal.
Use 3-IN-ONE Lock Dry Lube to loosen, lubricate and protect home, auto and commercial locks. Easily reach into narrow lock mechanism with the attachable straw or use the wider spray pattern to refurbish and protect the entire lock.
White lithium grease is good for metal-to- metal joints like hinge and latch mechanisms, which need a clinging grease to repel water and hold up under harsh conditions. WD-40 is for light-duty lubrication and freeing up sticking or partially rusted hinges and a car door latch.
Common Causes of Sticky Door Locks
If a door lock is rusted or corroded, it can become hard to get the key into the lock, difficult to turn full, and also sticky and difficult to get out of the lock.
If your key doesn't turn in the lock, the problem may just be a poorly cut key. Test the lock with a key that was cut at a different time to be sure. If the key isn't the problem, try lubricating the lock using powdered graphite or a silicone-based lubricant.
Graphite dry powder lubricant is the professional and preferred choice for lock lubrication, as unlike oil based lubricants, it does not build up a sticky residue in the mechanism which can over time cause lock malfunction.
Door lock maintenance
Lubrication is an important factor that provides the necessary door lock functions. Grease all rubbing surfaces of the locking mechanisms on average once every 6 months. Spray a small amount of lubricant into the keyway.
Graphite has weak covalent bonds, so when two parts of the lock are both coated in graphite, the layers of graphite are able to easily slide over one another without sticking caused by bonding.
Lock is stiff and difficult to open
You can apply some graphite spay or silicone based lubricant in the lock, put the key back in and turn it a few times. Never use oil based products such as WD-40 to lubricate locks because although they may help initially, they tend to cause problems with clogging later on.
Fortunately, this is often an easy fix. Simply grab a can of WD-40, silicon-based lubricant, graphite spray, or a dry lubricant and spray it into the keyway. Once it has been sprayed, insert the key so the lubricant will work into the locking mechanism.
There are several reasons a door may stick in the doorframe, including loose hardware, a sagging frame, or seized hinges. Humidity is another common cause of sticking doors: The high level of moisture in the air can seep into wood, resulting in a swollen door that does not open or close properly.
Tableau Dry Lube, Super Slip Silicone Lubricant Spray For Locks, Door Hinges, Zips and Many Other Uses.
Blaster Dry Lube is the best dry lubricant to keep your equipment in great condition with long-lasting protection. Blaster Dry Lube helps reduce friction and wear, protects surfaces and enhances performance. It is safe to use on wood, metal and most plastics.
Both Moly and Graphite are excellent dry lubricants with very similar properties in many areas. Graphite tends to be a better choice for extremely high-temperature applications.
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Thanks to its oily properties, petroleum jelly is great for anyone looking to stop squeaky door hinges, although its consistency does make it difficult to get inside the hinge.
Graphite-free, 3-IN-ONE Lock Dry Lube is ideal for automotive, marine, home, and commercial locks and padlocks, and is safe to use on metal, wood, and most plastic surfaces (except clear polycarbonate and polystyrene).