# Can you use Vaseline to oil a watch gasket?



## matt1415 (Mar 18, 2015)

Just a thought can Vaseline be used to lubricate a watch gasket or will it ruin the quality? 


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## lovebandit (Oct 11, 2010)

Reading this I would say "NO"....

Safe to lubricate O-rings with Petroleum Jelly?

Mineral oil lubricants cause rapid deterioration of latex condoms. - PubMed - NCBI


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## matt1415 (Mar 18, 2015)

I've done some research myself and some people say it's fine and others don't so I want to know from someone that has tried it first hand.


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## pithy (Aug 22, 2010)

matt1415 said:


> Just a thought can Vaseline be used to lubricate a watch gasket or will it ruin the quality?


What specific material is your watch gasket formed from?


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## Samantha (May 14, 2010)

matt1415 said:


> I've done some research myself and some people say it's fine and others don't so I want to know from someone that has tried it first hand.


Or, you could follow the direction of a multitude of professional watchmakers and use the silicone grease that's available for that purpose. 
Samantha


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## matt1415 (Mar 18, 2015)

Silicone grease seems like the most commonly used lubricant for the o rings. I was just curious as I read on the internet that people use Vaseline and seeing this made me think twice. 


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## Somewhere else (Feb 17, 2006)

Vaseline is just a trade name for petroleum jelly. Petroleum and petroleum byproducts destroy many types of rubber very quickly. Unless it is a petroleum resistant type of rubber, it will quickly degenerate. I have seen O rings that have liquified in watches, gluing the back shut. Silicone lubricants, are widely available so there seems no good reason to think of using anything else.


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## xzqt (Jan 26, 2013)

Silicon grease isnt too expensive.
Just grab some from the local hardware store and no more doubts.


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## matt1415 (Mar 18, 2015)

Somewhere else said:


> Vaseline is just a trade name for petroleum jelly. Petroleum and petroleum byproducts destroy many types of rubber very quickly. Unless it is a petroleum resistant type of rubber, it will quickly degenerate. I have seen O rings that have liquified in watches, gluing the back shut. Silicone lubricants, are widely available so there seems no good reason to think of using anything else.


Thanks for the advice. Before I posted this thread I used just a very tiny bit of it on an old seiko watch I had. The ring didn't liquefy when I opened the back again too check but after reading what you said I will never use it again. Thanks for the heads up

Matt


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## emso (Jan 14, 2008)

matt1415 said:


> Just a thought can Vaseline be used to lubricate a watch gasket or will it ruin the quality?
> 
> Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk


What is wrong with fomblin? 

br
emso

p.s: sent from my s****y phone so sorry for typing mistakes


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## pithy (Aug 22, 2010)

Mineral oil base won't work on a compound if it has high solubilty with petroleum products. Silicone grease will dissolve silicone gaskets - early TI/Casio/Yamaha/etc. digital watches for example. Dupont Krytox works on about everything.


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## TomBombadil (Oct 27, 2011)

Hi Pithy, Just researched Krytox and it sounds like excellent product. 

Which variant do use (product name) and do you know an international supplier at low volume tube?

It is described as white and buttery. How well does it cover a seal/O ring? Could you show a picture if possible?

Many Thanks in advance - Tom


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## pithy (Aug 22, 2010)

TomBombadil said:


> Hi Pithy, Just researched Krytox and it sounds like excellent product. Which variant do use (product name) and do you know an international supplier at low volume tube? . . .


GPL-205 is THE silicone free O-ring lubricant. You can often find the 2 oz. tube at scuba/dive shops. You can buy it in the U.S. at any of the mill/industrial supply chains. I have never seen it - but Amazon has a .5 ounce tube for $15 US.

TB: I also use other of their products for totally different applications. A high temp grease for aerospace apps and a high pressure, anticorrosive for some hostile environs apps.



TomBombadil said:


> . . . It is described as white and buttery. How well does it cover a seal/O ring? . . .


Quite well.



TomBombadil said:


> . . . Could you show a picture if possible? Many Thanks in advance - Tom


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## TomBombadil (Oct 27, 2011)

Pithy, Info really appreciated, will be using it as soon as I have some in my grubby little hands.

Thanks again - Tom


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## Samantha (May 14, 2010)

Dupont Krytox - I'm surprised that you know about that pithy, but then again..... However, it is expensive, and it easily spreads everywhere! A little bit spilled on the floor will create a slippery floor everywhere! It is a good lubricant. In a previous job we used to fill navigational gyroscopes with it.
Samantha


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## pithy (Aug 22, 2010)

pithy said:


> Mineral oil base won't work on a compound if it has high solubilty with petroleum products. Silicone grease will dissolve silicone gaskets - early TI/Casio/Yamaha/etc. digital watches for example. Dupont Krytox works on about everything.





pithy said:


> GPL-205 is THE silicone free O-ring lubricant. You can often find the 2 oz. tube at scuba/dive shops. You can buy it in the U.S. at any of the mill/industrial supply chains. I have never seen it - but Amazon has a .5 ounce tube for $15 US. TB: I also use other of their products for totally different applications. A high temp grease for aerospace apps and a high pressure, anticorrosive for some hostile environs apps.
> . . .





Samantha said:


> Dupont Krytox - I'm surprised that you know about that pithy, but then again..... However, it is expensive, and it easily spreads everywhere! A little bit spilled on the floor will create a slippery floor everywhere! It is a good lubricant. In a previous job we used to fill navigational gyroscopes with it. Samantha


You have have had a problem with DuPont Krytox GPL-205 spreading? Were you using it above 400 degrees F? Below this temp it is a semi-solid grease. At room temperature I would think that it would render a gyro inoperable.


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## Samantha (May 14, 2010)

No, the Krytox we used was a liquid - it came in glass gallon jugs. I don't remember what number it was.
Samantha


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## TomBombadil (Oct 27, 2011)

Thanks Pithy, 

Krytox GPL-205 now sourced and waiting in drawer for next job!

(Interestingly noticed it was a listed ingredient in my bicycle chain dry wax lube.....hahaha)



Tom


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## Robotaz (Jan 18, 2012)

Don't lube plastic gaskets with distillates.


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## Bsa Chawngthu (Sep 2, 2015)

Well i have read all the post and reply, but one thing i would like to post, is if you are Indian, every thing what they say is cheap are a 1000+, its not an option an average person here earn only ,.5 dollar ( point 5) a day, our highest payed person the ambassador earn juts, what ever his country is, a 10000, assuming if he is in the us, than its ok, 100k us dollar for a mont, quite ok, but not ok if he was in somewhere in the africas, you can calculate what is inside india, a silicon grease worth more than Rs 500 is a nonono for indian, for you american its just 5 DOLLARS, but for Indians it had to be earned hardly, very hard. That you had to keep in mind, for i an indian is a member of this forum, what we ask is a very serious question


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## Snakepottery (Nov 4, 2011)

Yikes! It's not exactly cheap is it? Thankfully, very few of my watches are waterproof anyway😁


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## Bsa Chawngthu (Sep 2, 2015)

For a business person, i cannot say, but average like you n the western, its very hard to own even a Jaragar watche, it cost more than 4000 Inr in India, but still i own a a rolex seadeweller, omega seamaster, tissot, seikos ( i have more than 2) etc, but this things take away any girls i would have for my wife, b'cause i love them and dont spen much on women, so i think they are my wives haha


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## kanikune (Nov 21, 2012)

Women are expensive here too. Especially wifes.


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## Bsa Chawngthu (Sep 2, 2015)

> Women are expensive here too. Especially wifes.


@*kanikune* 
 No wife = can buy some watches, wife = had to sell some of your collection

One question, can i use CPU heat sink compound? its also made of silicon grease with some other compound.


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## dukembla (Sep 6, 2014)

Bsa Chawngthu said:


> @*kanikune*
> No wife = can buy some watches, wife = had to sell some of your collection
> 
> One question, can i use CPU heat sink compound? its also made of silicon grease with some other compound.


This turned out to be interesting and universal: no matter how much you make wives are getting their share.

Also, does the silicon grease expire? (I might have that CPU si-paste in drawer...)


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## firithmorgulion (Apr 12, 2011)

i dont know if silicone grease expires, the stuff i use
(silicone fat for gaskets of coffeemachines and so on) has no expiration date printed on the tube


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## Random_Task (Jan 26, 2010)

I use Beckman silicone vacuum grease. You can get it at a laboratory supply store or on ebay.


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## rdoty (Mar 10, 2015)

Why would you want to??
As an engineer I can tell you that O-ring seals - yes, even in watches - are designed to be assembled dry. What is very important is that the seal faces be completely clean i.e. free from any debris or dust. A caveat re silicone products, unless specially formulated they will continue to spread over time eventually coating every surface. Don't think that's what you want on certain surfaces inside a watch. Just saying.


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## Apollonaught (Jun 18, 2014)

rdoty said:


> Why would you want to??


It is used very sparingly,to stop the o`ring twisting out of shape when replacing the case back,inertia and friction on a dry 0`ring can easily bend the o`ring out of shape,so i`ve been told.(or maybe i read it in F6,can`t remember)


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## NutellaBear (May 13, 2007)

Nye has a line of these type of products as well. I think one of the lines is call Uniflor. Here is a Nye document describing this class of lubricants.


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## aphtk (Jun 24, 2019)

Just makes me think ... if you don't have silicone grease, and you have to close a case back, you can make a gas station run, get some durex and rub your ring on it ... (pardon choice of words, but ...). Can it be done?



lovebandit said:


> Reading this I would say "NO"....
> 
> Safe to lubricate O-rings with Petroleum Jelly?
> 
> Mineral oil lubricants cause rapid deterioration of latex condoms. - PubMed - NCBI


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## Bob Duckworth (Jun 2, 2006)

Only if your gasket is made of sheep intestine!! :')


RMD


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## dirtvictim (Mar 9, 2006)

Vaseline has a low temperature rating which is not good for extended sealing. It will dissipate too quickly and likely offgass into the watch over time.


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## ExpiredWatchdog (Feb 13, 2019)

I pulled apart a ‘40s Nesus that had a lead wire for a gasket. Probably pretty standard back in the day.


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## dirtvictim (Mar 9, 2006)

ExpiredWatchdog said:


> I pulled apart a '40s Nesus that had a lead wire for a gasket. Probably pretty standard back in the day.


I have seen that before too.


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