viago
Well-Known Member
im looking at buying grease for seacocks and general purpose use and wondered how there could be any difference between standard and marine grease. im a bit sceptical but remain willing to to be convinced.
whats so special about marine grease?
- Thread starter viago
- Start date
sarabande
Well-Known Member
extra sticky with lithium or calcium as a thickener, and sometimes designed to be biodegradable (if left on the seafloor for long enough 
).
Some products have strong anti-weld (anti-galling) properties for use with stainless steel.
I would not hesitate to use the proper stuff.
).Some products have strong anti-weld (anti-galling) properties for use with stainless steel.
I would not hesitate to use the proper stuff.
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Tranona
Well-Known Member
If you have Blakes seacocks, use the Blakes branded grease. A small tub lasts a lifetime!
sailorman
Well-Known Member
also the same grease as the MaxProp uses i am told
Jamesuk
Well-Known Member
Itz like buying steel, if you buy normal stainless it looks like rust after a few months. If you buy 316 it looks like rust after a few years (if not cleaned)
Buy the marine grease or get out the chemistry books and study up
Buy the marine grease or get out the chemistry books and study up
viago
Well-Known Member
no need for books round here, you guys have the answers.
i tried reading about how sailing worked earlier, now i know less than when i started.
viago
Well-Known Member
thanks guys, marine it is. question is with zink, lithium, calcium, all three?
blakes seems to be the only one recommended thus far.
blakes seems to be the only one recommended thus far.
cliff
Well-Known Member
I prefer Keenol - lovely stuff and no adverse effects to date - works well in sea cocks, packed stern glands, bearings etc.
ostell
Well-Known Member
Blakes seacock, as the name implies, is only for seacocks. Bit expensive for other uses. But it is extremely sticky.
vyv_cox
Well-Known Member
Zinc additives give better boundary lubrication, specifically for steel on steel applications. Probably not often necessary on a boat.
Lithium soaps have pretty good water resistance and better high temperature properties. Most general greases for automotive use, e.g. wheel bearings, are this type.
Calcium soaps are more water resistant, rather lower heat resistance. Better for trailer wheel bearings that are immersed and in the past I used it for my stern gland.
I use a general calcium based grease for seacocks, have used it for winches but now use the nine guineas an ounce stuff sold by Lewmar, not because of any problem, just ran out of the calcium stuff.
Further good information on the topic here.
Tranona
Well-Known Member
Not only for seacocks, although that is the main use underwater.
VicS
Well-Known Member
No longer available so if you have a good stock dont waste it.
The grease now sold in it's place is Ramonol White Grease ( a bit pricey though)
there is also a Ramonol Advanced Marine Grease ( even more expensive)
chinita
Well-Known Member
Plevier
Well-Known Member
What's the bright blue grease as supplied by Volvo for lubricating shaft seals and by KiwiProp for lubricating - wait for it - KiwiProps?
I have a tub of Castrol Water Pump grease which says it is lime based, which Vyv's link tells me is the same as calcium based. Would that be OK for winches? Maybe better than the blue stuff? It feels slipperier.
Also I saw some particularly expensive marine grease that said it was calcium phosphonate base whereas I think the norm is stearate isn't it? Is there some advantage?
I have a tub of Castrol Water Pump grease which says it is lime based, which Vyv's link tells me is the same as calcium based. Would that be OK for winches? Maybe better than the blue stuff? It feels slipperier.
Also I saw some particularly expensive marine grease that said it was calcium phosphonate base whereas I think the norm is stearate isn't it? Is there some advantage?
cliff
Well-Known Member
Yep - I have a "few" tins in stock - should keep me going for a "few" years.
viago
Well-Known Member
bought the white raminol stuff today, seemed like the best compromise given the great advise. thanks.
vyv_cox
Well-Known Member
I used Castrol Water Pump grease for years for my winches and the same stuff seems to be in my little Seawolf windlass gearbox. Good choice I would think. The Lewmar winch grease is completely different, seems to be silicone based, translucent, not a conventional grease at all.
I only know calcium phosphonate as a detergent additive in lubricating oils. No idea why it would be used in a grease. It is also used to prevent scaling in water systems, e.g. cooling towers, but that doesn't seem to be applicable here.
oldsaltoz
Well-Known Member
Anyone using Cannery Grease? An early boat I owned had a couple of grease gun tubes full of it, seems it was used primarily in the prop shaft packing gland.
No idea what it's properties are but it worked well in packing gland and was also used on the winches at some time.
It a fraction of the cost of marine grease but designed to tolerate water.
Good luck and fair winds.
No idea what it's properties are but it worked well in packing gland and was also used on the winches at some time.
It a fraction of the cost of marine grease but designed to tolerate water.
Good luck and fair winds.
cimo
Well-Known Member
this is what I'm using on the blakes. I can't recall where I got it now, but I chose it for it's excellent "stringy" quality. It stays put. Its blue too (mentioned somewhere above).
http://suncoastmarineoil.com/tripleguard1lb-775777.aspx
prefer ramonol in the stern gland though.
http://suncoastmarineoil.com/tripleguard1lb-775777.aspx
prefer ramonol in the stern gland though.
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wklein
Well-Known Member
Winch grease is very different to other greases and needs to be thin translucent stuff. When thick grease dries out it becomes sticky and is enough to hold pawls open and cause winch slip.
