Chain saw oil

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Colin Blackburn

Do I remember rightly that chain saw oil can be used for bike chains? It's just that I have found a
fair bit of it in my generator shed, left by the last occupant---he didn't leave the chainsaw.

Colin

Colin Blackburn wrote:
> Do I remember rightly that chain saw oil can be used for bike
chains?
> It's just that I have found a fair bit of it in my generator shed, left by the last occupant---he
> didn't leave the chainsaw.

It should be. It's often used as a cheap alternative to the proprietary oil used in Scotoiler
automatic chain oilers on motorcycles. (Who now make a version for bicycle use - EBC sell them - it
drips oil out of a replacement hollow rear derailleur jockey wheel).

The only possible drwback is that it's a bit sticky and will pick up dirt, and could create a nasty
grinding paste. On a motorcycle the stickiness prevents it being flung off at the high speeds the
chain whizzes around. The dirt is washed off by the continuous application of fresh clean oil if you
have something like the Scotoiler. Probably not a problem unless you ride anywhere muddy or dusty,
and probably no worse than any of the "wet" lubes you find in your LBS.

--

Regards,

Mark Davies

Andy Dingley

On Mon, 14 Jul 2003 08:59:01 +0100, Colin Blackburn <colin.blackburn@durham.ac.uk> wrote:

>Do I remember rightly that chain saw oil can be used for bike chains?

You could use baboon spit, if that's what you've got,

Old chainsaw oil will work about as well as most typical oils. Modern stuff is deliberately very
biodegradable though and will have almost no resistance to rain washing it off. Maybe OK on a dry
tarmac ride, but I'd think it was too sticky for somewhere dusty and not resistant enough for our
usual weather.

I can't remember when I bought my bottle of Finish Line, so it's obviously lasting well enough not
to worry about the cost.

Colin Blackburn

In article <tpi5hvg6qcnr6j6q9efnj19e0jgg46dij2@4ax.com>, dingbat@codesmiths.com says...
> On Mon, 14 Jul 2003 08:59:01 +0100, Colin Blackburn <colin.blackburn@durham.ac.uk> wrote:
>
> >Do I remember rightly that chain saw oil can be used for bike chains?
>
> You could use baboon spit, if that's what you've got,
>
> Old chainsaw oil will work about as well as most typical oils. Modern stuff is deliberately very
> biodegradable though and will have almost no resistance to rain washing it off. Maybe OK on a dry
> tarmac ride, but I'd think it was too sticky for somewhere dusty and not resistant enough for our
> usual weather.
>
> I can't remember when I bought my bottle of Finish Line, so it's obviously lasting well enough not
> to worry about the cost.

It's not the cost it's just that I have drums and drums of oil in the various sheds and workshops of
this house. Some of it has uses, the generators, some of it doesn't, chain saw oil and a few other
odd looking tins. Just trying to work out if any of it is worth keeping.

Thanks for the comments though, I guess I should just buy a chainsaw if I'm going to keep the oil.

Colin

Pete @ Eclipse

"Colin Blackburn" <colin.blackburn@durham.ac.uk> wrote in message
news:MPG.197cde8aae3519c8989af0@localhost...
> In article <tpi5hvg6qcnr6j6q9efnj19e0jgg46dij2@4ax.com>, dingbat@codesmiths.com says...
> > On Mon, 14 Jul 2003 08:59:01 +0100, Colin Blackburn <colin.blackburn@durham.ac.uk> wrote:
> >
> > >Do I remember rightly that chain saw oil can be used for bike chains?
> >
> > You could use baboon spit, if that's what you've got,
> >
> > Old chainsaw oil will work about as well as most typical oils. Modern stuff is deliberately very
> > biodegradable though and will have almost no resistance to rain washing it off. Maybe OK on a
> > dry tarmac ride, but I'd think it was too sticky for somewhere dusty and not resistant enough
> > for our usual weather.
> >
> > I can't remember when I bought my bottle of Finish Line, so it's obviously lasting well enough
> > not to worry about the cost.
>
> It's not the cost it's just that I have drums and drums of oil in the various sheds and workshops
> of this house. Some of it has uses, the generators, some of it doesn't, chain saw oil and a few
> other odd looking tins. Just trying to work out if any of it is worth keeping.
>
> Thanks for the comments though, I guess I should just buy a chainsaw if I'm going to keep the oil.
>
> Colin

Buy a chainsaw; it's almost as much fun (and as knackering) as cycling !!

The Mark

Colin Blackburn wrote:
>
> Thanks for the comments though, I guess I should just buy a chainsaw if I'm going to keep the oil.
>
You could buy a few and learn to juggle them on a uni-cycle while Simon Mason makes a safety
video. :-)
--
Mark Road bike, Mountain bike and I'm getting something special built for me (I hope it will
arrive soon).

David Green

"Andy Dingley" <dingbat@codesmiths.com> wrote in message
news:tpi5hvg6qcnr6j6q9efnj19e0jgg46dij2@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 14 Jul 2003 08:59:01 +0100, Colin Blackburn <colin.blackburn@durham.ac.uk> wrote:
>

> Old chainsaw oil will work about as well as most typical oils. Modern stuff is deliberately very
> biodegradable though and will have almost no resistance to rain washing it off. Maybe OK on a dry
> tarmac ride, but I'd think it was too sticky for somewhere dusty and not resistant enough for our
> usual weather.

I have been using chainsaw oil for the past year and it is the best lubricant I've found for bike
chains. I have noticed no problem in the wet: it is basically standard oil with an 'anti-fling'
additive, which simply stops it finging off onto your back wheel!

> I can't remember when I bought my bottle of Finish Line, so it's obviously lasting well enough not
> to worry about the cost.

I have stopped using this because, although I'm sure it lubricates fine, it NEVER stops dripping off
the chain, leaving drips on your hall/garage floor days after applying it.

David.

--
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Taywood

Andymorris

the Mark wrote:
> Colin Blackburn wrote:
>>
>> Thanks for the comments though, I guess I should just buy a chainsaw if I'm going to keep
>> the oil.
>>
> You could buy a few and learn to juggle them on a uni-cycle while Simon Mason makes a safety
> video. :-)

After 3 pints of Old Scrotes Knob Blaster.....

I'll get my coat.

--
Andy Morris

AndyAtJinkasDotFreeserve.Co.UK

Love this: Put an end to Outlook Express's messy quotes
http://home.in.tum.de/~jain/software/oe-quotefix/

Peter B

"the Mark" <the_mark@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:bev0nt$31h$1@titan.btinternet.com...
> Colin Blackburn wrote:
> >
> > Thanks for the comments though, I guess I should just buy a chainsaw if I'm going to keep
> > the oil.
> >
> You could buy a few and learn to juggle them on a uni-cycle while Simon Mason makes a safety
> video. :-)

Or it could be used against flying paving slabs if bib-shorts are your thang. Hmm....probably
not as the slabs would knacker the cutters...........hmm...........ah!......just lop Helens head
off with it
:-)

Pete.

Danny Colyer

The conversation went:
> > You could buy a few and learn to juggle them on a uni-cycle while Simon Mason makes a safety
> > video. :-)
>
> After 3 pints of Old Scrotes Knob Blaster.....

I dimly recall doing a firestaff routine on a unicycle after 7 pints of Ashvine. This was on the
Renegade [1] stage at a juggling convention in 1995. The barman was so impressed he gave me an 8th
pint on the house, after which I rode across the dark campsite back to my tent.

I apparently scared the audience, but I don't remember that.

[1] A juggling convention usually has 2 shows. There's the organised public show, where in theory
tickets are made available to the general public [2], then there's the Renegade show, where
convention-goers have a few beers and then entertain each other.

[2] One public show that relies on members of the public buying tickets is at the Crawley Juggling
Convention, always a good one. If you're in the area, come along to the Hawth theatre on 16
August: http://www.circuswurx.co.uk/conv.html

--
Danny Colyer (remove safety to reply) ( http://www.juggler.net/danny ) Recumbent cycle page:
http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/recumbents/ "He who dares not offend cannot be honest." -
Thomas Paine

Alan Braggins

In article <bev0nt$31h$1@titan.btinternet.com>, the Mark wrote:
>Colin Blackburn wrote:
>>
>> Thanks for the comments though, I guess I should just buy a chainsaw if I'm going to keep
>> the oil.
>>
>You could buy a few and learn to juggle them on a uni-cycle while Simon Mason makes a safety
>video. :-)

I have a postcard showing someone juggling chainsaws on Venice Beach LA. I assume they weren't
running, but there were flames.

Tim Hall

On Tue, 15 Jul 2003 22:25:50 +0100, "Danny Colyer" <danny@jugglersafety.net> wrote:

>
>[2] One public show that relies on members of the public buying tickets is at the Crawley Juggling
> Convention, always a good one. If you're in the area, come along to the Hawth theatre on 16
> August: http://www.circuswurx.co.uk/conv.html

Are you going? That's about 2 furlongs from my house. I'll have a look in, holidays permitting.

Tim In space no one can eat ice cream

Danny Colyer

I recommended:
> > http://www.circuswurx.co.uk/conv.html

And Tim Hall asked:
> Are you going? That's about 2 furlongs from my house. I'll have a look in, holidays permitting.

I certainly am. I've never missed a Crawley convention yet, and this is the tenth.

Hopefully it won't take as long to get there by car from Bristol as it did the time I took the train
from Tunbridge Wells ...

--
Danny Colyer (remove safety to reply) ( http://www.juggler.net/danny ) Recumbent cycle page:
http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/recumbents/ "He who dares not offend cannot be honest." -
Thomas Paine

Graeme

armb@chiark.greenend.org.uk (Alan Braggins) wrote in
news:slrnbhar0n.f52.armb@chiark.greenend.org.uk:

> I have a postcard showing someone juggling chainsaws on Venice Beach LA. I assume they weren't
> running, but there were flames.
>

I've seen this a few times. When you live in Edinburgh you see a lot of this kind of stuff around
festival time. Whenever I've seen it they appear to be real, live chainsaws but with an easier to
catch handle on them. Despite the excitingly revving engines the chain doesn't move at all, just as
on a normal chainsaw where you have to engage the clutch. So still very impressive (juggling heavy
objects is damned hard work), but not quite so dangerous as it may look.

Have fun!

Graeme

Andy Dingley

On Wed, 16 Jul 2003 20:34:53 -0000, Graeme <graeme@gpdods.removethis.com> wrote:

>Whenever I've seen it they appear to be real, live chainsaws but with an easier to catch
>handle on them.

"Juggling chainsaws" are top-handle chainsaws, as used by some tree surgeons (sometimes one-handed).
They're dangerous to use, compared to the rear-handle design with the wide spacing between handles,
because you've got less leverage against a kickback. OTOH, the top handle is closer to the CoG, so
easier to juggle.

But you're not even allowed (not unreasonably) to buy a top-handle without a chainsaw operator's
certificate. I can see jugglers going into Stihl to buy two or three and being refused, then
pleading "But I don't want to _use_ it, I only want to juggle with it !"

Just Zis Guy

Andy Dingley <dingbat@codesmiths.com> wrote:

> "Juggling chainsaws" are top-handle chainsaws

You learn something every day...

Guy

Dave Kahn

"Danny Colyer" <danny@jugglersafety.net> wrote in message
news:<bf1s29$n9v$1@newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk>...

> I apparently scared the audience, but I don't remember that.

I'm not totally surprised by either of those observations. :-)

--
Dave...

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