OT: if it looks like cosmoline, smells like cosmoline, is it cosmoline? or is it...

[ryan roopnarine]

possible that a substance that looks and smells like cosmoline is really a lubricating grease? does cosmoline have any lubricating properties as it is?


i'll ask this in a way that won't cause a flame war.
i have an "application" that can either have cosmoline on it (for storage) or lubrication (for use). i've bought a number of grease pots the size of thimbles from a "swap meet" that were marked "grease, *****"--where ***** is the application. the pots look like they are government issue. the only thing is is, i've always thought the pots looked like they contained cosmoline, cause the stuff looks,smells, and feels like it. i've used the stuff on wear points of the application in lieu of other greases, cause it tends to keep its consistency better than any other grease i've found. i've had a mild, gerry-rigable part failure while using it, and am starting to think that maybe this "grease" is the cause. any thoughts? thanks.

[Ross]

The Volkswagons in the early seventies came on the boat covered with cosmolene (ine?) that yours truely was charged with removing using a combination of fuel oil and steam in a pressure washer type affair. It was a miserable waxy substance that seemed of little use for lubrication.

[Chris'91'525i]

possible that a substance that looks and smells like cosmoline is really a lubricating grease? does cosmoline have any lubricating properties as it is?

Cosmoline has no real lubricating properties. It is strictly a barrier to prevent rust and corrosion. And is very good at what it does.
It is basically the nasty stuff left over when they process crude oil.

The small pots of grease you found sounds like the grease that came with and is used to grease the M1 Garand battle rifle. It is stored in the hatch on the butt of the stock.
If the grease looks kind of like ear wax, it is known as "Plastilube" and is a heat and water resistant grease. The later pots used "Lubriplate" grease in them, a white'ish colored grease.
These grease pot usually always have a yellow cap on them.