Regardless where you may live, lubricants make the difference between machinery working well and not working. Prevention of metal corrosion, dry leather, wood and really anything that requires or would work better with a good clean and lubrication is important.

Ballistol (please check availability and the current price at Amazon.com) is the single greatest lubricant I have ever used, and that is saying a lot given the different ones I have tested and used over the years.

A little over a decade ago I began tests with several clean, lubricate and protect approaches for firearms and my knives. The reason was simple, I needed to reduce what I carried in my vehicles, go bags and even medical kits (yes a small bottle goes in my large medical kits).

At the time of the original testing, I purchased RemOil, Hoppe’s No. 9, Break Free CLP, M-Pro 7, Ballistol, LSA Weapons Oil 3 and at least three other dry types as well as a few greases offered.

In addition, I also tested WD40 (and yes in a pinch would use it) as well as simple mineral oil and even 5w30 (which also works fine as well though they are not food safe.) I should mention I do keep Hoppe’s copper solvent as it has proven time and again to be the go-to for cleaning the rifling and bore.

Now before anyone gets their panties in a twist, I would suggest reading the entire article and remembering the parameters under which my selections were made. Again for the record, a cleaner, lubricant, and protector that works for my knives, sheaths, firearms and kit as needed.

Minor but somewhat important would be having one that could be cut with easily found materials and was also food safe. Ballistol met all of those criteria and did so with an amazing level of awesome. I have no problem admitting I am partial to things that work and do so in ways that make them better than other items in the same categories.

In 1904 Dr. Helmut Klever invented Ballistol which after testing was adopted by the Imperial German Army and stayed the primary CLP (cleaner, lubricant, protector) through 1945. Without intending to the inventor had created a truly amazing product, something that has in my house at least replaced even WD40 for common use.

It is non-carcinogenic, skin safe and biodegradable without harmful byproducts. After testing I found that even when the initial “wet” of it had disappeared it left a safe coating that remained slick and allowed proper function.

More amazingly it can be cut with water, meaning you do not need to locate or have special cleansers to clean it off or cut it for expanded use. (Most other lubricants cannot be cut down from their original mix without losing efficacy)

Ballistol can be applied straight to firearms for best coverage, cut with 10% water for leather, 20% for wood and door hinges as well as preventing screws from rusting and much more. Other applications are knives, kitchen, hunting, and tactical knives all can be easily cleaned and lubricated with Ballistol either straight or cut with 10% water.

If you use it on wooden camp chairs it will help repel insects, without being potentially harmful to you! I have used it on my fishing rods, bicycle chains (and now carry it in all my bike kits as well) and pretty much anything that requires lubrication.

I have no doubt in a pinch you could use it with boots or shoes as well! Lastly, Ballistol has never that I have seen turned sticky with age. (Go ahead name a wet lubricant that does all of the above and doesn’t leave a serious film layer with age, rare is an understatement)

As an aside, it works VERY well in black powder or any firearm that recently shot corrosive firearms. Yes, folks, this is a truly amazing product.

Now how does it work on my firearms and how does it compare to other types? Easy, it is thin and light so in the high desert ensures solid protection and lubrication. It does evaporate with time, as all lubricants do, some faster than others but all do.

And honestly, I have never found a single dry lubricant that worked well, not too mention they are limited to one use and even that is not great as application is extremely difficult. After using it on firearms in temperatures from the low teens through high teens (a high desert joke – 14-17 to 114-115 degrees are actually quite normal temperatures in Arizona.)

I have found it to be a solid performer and long lasting, functional product. Just a few drops keep my firearms running and knives shiny and clean. With the sheer amount of high carbon steel in my life, this is an essential part of maintenance.

The best part is you can buy it in many different pack sizes, my favorite is the pack that offers 2 – 16-ounce cans of Ballistol this one runs $25-30 which again is a great price honestly for 32 ounces of amazing lubricant.

Another great package that I buy for a few friends for Christmas is the package that includes a 16 ounce can and a 6-ounce aerosol can, this one runs $20-25 shipped from Amazon. You can also buy it by the case (12 – 16-ounce cans ) and never have to worry about purchasing lubricants again in your and your children’s lives.

However, for around $5 you can get a small canister and test it for yourself. I should mention it has a great smell, somewhat sweet, not harsh like so many other CLP approaches. I use small squeeze bottles (1-4 ounces) for my kits which makes for great gifts (the entire kit, cleaning and or medical) for loved ones and friends.

Hopefully, this helped a bit. Let me know if there is anything else you would like looked at or reviewed.

Free the mind and the body will follow…