I would be interested knowing why Tri-Flow is better than other solvents dissolving paraffin and other hydrocarbon based lubricants than, let's say kerosene. A post in another thread mentioned the contents and I saw nothing better than the normal solvents. Does the Teflon have something to do with it? I can understand T-F, i.e., Teflon, being a good lubricant, but a solvent? May be.

I don't know why but the stuff works most of the time. Saves me hours.

I've used kerosene to clean machines and it works to an extent. But as a lubricant it falls very short. The thing about T-F is it is a lubricant that has solvents in it. Not a solvent that can be used as a lubricant, maybe.

Think of it like this; the motor oil you put in your car's engine has solvents and detergents in it to keep the insides of the engine clean. You change it periodically to keep the engine running at peak efficiency. This is the same idea with T-F and sewing machines.

Joe

NOTE: IT is ILLEGAL to sell (or possess) whale oil REGARDLESS of when it was made... yikes....

"The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration charged a resident of Lincroft, N.J., with four counts of selling or attempting to sell sperm whale oil over eBay’s online auction site, in violation of the Endangered Species Act. NOAA is an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department.

I guess that answers that question. Glad you didn't find any.

OK, that made LOL for real. :) I personally wouldn't use it, because it hasn't really been tested by someone else. I prefer not to be the guinea pig. Plus, I wonder what that would smell like if it goes off in a few months. I -like- synthetic in this case. No aromas to assault me with when the best before date is up.

Some of the people on the Vintage Sewing machine facebook group were talking about using 3 in 1 oil on a few machines. I -think- I caught them in time. Oi. I told them cement in a swimming pool or on the garage floor is great, but it sucks on a sewing machine.

I had 2 401As and a 301A that convinced me on TriFlow. Both 401As were seized solid. One I picked up from an estate sale, like yours Miriam it had not used for years. It had also been in a house fire. It remained in the house while it was waiting to be rebuilt, and the moisture did it no good at all. When I got to it, the handwheel turned, but the main shaft didn't. Nothing moved on this machine. You couldn't push the zigzag mechanism with both hands, the throat plate wouldn't budge.

The other 401A belongs to a friend. He bought it at a garage sale, and didn't even turn the handwheel. He bought it because it was the same as the one his mom had when he was growing up. Then he sat it in the closet for years. When I got to it, it was really sluggish, but the motor was "seized". 2 drops of TF on the top motor bearing to loosen the hardened grease, and a basic oil of the machine and it was running at full speed and quiet (ish) in under 5 minutes.

Similarly the 301A didn't turn, because the motor was "seized". I broke that one free with a little gentle rocking back and forth of the handwheel, but it felt "gritty". I dropped the TF into the bearing, and oiled the machine and the grittiness went away.

I suspect that the teflon, and the lubricant properties help the solvents penetrate further than they might on their own. Sort of slips on itself to help it get further. Like watching water roll down a window. Where the window is already wet, the water travels faster.

It's also possible that TF, being a synthetic oil, like synthetic engine oil, may have a smaller molecule than its dinosaur equivalent, which lets it get further.

It turns out with a bit more research, it's not illegal to possess or sell sperm oil as long as it is possessed and sold in compliance with the Marine Mammal Protection act

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pdfs/laws/mmpa_regs_216.pdf

I have seen the phrase of "silver"ing the decals on singer vintage sewing machines many times. What does this mean?
And in many photos of old machines, there seems to be a piece of material attached to the upper part if a sewing machine. It seems that there are pins stuck in it. Is this an old fashion pin cusion? Why not just take them off? I would think that sticking pins here would damage the paint.
PAINT. what happened to the red sewing machine with the white daisys on it. did the creator ever post a finished picture?
just full of questions tonight.
karen

When you buy a bottle of T-F do you open it up and drop in a nut or a screw so you can hear it shake around? That stuff needs to be shook up.

The decals were made with a foil base and then had color layered on top, gold then highlights, then accents. When you clean too aggressively, you start removing them from the top down, what is left is the metal foil base.

Those stupid cloths are meant as pin cushions and yes, the pins thrash paint. I was told the damage is nicknamed "diaper rash"