free. then it's surely the very bestI personally use pipe Threading oil. I think it's similar to tap magic, but I got it from work, so it was free.
spit much better if one chews tobacco.Recently I found a bottle of Singer Sewing Machine oil that my mother had for her sewing machine. That oil must be over 70 years old...maybe older. I use it sometimes. I also use Hoppees gun oil, Military gun oil that I used in Viet Nam, Break Free, 3 in 1, Motor oil, light grease, some pink tapping paste I used when I was a machinist, wax....fact is they all work. Is one better than another? Only God knows and he hasn't presented a formal study as of yet.
I haven't tried spit, but I'm pretty sure that would work in a pinch. ;~)
T.G.III, Thanks, I located and purchased a vintage pint can of Galaxy thread cutting oil on eBay. Jerrycould not agree more, if you can locate the vintage cutting oil it's full of the really slickery stuff that has since been mostly banned.
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Allen, I really like the Tap Majic for aluminum. I was pleasantly surprised that it didn’t have an odor, as strong as the Tap Magic.for steel. Thanks, JerryGRS sells a kit with a sponge-filled metal cup and a small can of Tap Magic' Aluminum cutting fluid that works good on all metals and great on softer metals. Tap Magic sells cutting fluids made specifically for steel that works great on most metals and has less odor than the Aluminum version. Using lubricant is especially good when cutting harder metals and when bright cutting any metal [it helps a polished graver do its magic]. Some engravers prefer to rub a little lubrication on the metal with a finger instead of dabbing the graver on a lubricated sponge at intervals. In either case, a little goes a long way.
AJB, from a tool and die back ground I know exactly what you’re talking about in using rendered lard for tapping lube. Works great in tool steels. JerryTo add a crazy sounding option, bacon grease is an old machinist standby for tapping holes and similar operations. In my experience, it works well for machining operations of steel that require lubrication. I’ve never tried lubrication for engraving, so I can’t vouch for how it might compare to store bought lubricants. For machining aluminum, WD40 is well liked, and it would probably be the same for engraving.
My po[nt exactly Sam. As I said, in a pinch you would probably get decent results with spit.I use whatever's closest. Cutting oil, sewing machine oil, household oil, tap magic. I can't say I notice a difference in any of them.
a shot glass full will last 2 or 3 lifetimesKerosine is expensive as are other items mentioned. I'd go to a pay at the pump and get a quarters worth of diesel fuel and repeat if I ever needed more. It works as good as anything mentioned in this thread.