Thread: Ballistol multi-purpose lubricant

Ladies and gentlemen:

Ballistol is a multi-purpose lubricant used for knives and other tools. Have you used it on your razors? I have seen the product around and am just curious. Or did I read somewhere that some shavers use it to oil their razor after the shave? I'm having a senior moment, I don't know. Thanks.

Regards,

Obie

My concern with all of those high tech lubricants is the same. Would you be willing to pour some of it into your hands and slather it on your face like an aftershave? If you would have any hesitation in doing that, then you should be certain that you can COMPLETELY remove it before using it on something like a razor that creates micro-abrasions in your skin.

This is why I continue to stick with mineral oil.

I actually use this to oil my razors after use between shaves. Been using it about a year now and no issues.


If I remember correctly their website says it's food safe also.

Originally Posted by basil

I actually use this to oil my razors after use between shaves. Been using it about a year now and no issues.


If I remember correctly their website says it's food safe also.

I must have missed the food part?????

Mmmmmm...
Ballistol & vinegar on my salad tonight!

I'm not saying that Ballistol is not safe. I know nothing about it. I just hope that anyone putting something on their blades is OK with putting it on their face, because they probably are.

Far from being high-tech it is really rather old-tech: its roots go back to at least 1904. It is thin, has good 'creep' so it penetrates, is mildly alkaline so it neutralises acids, can form an emulsion with water, was used during WW1 and WW2 as an emergency wound dressing, is anti-septic, it is non-toxic, is skin-friendly, is rated as non-hazardous by Health & Safety administrations (classed as a medicinal grade mineral oil plus alcohol), is completely bio-degradable.

It has so many uses it is mind-boggling! Mixed with water,, it can be sprayed on plants to protect against insect pests. It softens and preserves leather. It does not become resinous, so is useful for leaving an easily cleaned coating on steel. Because it is mildly alkaline it neutralises the acidity found in human sweat, something which often discolours metal. It is photo-degradable and completely non-carcinogenic.

One great thing about it is its ability to form an emulsion with water - if it is applied to a razor with a wet area at the pivot, its 'creep' will allow it to penetrate to the area and emulsify with the water. Once the water evaporates the oil is left behind.

I use it on razors that are to be left unused for a while. It does not have to be cleaned-off - unless you have slathered it all over the place! A light coating on the blade, lightly wiped off after a few moments, will leave a good protective film behind.

Regards,
Neil

Since I knew nothing about it, I checked. HERE is the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS--the thing lab people use to try to avoid killing themselves and their descendants) for Ballistol. It only has one component with a threshold limit value (TLV), isobutanol, but that left me puzzled. HERE is the MSDS for isobutanol. Note that it is considered harmful if absorbed in the skin. I have used this stuff and personally, I would not put it on my face, nor would I consume it. I have always used it in a fume hood so that I don't even breathe it. I don't know what the ratio of isobutanol to mineral oil is in ballistol, but I don't consider it to be safe if it has any of that in it.

Any product you choose to use should have a MSDS available from its website & some may even have food industry approval certificates available for download. Anyone with sensitive skin should research carefully.

Ask and ye shall receive!

That isobutanol is isobutyl alcohol, the least toxic of the butanols, and is there merely as a solvent. In other words, it evaporates pretty quickly at room temperature and leaves the mineral oil behind. Surprisingly, it is also used as a food-additive and a flavouring agent - permitted by the FDA for human consumption. Those MSDS sheets are great, but they certainly like to cover every scenario! Probably something to do with manufacturers not wanting to be blamed for anything in obscure lawsuits. I can imagine one for plain old water - "synonym: dihydrogen oxide, may cause drowning; could give rise to thermal shock if freezing or at boiling temperature; may form explosive reaction upon addition to other chemicals; protective measures: goggles..."

Regards,
Neil