Greasing tenons

[delcrossv]

The tenon in the Wilde is very tight. Does anyone grease theirs with Vaseline and the like or should I give it a light sand?

 

[Sasquatch]

Some people use a dry lubricant like graphite. I don't recommend this - if it's so tight as to need lube, it's too tight. Roll up a tiny sleeve of sandpaper and spin it in the mortise, take a tiny bit of wood out and test fit.

 

[delcrossv]

The mortise or the tenon? Tenon being easier.

 

[xrundog]

Tight is bad. That’s how shanks crack. I normally do the tenon with a high grit like 800 and then polish it. I guess if you sand the mortise you can skip the polish. It doesn’t take much to improve the fit. Go easy and test often.

 

[WrightwoodJohn]

Some people use a dry lubricant like graphite. I don't recommend this - if it's so tight as to need lube, it's too tight. Roll up a tiny sleeve of sandpaper and spin it in the mortise, take a tiny bit of wood out and test fit.

I've done this a few times with great success.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Beeswax

 

[WrightwoodJohn]

Beeswax

I've used this too, great stuff & a small block will last forever.

 

[PurpleRow]

3rd on the beeswax. I've had some tendons that were alarmingly, nerve-wrackingly tight. Just a tiny bit o'wax and then easy like Sunday morning.

 

[Ozzy]

I mostly use beeswax and occasionally graphite from a pencil. Beeswax can also help with a loose stem.i very rarely remove my stems unless it's a Army mount or a pipe that refuses to pass a pipe cleaner.

 

[Cirgae]

I often use graphite (3B) too when a tenon is a bit too tight, just to ease the adjustments.

 

[Pie Eyed Piper]

Sometimes it's just because they're new. My Peterson Rocky was like that. First time I removed the stem it sounded like I popped a bottle of champagne ! However it became easier each time after and now is normal. I'd stay away from petrol lubes, try sanding it lightly instead if it doesn't get progressively easier on its own. Try wiggling it out left to right, right to left. Don't twist in one direction, it's not threaded and you'll warp the stem.

 

[Big G]

Rubing the graphite from a carpenter's pencil fixes as tight tenon most of the time.

 

[SwedeFP]

Bees wax is amazing stuff with odd properties. It kind of lubricates, but remember reading Grant Peterson with Rivendell Bikes using it for threadlock. I've tried it for that and on pipe tenons. Anything made by bees is good stuff. Honey for wounds, etc. I used to keep bees, and they always fascinated me.

 

[IsaacRN]

After reading this thread, i applied just a bit of bees wax to a very tight tenon. it loosened that thing nicely.

 

[delcrossv]

Drop of paraffin fixed it.

 

[dmcmtk]

Another trick is rub the tenon on a bar of Ivory soap, it works very well, better in my opinion than "graphite grease" (Ronni B.'s term for the No. 2 pencil trick). And no, it imparts no taste to the tobacco smoked.