Date:         Mon, 14 Mar 2005 18:29:46 -0800
Reply-To:     jbange <hfinn@INGRATES.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         jbange <hfinn@INGRATES.NET>
Subject:      Re: Life after speedometer, why do they break?
In-Reply-To:  <42363DEF.3030806@adelphia.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

>I used a teflon lube gel on mine when I "rebuilt" it. My boss uses it on
>safe locks. It's a non-petroleum, tasteless, odorless, essentially inert
>lube about the consistency and color of vaseline.

>TASTELESS?!?  How was that determined, pray tell?

Heh. I knew someone would want to know. The package claimed it was totally
inert and non-toxic, so I decided to see what it tasted like. Tastes like
absolutely nothing. It's occasionally useful in the locksmithing business
to know what various oils taste like so you can figure out whether the
handyman has squirted 3-in-1 Oil into a lock, if it's hydraulic oil
dripping from a concealed door closer, or whatever.  Bad habit I picked up
from an uncle of mine who'd identify leaking fluids dripping from a car by
tasting. The only time it's given me trouble was once about 5 years ago
when I found a leaking 12v gel cell BATTERY that way (lemons got nothing
compared to the sourness of sulfuric acid).

John Bange
'90 Vanagon "Geldsauger"