Sometimes you just need to get a tiny drop of oil into a really tight spot. For those situations, a precision oiler like a needle-tipped bottle can work well. Fill it with a little light machine oil, place the tip where you need lubrication, and carefully give the bottle a gentle squeeze.
It just so happens that I needed such a tool the other day and didn’t have it. My folding utility knife was getting hard to open using the thumb stud and I figured that it just needed a little lubrication.
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Instead of taking the whole knife apart, I thought I could just loosen the pivot screw and place a few drops of oil on the pivot. Unfortunately I didn’t have anything small enough to get the oil where I needed it.
This isn’t the first time I’ve need to get oil into a small space. I used to have a precision oil pen, but I found that it leaked after a while. So I was looking for something to apply oil without making a mess and to store it without leaking.
Browsing through the many options on Amazon, I found a simple needle tipped bottle from Racer’s Edge, an RC model accessory company. For $5 shipped, I purchased the simple 1/2 ounce bottle with capped needle tip.
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When I got the bottle a few days later, I filled it with some air tool oil (it was the closest thing on hand), and applied it to the pivot. After tightening the pivot screw and a few openings and closings, the knife opened better than new.
Applicators like this have flat-shaped tips, but can still be dangerous. Be sure to cap the needle and store the bottle in a safe place.
There are also applicator bottles and syringes with Luer Lock fittings that can work with industrial (flat-tipped) dispensing needles or attachments. This gives you the option of picking the best dispensing tip for your needs, whether short or long, straight or angled, small or large, plastic or stainless steel, disposable or reusable. Amazon carries a couple of Luer Lock bottle and needle combos, but McMaster Carr and other industrial or specialty suppliers have far more options.
Drew M
I like leur lok ‘needles’ and syringes for precision dispensing as they’re cheap, disposable and if you buy the right mixer nozzles, you can also use them with a Hysol epoxy gun.
Benjamen
Yeah, I’ve had my wife pick me up a couple of syringes at work to use for this too. It’s easier than trying to explain at the pharmacy why I need syringes.
I’ve found that 1) if you leave oil in them they tend to leak, 2) it’s a little harder to use one handed than the bottles.
Drew M
I only use one for oil but I always draw a little from a larger bottle then squirt the excess back into the larger bottle when I’m done. Typically, I use the syringes for stuff like glue or resins and so the syringe/needle is disposable.
If you look around online you can get a box of 100 or so non-sterile syringes for cheaper than the individually packaged sterile ones.
Mike
They generally don’t hold up well to the presence of oil anyway, so emptying them is a good idea. I have about 200 empty syringes from when I had heart surgery and occasionally use them for oil and such. After being filled for about 30 days the syringe tends to become a bit ‘unenthusiastic’ from most oils.
Hilton
I use something similar for applying glue into difficult spots.
Mike
If you are looking for these locally, go to Bass Pro, Cabella’s, or a fly fishing shop. They’re used for holding adhesives for tying flies.
Benjamen
***palm to forehead***
I knew I’ve seen these somewhere and couldn’t for the life of me remember where. Thanks!
I’m betting a local hobby store that sells RC vehicles might have them too.
crb
You can also find similar under flux dispensers at Amazon and most electronic sites.
Pat
I’ve got a pen that I got from a sales rep several years ago that looks like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Pack-Clock-Oil-Oiler-Needle/dp/B00AANDC34/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1446656362&sr=8-3&keywords=oil+pen
except mine only has a needle that’s about 1-1/2″. I’ve refilled it with 3in1 oil and it has never leaked. It has literally gotten me out of several tight spots!
Benjamen
That’s pretty close to the pen style oiler I had that leaked. Maybe mine was just a defect or from a bad lot.
Ton
On ebay for 3.50 shipped. No prime membership needed.
fred
Look similar to the Gaunt Hypo-25 bottles that I’ve used:
http://www.amazon.com/Gaunt-Industries-HYPO-25-Applicator-Weld/dp/B00EZRQOAY
Corey
A similar model is buried on page 988 of the Enco catalog. 2 oz with a .023″ SS tip.
Nathan
was going to say roll to your nearest hobby store, namely RC car and plane – they will have syringes and needle bottles.
Also bike stores sometimes have similar. They will also have fantastic lubes to use if necessary.
I use a PTFE loaded chain oil in mine. mostly clear, very slick, good on hinges no strong smell.
David
You can get this for $4.49 and it comes with oil.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013R67A6?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage
Toolfreak
You can get Tri-Flow, and a few other lubricants, in pen-shaped dispensers with needle tips:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CCML7G/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_3?pf_rd_p=1944687742&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B001C69GOM&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=04P345BE43Y1NHJVGC1D
I picked up a ton of these at walmart when they used to carry them, but still see them around at other stores. They are only a few bucks and are perfect for pin-point lubrication, or even if you just want to lube a chain link by link to avoid a mess.
I’ve also found an aluminum oil pen that uses replacable precision needle tips from Titan tools, looks like I found something else to put in an amazon order:
http://www.amazon.com/Titan-15200-Precision-Oiler/dp/B002LYQALQ/ref=pd_sim_263_7?ie=UTF8&dpID=31UaQ7NM%2BKL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=1EBY5B17JTHW1DDFG584
Robert
There are items that look almost identical that are designated for an entirely different purpose. They are sold for medical purposes to shoot water or saline solution for irrigation into wounds. They’re typically used after the removal of wisdom teeth for example to prevent dry sockets.
It’s interesting how marketing can play an astronomical role in the price. When things like this are sold for medical purposes, you can expect to pay 4 or 5 times as much.
Robert
In fact, the one I used after wisdom teeth removal was identical looking to the first photo above.