Hair Trimmer and Bottle with Liquid - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Boris_yo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 27, 2021, 01:21:30 pm
content: Hello,I ordered a hair trimmer that came with small bottle. It's been a couple of years andv there's less than half of liquid remaining. It looks like bottle is sealed because I can't squeeze a drop from it.What might be in that bottle?

author: Nominal Animal
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 27, 2021, 01:27:54 pm
content: Mineral oil. Used to lubricate the blades and the rotating bit that moves the blades. You use mineral oil, because greases and vaselines are too thick.Hereabouts, the stuff is also called "liquid paraffin", is sold in food grade, and is the stuff you mix with beeswax to get food-safe salad bowl finish.If the bottle is a soft plastic one, it could have seeped through. Those squeezable soft plastic bottles are quite porous.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 27, 2021, 01:50:28 pm
content: Trimmers need lubricating. Maybe a light cooking oil can be used in an emergency. Not sure how easy they are to take apart for a good clean up.

author: jpanhalt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 27, 2021, 07:56:12 pm
content: It needs to be something safe for application to skin -- at least what authorities think is safe. That pretty much rules out everything except, cooking oils, mineral oil, and lotions and such. Given that list, mineral oil would be my choice. If you are adventurous and want to risk your life (try a good lubricating oil, such as spindle oil or 3-in-1. The later lubricates, but gets gummy with age.

author: Benta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 27, 2021, 08:42:04 pm
content: The contents of that bottle are also known as "sewing machine oil". Very thin oil, almost as kerosene, but not quite.Free from sulphur and other nasty contaminants. Skin safe.

author: Boris_yo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 11:24:06 am
content: Quote from: Benta on December 27, 2021, 08:42:04 pmI have sewing machine oil in green plastic bottle with "Singer" name on it. I read that sewing machine oil is odorless but this one has slight smell. I wonder if I was sold fake...You mean sewing machine oil and mineral oil are same thing? How different is white mineral oil? Thanks.

author: jpanhalt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 11:46:09 am
content: Here are the SDS/MSDS sheets for three items:Triumph sewing machine oil:http://sewingcraft.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/MSDS-Triumph-Sewing-Machine-Oil-web.pdfMineral oil (as laxative):https://imgcdn.mckesson.com/CumulusWeb/Click_and_learn/SDS_9GERIT_MINERAL_OIL_16OZ.pdfVaseline petroleum jelly:http://content.oppictures.com/Master_Images/Master_PDF_Files/dvocb311003ct_sds.pdfNow you can make an informed decision which is more toxic or will harm the environment more. They are all flammable, so be sure to have an appropriate extinguisher handy.Note the sewing machine oil has "additives." If you have really sensitive skin, that may cause a little irritation. For me, I use a light oil ("spindle oil") that is not intended for use with IC engines or transmissions. The latter have a lot of additives and may be more irritating. And as mentioned earlier 3-in-1 oil is light, but has a reputation for becoming gummy. WD-40 is a poorer lubricant and also becomes gummy.

author: Nominal Animal
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 11:56:28 am
content: Quote from: Boris_yo on December 29, 2021, 11:24:06 amSewing machine oil and the oil you should apply to the trimmer blades (and the stem that vibrates the blades, when you remove the blade assembly) is food grade transparent odorless mineral oil.See the Wikipedia article onmineral oil.QuoteThe exact chemical composition isn't really important, as they are a mix of higher alkanes, carbon-hydrogen chains with at least nine carbon atoms (and at least 20 hydrogen atoms), and having an even longer chain doesn't affect the chemical properties much: mostly just viscosity and boiling point.Hereabouts, 1 liter of food grade "paraffin oil" costs 12 €, and is suitable thinness for sewing machine or trimmer blade use. I mix it with beeswax to make a finish for raw wood surfaces, and lubricate my hair trimmer and sewing machine parts.Safety data sheet.I recommend against using vaselines, jellies, and gel-like lubricants in the hair trimmer: it gunks up the blades. Aforementioned very light food-grade mineral oil with very little sticktivity or viscosity works best for me.

author: jpanhalt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 12:16:23 pm
content: How can you have a hydrocarbon with 9 carbon atoms and "at least 30" hydrogen atoms. Did you mean 20?

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 12:30:13 pm
content: Quote from: Nominal Animal on December 27, 2021, 01:27:54 pmThat sounds like the stuff sold by the same name in Oz, that used by used as veterinary treatment for animals with tummy troubles, whilst "paraffin wax" was used to polish wood & dress leather.Just to confuse things, in the UK, they call kerosene "paraffin", (or they did, back in the day!)

author: Nominal Animal
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 12:40:59 pm
content: Quote from: jpanhalt on December 29, 2021, 12:16:23 pmOf course! Thanks; fixed the typo.(Each carbon atom in the higher alkanes forms four bonds: two with neighboring carbon atoms, and two with hydrogen atoms; except that the carbon atoms at the end of the chains have only one neighboring carbon atom, and bond to three hydrogen atoms. 7×2+2×3=14+6=20. If the bonds were anything else, it wouldn't be an alkane anymore.)Quote from: vk6zgo on December 29, 2021, 12:30:13 pmYup. Food-safe means it basically just, uh, lubricates, the tract; it is used as a kind of a laxative, really: not to aid digestion, but to enhance the "flow". It is not digested at all (and is often used in various types of foodstuffs, actually), just "goes through". "Paraffin" or "paraffin wax" usually here refers to the wax form often used to lubricate skis.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 30, 2021, 01:53:06 am
content: Quote from: Nominal Animal on December 29, 2021, 12:40:59 pmYup! I was being "genteel".Quote

author: Benta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 30, 2021, 06:51:54 pm
content: Quote from: Boris_yo on December 29, 2021, 11:24:06 amIt is not odorless, it has a faint aromatic smell.

author: basinstreetdesign
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 31, 2021, 02:15:21 am
content: Quote from: Boris_yo on December 27, 2021, 01:21:30 pmIt couldn't be lighter fluid could it??With a spark it makes a great hair trimmer. Take it from me.

author: Nominal Animal
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 31, 2021, 08:35:06 am
content: Quote from: basinstreetdesign on December 31, 2021, 02:15:21 amI'm keeping my dome bald to help with some skin issues, and doing that would only help with exfoliation.I'd probably get better results with an electric shaver, but the salespeople are rather reluctant to let me try them before buying, and most are too weak to deal with my short stubble.Funnily enough, I've always got two completely different type of hairs on my head and face: soft and thin ones, and really stiff slightly darker ones. I can easily stall any trimmer I've tried by just pushing it into my hair, whenever it's longer than a few mm. (Also happens with "pro" gear at barbers/hairdressers.) Keeping the trimmer blades clean and lubricated really helps.(I have tried different lubricants, but they're too sticky. Thin unadulterated mineral oil really works best.)I get best results with a sharp safety razor, of course, but the blades get dull real fast; much, much faster than shaving my beard (even accounting for the "work area"). And when dull, the blade starts to rip, which I really dislike.