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If you use only hand tools, this isn’t going to interest you much. If you use machines, read carefully. Lubrication makes a huge difference when you work alone. Moving heavy slabs across a jointer, table saw or through a planer can be difficult if you are on your own.
For me, the difference between sore muscles and not sore muscles is B’laster Dry Lube, essentially Teflon in a can. No, it’s not an industrial coating. Professional machinists will laugh at you because they use far more technical coatings.
But for us – people who just needs something from the home center to make life easier – B’laster is the real deal.
Last month we used about five cans of the stuff to joint and plane all the benchtops at the French Oak Roubo Project. The B’laster made a huge difference. The other woodworkers took to it immediately and could feel the difference in their muscles.
No, it doesn’t affect finishing (no silicone). A can costs about $8 and lasts two years at least.
— Christopher Schwarz
For Day 1 of this year’s gift guide, click here.
Day 2 is here.
Day 3 is here.
For my gift guides from 2013 and 2014, click here.
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I use dry lube on my metal vise screws, so it definitely has applications for hand tool use.
(However, I can’t use it without giggling to myself that its intended use is dry humping)
Dear Chris –
Have you noticed any transfer that might impact the finishing or gluing processes?
So is this an alternative to paraffin (or tallow) for plane bottoms?