I like to keep my gear clean. I like to take care of it, because it takes care of me. I want to get the most for my money, and I want to extend the longevity of my kit as long a possible. It takes a lot of work to routinely accomplish this. I’ve come across several products that claim they will make the process easier, faster, etc. Unfortunately, they never do. Magic products don’t contain any more magic than their competitors, and it usually turns out to be a marketing game.
I don’t remember how I came across Ballistol exactly, but it sure wasn’t an ad. After I did some research on it, I decided to give it a shot. Apparently, this multi-purpose liquid can be used to clean, protect, and lubricate everything from firearms to plants. I’ve even heard of it being safe for wound treatment. I bought into the hype, and I’ve gotta say, it performs better than anything else I’ve ever seen.
I’ve only used it on a few things so far, but I’ve already gained an immense amount of trust in it. Here was one use I had for it in the past week:
My I2 for the SOG Trident Tanto folder showed that the pivot was a bit tight out of the box. The blade would get stuck if it was opened slowly (at 0:43):
A couple of weeks later, it was still sticking. I thought it would have loosened up after being an EDC for that long, but it didn’t. So, I applied 4 drops of Ballistol to the pivot and cycled the folder mechanism 20-25 times. Here are the results:
It is now smooth as butter, sharp-ass butter. I wiped the rest of the blade and handle down with excess Ballistol from the pivot, and it now shines like it is brand new.
Beyond the Trident, Ballistol was taken into the woods this weekend and used out in the field, where it performed…magically. I’m really impressed with this product and will be replacing other greasy and oily cleaners in my quiver with this.
I’ve got a lot of uses for this stuff, so I am sure a well-deserved R3 will be in the works in a few weeks.
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