A few months waxing chain

Hello all,

A couple of months have passed since I switched to wax for chain
lubrication. I would estimate I rode about 3,000 kilometers with my
chain (cleaning it and lubricating it four times, I think), a point at
which I usually start measuring at least some elongation.

In this case, I cannot measure any. 10 links span 254 mm ± .3 mm, so
that is less than 1 ‰ of elongation. My chain is a good as new. As an
additional bonus, my entire drivetrain has never been that clean!

Unfortunately, when I switched to chain waxing, I also changed from
Shimano chains to a KMC 9.73 one, so I cannot assert that waxing
is good for chain wear, only that either it is, or KMC chains are very
resistant, or both.

Anyway, now I think I will soon be at the point where I will have to
replace my cassette that is starting to be a bit worn, without changing
the chain that is still as good as new!

--
Tanguy

On Friday, November 30, 2018 at 4:55:08 AM UTC-8, Tanguy Ortolo wrote:
Hello all,

A couple of months have passed since I switched to wax for chain
lubrication. I would estimate I rode about 3,000 kilometers with my
chain (cleaning it and lubricating it four times, I think), a point at
which I usually start measuring at least some elongation.

In this case, I cannot measure any. 10 links span 254 mm ± .3 mm, so
that is less than 1 ‰ of elongation. My chain is a good as new. As an
additional bonus, my entire drivetrain has never been that clean!

Unfortunately, when I switched to chain waxing, I also changed from
Shimano chains to a KMC 9.73 one, so I cannot assert that waxing
is good for chain wear, only that either it is, or KMC chains are very
resistant, or both.

Anyway, now I think I will soon be at the point where I will have to
replace my cassette that is starting to be a bit worn, without changing
the chain that is still as good as new!

--
Tanguy

My experience has been that chain waxes give you a far cleaner chain for a long time and the chain is usually quiet but the wear is fairly fast. And it leaves that impenetrable black muck on the cassette and chain rings which is very difficult to remove.

Rock and Roll Gold appears to me to work the best as long as you follow the directions completely - including the leaving it dry overnight.

KMC chains - the upper level ones like the Silver and Gold - wear very well but are significantly heavier.

On 1/12/18 2:57 am, wrote:
On Friday, November 30, 2018 at 4:55:08 AM UTC-8, Tanguy Ortolo
wrote:
Hello all,

A couple of months have passed since I switched to wax for chain
lubrication. I would estimate I rode about 3,000 kilometers with
my chain (cleaning it and lubricating it four times, I think), a
point at which I usually start measuring at least some elongation.

In this case, I cannot measure any. 10 links span 254 mm ± .3 mm,
so that is less than 1 ‰ of elongation. My chain is a good as new.
As an additional bonus, my entire drivetrain has never been that
clean!

Unfortunately, when I switched to chain waxing, I also changed
from Shimano chains to a KMC 9.73 one, so I cannot assert that
waxing is good for chain wear, only that either it is, or KMC
chains are very resistant, or both.

Anyway, now I think I will soon be at the point where I will have
to replace my cassette that is starting to be a bit worn, without
changing the chain that is still as good as new!

-- Tanguy

My experience has been that chain waxes give you a far cleaner chain
for a long time and the chain is usually quiet but the wear is fairly
fast. And it leaves that impenetrable black muck on the cassette and
chain rings which is very difficult to remove.

Rock and Roll Gold appears to me to work the best as long as you
follow the directions completely - including the leaving it dry
overnight.

KMC chains - the upper level ones like the Silver and Gold - wear
very well but are significantly heavier.


My experience has been that chain lube made from a mix of wax and oil
(about 50/50, solid at room temperature) and applied as a hot bath
(liquid), gives you a cleaner chain for a long time and the chain runs
quiet and the wear rate is fairly low.

And it leaves minimal muck on the drive components, that is easy to remove.

As I can make my lubricant from a few paraffin candles and some gear
oil, it is very cheap indeed, and you only use what sticks to the chain
when you remove the chain from the hot lubricant.

KMC chains are better or worse? You decide
https://www.cantitoeroad.com/assets/images/products/docs/connex_by_wippermann/Chainwear_Test_10_Speed_10-JUN-2010.pdf

--
JS

On Sat, 1 Dec 2018 11:07:10 +1100, James
wrote:

On 1/12/18 2:57 am, wrote:
On Friday, November 30, 2018 at 4:55:08 AM UTC-8, Tanguy Ortolo
wrote:
Hello all,

A couple of months have passed since I switched to wax for chain
lubrication. I would estimate I rode about 3,000 kilometers with
my chain (cleaning it and lubricating it four times, I think), a
point at which I usually start measuring at least some elongation.

In this case, I cannot measure any. 10 links span 254 mm ± .3 mm,
so that is less than 1 ‰ of elongation. My chain is a good as new.
As an additional bonus, my entire drivetrain has never been that
clean!

Unfortunately, when I switched to chain waxing, I also changed
from Shimano chains to a KMC 9.73 one, so I cannot assert that
waxing is good for chain wear, only that either it is, or KMC
chains are very resistant, or both.

Anyway, now I think I will soon be at the point where I will have
to replace my cassette that is starting to be a bit worn, without
changing the chain that is still as good as new!

-- Tanguy

My experience has been that chain waxes give you a far cleaner chain
for a long time and the chain is usually quiet but the wear is fairly
fast. And it leaves that impenetrable black muck on the cassette and
chain rings which is very difficult to remove.

Rock and Roll Gold appears to me to work the best as long as you
follow the directions completely - including the leaving it dry
overnight.

KMC chains - the upper level ones like the Silver and Gold - wear
very well but are significantly heavier.


My experience has been that chain lube made from a mix of wax and oil
(about 50/50, solid at room temperature) and applied as a hot bath
(liquid), gives you a cleaner chain for a long time and the chain runs
quiet and the wear rate is fairly low.

And it leaves minimal muck on the drive components, that is easy to remove.

As I can make my lubricant from a few paraffin candles and some gear
oil, it is very cheap indeed, and you only use what sticks to the chain
when you remove the chain from the hot lubricant.

KMC chains are better or worse? You decide
https://www.cantitoeroad.com/assets/images/products/docs/connex_by_wippermann/Chainwear_Test_10_Speed_10-JUN-2010.pdf

I've been using a mix of paraffin and a light grease containing
Molybdenum disulfide. I added a bit of bee's wax thinking it might
make the mixture a bit more pliable but I'm not sure that is
necessary.

As paraffin is soluble in benzene I suppose that one could brew up a
liquid batch, with benzene, and squirt it on with an oil can but
dunking the chain in an electrical pot full of paraffin seems so much
easier :-)

The other nice thing is that a pot full lasts for years. One doesn't
have to worry about running short and much cheaper then the
proprietary blends too :-)

cheers,

John B.

On 1/12/18 12:28 pm, John B. slocomb wrote:


I've been using a mix of paraffin and a light grease containing
Molybdenum disulfide. I added a bit of bee's wax thinking it might
make the mixture a bit more pliable but I'm not sure that is
necessary.

As paraffin is soluble in benzene I suppose that one could brew up a
liquid batch, with benzene, and squirt it on with an oil can but
dunking the chain in an electrical pot full of paraffin seems so much
easier :-)

The other nice thing is that a pot full lasts for years. One doesn't
have to worry about running short and much cheaper then the
proprietary blends too :-)



I'm beginning to think it is more constructive to point and laugh at
people who spend a lot for a little bottle of mostly solvent and a
fraction of lubricant.

--
JS

On Sat, 1 Dec 2018 16:56:00 +1100, James
wrote:

On 1/12/18 12:28 pm, John B. slocomb wrote:


I've been using a mix of paraffin and a light grease containing
Molybdenum disulfide. I added a bit of bee's wax thinking it might
make the mixture a bit more pliable but I'm not sure that is
necessary.

As paraffin is soluble in benzene I suppose that one could brew up a
liquid batch, with benzene, and squirt it on with an oil can but
dunking the chain in an electrical pot full of paraffin seems so much
easier :-)

The other nice thing is that a pot full lasts for years. One doesn't
have to worry about running short and much cheaper then the
proprietary blends too :-)



I'm beginning to think it is more constructive to point and laugh at
people who spend a lot for a little bottle of mostly solvent and a
fraction of lubricant.

Ah but... they are using the absolute best chain lube available...
just ask them :-)

cheers,

John B.

On Friday, November 30, 2018 at 4:09:32 PM UTC-8, James wrote:
On 1/12/18 2:57 am, wrote:
On Friday, November 30, 2018 at 4:55:08 AM UTC-8, Tanguy Ortolo
wrote:
Hello all,

A couple of months have passed since I switched to wax for chain
lubrication. I would estimate I rode about 3,000 kilometers with
my chain (cleaning it and lubricating it four times, I think), a
point at which I usually start measuring at least some elongation.

In this case, I cannot measure any. 10 links span 254 mm ± .3 mm,
so that is less than 1 ‰ of elongation. My chain is a good as new.
As an additional bonus, my entire drivetrain has never been that
clean!

Unfortunately, when I switched to chain waxing, I also changed
from Shimano chains to a KMC 9.73 one, so I cannot assert that
waxing is good for chain wear, only that either it is, or KMC
chains are very resistant, or both.

Anyway, now I think I will soon be at the point where I will have
to replace my cassette that is starting to be a bit worn, without
changing the chain that is still as good as new!

-- Tanguy

My experience has been that chain waxes give you a far cleaner chain
for a long time and the chain is usually quiet but the wear is fairly
fast. And it leaves that impenetrable black muck on the cassette and
chain rings which is very difficult to remove.

Rock and Roll Gold appears to me to work the best as long as you
follow the directions completely - including the leaving it dry
overnight.

KMC chains - the upper level ones like the Silver and Gold - wear
very well but are significantly heavier.


My experience has been that chain lube made from a mix of wax and oil
(about 50/50, solid at room temperature) and applied as a hot bath
(liquid), gives you a cleaner chain for a long time and the chain runs
quiet and the wear rate is fairly low.

And it leaves minimal muck on the drive components, that is easy to remove.

As I can make my lubricant from a few paraffin candles and some gear
oil, it is very cheap indeed, and you only use what sticks to the chain
when you remove the chain from the hot lubricant.

KMC chains are better or worse? You decide
https://www.cantitoeroad.com/assets/images/products/docs/connex_by_wippermann/Chainwear_Test_10_Speed_10-JUN-2010.pdf

--
JS

The difference between the Camoy Record and Veloce is rather amazing. I can only think that the Record which has the spaces in the side plates cut out to reduce weight actually do stretch because of that.

On 12/1/2018 12:58 PM, wrote:
On Friday, November 30, 2018 at 4:09:32 PM UTC-8, James wrote:
On 1/12/18 2:57 am, wrote:
On Friday, November 30, 2018 at 4:55:08 AM UTC-8, Tanguy Ortolo
wrote:
Hello all,

A couple of months have passed since I switched to wax for chain
lubrication. I would estimate I rode about 3,000 kilometers with
my chain (cleaning it and lubricating it four times, I think), a
point at which I usually start measuring at least some elongation.

In this case, I cannot measure any. 10 links span 254 mm ± .3 mm,
so that is less than 1 ‰ of elongation. My chain is a good as new.
As an additional bonus, my entire drivetrain has never been that
clean!

Unfortunately, when I switched to chain waxing, I also changed
from Shimano chains to a KMC 9.73 one, so I cannot assert that
waxing is good for chain wear, only that either it is, or KMC
chains are very resistant, or both.

Anyway, now I think I will soon be at the point where I will have
to replace my cassette that is starting to be a bit worn, without
changing the chain that is still as good as new!

-- Tanguy

My experience has been that chain waxes give you a far cleaner chain
for a long time and the chain is usually quiet but the wear is fairly
fast. And it leaves that impenetrable black muck on the cassette and
chain rings which is very difficult to remove.

Rock and Roll Gold appears to me to work the best as long as you
follow the directions completely - including the leaving it dry
overnight.

KMC chains - the upper level ones like the Silver and Gold - wear
very well but are significantly heavier.


My experience has been that chain lube made from a mix of wax and oil
(about 50/50, solid at room temperature) and applied as a hot bath
(liquid), gives you a cleaner chain for a long time and the chain runs
quiet and the wear rate is fairly low.

And it leaves minimal muck on the drive components, that is easy to remove.

As I can make my lubricant from a few paraffin candles and some gear
oil, it is very cheap indeed, and you only use what sticks to the chain
when you remove the chain from the hot lubricant.

KMC chains are better or worse? You decide
https://www.cantitoeroad.com/assets/images/products/docs/connex_by_wippermann/Chainwear_Test_10_Speed_10-JUN-2010.pdf

--
JS

The difference between the Camoy Record and Veloce is rather amazing. I can only think that the Record which has the spaces in the side plates cut out to reduce weight actually do stretch because of that.

If you're speculating that the metal in the Record side plates
permanently stretches because of the cutouts, I _very_ much doubt that.

If you like, we can do the calculations. Give us dimensions of the side
plates - width, thickness, and width of cutout. It's not a hard problem.

(Campy engineers are competent enough to calculate tensile stress and
compare it with yield stress.)

--
- Frank Krygowski

On Sat, 1 Dec 2018 20:32:26 -0500, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

On 12/1/2018 12:58 PM, wrote:
On Friday, November 30, 2018 at 4:09:32 PM UTC-8, James wrote:
On 1/12/18 2:57 am, wrote:
On Friday, November 30, 2018 at 4:55:08 AM UTC-8, Tanguy Ortolo
wrote:
Hello all,

A couple of months have passed since I switched to wax for chain
lubrication. I would estimate I rode about 3,000 kilometers with
my chain (cleaning it and lubricating it four times, I think), a
point at which I usually start measuring at least some elongation.

In this case, I cannot measure any. 10 links span 254 mm ± .3 mm,
so that is less than 1 ‰ of elongation. My chain is a good as new.
As an additional bonus, my entire drivetrain has never been that
clean!

Unfortunately, when I switched to chain waxing, I also changed
from Shimano chains to a KMC 9.73 one, so I cannot assert that
waxing is good for chain wear, only that either it is, or KMC
chains are very resistant, or both.

Anyway, now I think I will soon be at the point where I will have
to replace my cassette that is starting to be a bit worn, without
changing the chain that is still as good as new!

-- Tanguy

My experience has been that chain waxes give you a far cleaner chain
for a long time and the chain is usually quiet but the wear is fairly
fast. And it leaves that impenetrable black muck on the cassette and
chain rings which is very difficult to remove.

Rock and Roll Gold appears to me to work the best as long as you
follow the directions completely - including the leaving it dry
overnight.

KMC chains - the upper level ones like the Silver and Gold - wear
very well but are significantly heavier.


My experience has been that chain lube made from a mix of wax and oil
(about 50/50, solid at room temperature) and applied as a hot bath
(liquid), gives you a cleaner chain for a long time and the chain runs
quiet and the wear rate is fairly low.

And it leaves minimal muck on the drive components, that is easy to remove.

As I can make my lubricant from a few paraffin candles and some gear
oil, it is very cheap indeed, and you only use what sticks to the chain
when you remove the chain from the hot lubricant.

KMC chains are better or worse? You decide
https://www.cantitoeroad.com/assets/images/products/docs/connex_by_wippermann/Chainwear_Test_10_Speed_10-JUN-2010.pdf

--
JS

The difference between the Camoy Record and Veloce is rather amazing. I can only think that the Record which has the spaces in the side plates cut out to reduce weight actually do stretch because of that.

If you're speculating that the metal in the Record side plates
permanently stretches because of the cutouts, I _very_ much doubt that.

If you like, we can do the calculations. Give us dimensions of the side
plates - width, thickness, and width of cutout. It's not a hard problem.

(Campy engineers are competent enough to calculate tensile stress and
compare it with yield stress.)

ASME/ANSI B29.1-2011 Roller Chain Standard Sizes

#40
Pitch 0.500 in (12.70 mm)
Roller Size 0.312 in (7.92 mm)
Tensile Strength 3,125 lb (1,417 kg)

cheers,

John B.

On 11/30/2018 7:55 AM, Tanguy Ortolo wrote:
Hello all,

A couple of months have passed since I switched to wax for chain
lubrication. I would estimate I rode about 3,000 kilometers with my
chain (cleaning it and lubricating it four times, I think), a point at
which I usually start measuring at least some elongation.

In this case, I cannot measure any. 10 links span 254 mm ± .3 mm, so
that is less than 1 ‰ of elongation. My chain is a good as new. As an
additional bonus, my entire drivetrain has never been that clean!

Unfortunately, when I switched to chain waxing, I also changed from
Shimano chains to a KMC 9.73 one, so I cannot assert that waxing
is good for chain wear, only that either it is, or KMC chains are very
resistant, or both.

Anyway, now I think I will soon be at the point where I will have to
replace my cassette that is starting to be a bit worn, without changing
the chain that is still as good as new!

Did you use pure paraffin wax, or did you add any oil to the melted wax?

--
- Frank Krygowski