# Alcohol lube?



## Joker (Sep 3, 2010)

Hey all. First lemme get this outta the way: I quickly searched alcohol on this forum and nothing really related to this popped up. 
Anyhow, I don't have anything like silicone that I could use to lube my cube. So I was thinking of something else to lube it with, and alcohol came to my head (I don't have pure alcohol in my house, so I used witch hazel...close enough).
And so, I grabbed my A-II or A-II (I don't know which one it is, and I didn't want to test it on my F-II, cautious that it would mess the cube up) and tried to lube it with the witch hazel. 
At first, while breaking it in, the lube came out of the cube, which I just wiped off. But later when I broke it in, the cube became alot better. 
So my question to you is this: have you ever used something alcohol-related to use as lube?


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## Systemdertoten (Sep 3, 2010)

Not really; I'm afraid of using anything other than CRC or Jig-a -loo...


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## Joker (Sep 3, 2010)

Systemdertoten said:


> Not really; I'm afraid of using anything other than CRC or Jig-a -loo...



Thats why I didn't use my main cube lol


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## Systemdertoten (Sep 3, 2010)

:fp oh well. If CRC eventually comes off, i'll test it with my OH cube


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## hawkmp4 (Sep 3, 2010)

Systemdertoten said:


> Not really; I'm afraid of using anything other than CRC or Jig-a -loo...



That's funny, because CRC and Jig-a-loo both have harsher chemicals than alcohol.


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## freshcuber (Sep 3, 2010)

It's an interesting idea, I've never tried it but just out of concern for your cubes I reccomend getting silicone spray. Try Wal-Mart or Home Depot and if none of those work I'd say lube at your own risk but for the record I highly recommend Lubix. It does wonders.


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## Robert-Y (Sep 3, 2010)

I've tried anti bacterial gel before and it seems alright I guess...


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## Joker (Sep 3, 2010)

freshcuber said:


> It's an interesting idea, I've never tried it but just out of concern for your cubes I reccomend getting silicone spray. Try Wal-Mart or Home Depot and if none of those work I'd say lube at your own risk but for the record I highly recommend Lubix. It does wonders.



Yeah, I might get Lubix but idk.
I'll get silicone spray next time I can
And guys I put a poll for a reason lol.


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## Systemdertoten (Sep 3, 2010)

hawkmp4 said:


> Systemdertoten said:
> 
> 
> > Not really; I'm afraid of using anything other than CRC or Jig-a -loo...
> ...


I know that.  A classmate used some weird lube (don't remember what it was) and left the cube fine for some weeks, but then the cube became stickier than a Rubik's brick.


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## FatBoyXPC (Sep 3, 2010)

I don't think using alcohol makes much sense, because alcohol evaporates really quick. Are you sure you noticed an actual difference, or did you notice it because you wanted to? The only thing that oculd make sense is if the alcohol somehow mixed with the plastic, but I highly doubt it.


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## hawkmp4 (Sep 3, 2010)

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/mats05/mats05139.htm
This is relevant.


> Hi Robert,
> 
> I found your question a little puzzling. As an engineer with years of
> experience with a wide range of plastics, I have never once run across
> ...



Source is unknown. But seems to corroborate what I've found elsewhere.
Slightly off topic, cubes are ABS plastic generally, right?


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## Joker (Sep 3, 2010)

fatboyxpc said:


> I don't think using alcohol makes much sense, because alcohol evaporates really quick. Are you sure you noticed an actual difference, or did you notice it because you wanted to? The only thing that oculd make sense is if the alcohol somehow mixed with the plastic, but I highly doubt it.



Its faster for sure. 
Even if its not, its an illusion that sped up my times with the cube. Which is great.

I know its not as good as CRC, but its better than nothing.
And about it evaporating: well, it left a glossy feel on the cubies that makes it turn faster.


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## ElectricDoodie (Sep 3, 2010)

My friend uses 100% Silicon Sexual Lube.

Yes, sex lube.
And it really works great. He has to reapply about once a week, but it's really good.

I'd still go with Lubix, though. Or CRC.


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## shelley (Sep 3, 2010)

The improvement you observed in your cube was probably just from loosening and cleaning out the dust. Isopropanol is very volatile and I can't imagine it would stay on the cube very long.


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## WeIsPrius (Sep 3, 2010)

Way back when I was new to cubing I put Vaseline on my storebought Hasbro-brand cube. 

It was like mixing suck with suck. 

It really sucked.


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## Joker (Sep 3, 2010)

shelley said:


> The improvement you observed in your cube was probably just from loosening and cleaning out the dust. Isopropanol is very volatile and I can't imagine it would stay on the cube very long.



I cleaned the cube before I lubed it, and tested how good it was. After the lube, it was smoother.
Maybe you should try it with a crappy Rubik's brand.
Or maybe my lube is just more awesome than other alcohol relatives :tu


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## hyunchoi98 (Sep 3, 2010)

i tried but it just all evaporated and nothing happened


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## theace (Sep 3, 2010)

Won't it just evaporate?!


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## radmin (Sep 3, 2010)

Perhaps it cleaned it out a little. That might account for the improvement.


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## Joker (Sep 3, 2010)

WeIsPrius said:


> Way back when I was new to cubing I put Vaseline on my storebought Hasbro-brand cube.
> 
> It was like mixing suck with suck.
> 
> It really sucked.


I see.


hyunchoi98 said:


> i tried but it just all evaporated and nothing happened


Might just be my lube 


theace said:


> Won't it just evaporate?!


Mine didn't 


radmin said:


> Perhaps it cleaned it out a little. That might account for the improvement.


Well I cleaned it out first. But, it left a slippery feel on the cube. 
Now (the day after) I can notice some evaporated, but its still noticibly smoother.


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## hawkmp4 (Sep 3, 2010)

If there was any improvement, then, it was either due to cleaning out the cube, or from the other substances in the witch hazel. The alcohol would have evaporated long ago.


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## flan (Sep 3, 2010)

ElectricDoodie said:


> My friend uses 100% Silicon Sexual Lube.
> 
> Yes, sex lube.
> And it really works great. He has to reapply about once a week, but it's really good.
> ...



Haha reminds me of all the sex ed pamphlets that remind you not you lube up with petroleum based stuff because it wares out the condom, and that you should stick to silicone or water based lubricants.

That reminds me has anyone tried water based lube in a cube? when I get my rubiks brand back from a friend maybe ill try it out with a saches of free water based sex lube I have at home.


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## Carson (Sep 3, 2010)

I use alcohol to clean out my cubes when they get too much dust in them prior to relubing with CRC. Perhaps your cube was really dirty and the alcohol just cleaned it off... that's my best guess.


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## BluePi1313 (Sep 3, 2010)

Here are the lubes I've used: Jig-a-loo, vasaline (terrible), goo-gone, sand (for terrible rubik's brands), china lube AKA maru lube, and that's about it...

I've heard about car oil stuff, and crc, but never bothered to use them.


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## Joker (Sep 4, 2010)

Carson said:


> I use alcohol to clean out my cubes when they get too much dust in them prior to relubing with CRC. Perhaps your cube was really dirty and the alcohol just cleaned it off... that's my best guess.



Nah, it was clean. Really clean.



BluePi1313 said:


> Here are the lubes I've used: Jig-a-loo, vasaline (terrible), goo-gone, sand (for terrible rubik's brands), china lube AKA maru lube, and that's about it...
> 
> I've heard about car oil stuff, and crc, but never bothered to use them.



Sand lol. Isn't that used for breaking in and not lubing? Didn't know people used it as lube


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## hyunchoi98 (Sep 4, 2010)

The fact mine evaporated just seems because i used drugstore bought rubbing alcohol...


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## Joker (Sep 4, 2010)

hyunchoi98 said:


> The fact mine evaporated just seems because i used drugstore bought rubbing alcohol...



Haha, as I said, it might just be my lube.


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