# alternates for yoyo lube
**URL:** https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/alternates-for-yoyo-lube/49032
**Category:** Yo-Yo Mods and Maintenance
**Created:** [February 3, 2013, 9:30pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/alternates-for-yoyo-lube/49032 "2013-02-03T21:30:25Z")
**Posts on this page:** 19
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@abby1371](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/abby1371)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2013, 9:30pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/alternates-for-yoyo-lube/49032/1 "2013-02-03T21:30:25Z")
Alright so I know keeping a yo yo in good shape can be kinda tricky without lube or the specific yoyo lube like yoyojams that you think you can only us that. This is false there are some great alternates that great to use just around your house. here are some of my favourite that are my favourite to use instead of a small bottle of that yoyojam lube stuff.
sewing machine oil- singer especially is great to get a yoyo bearing unresponsive again. However a con is it does not quiet down the bearing which some of you like a quiet bearing. But do not sewing machine oil in a bearing with no shields it will mess up how fast it plays. On the bright side the stuff is dirt cheap at Walmart and get a huge bottle for it. Used it on my YYJ inspire and it works amazing.
Blue Juice trumpet valve oil- valve oil is so a trumpet can move smoothly this is great if you want more response in a yoyo if your new at yoyoing. Also If you use a different brand it will either be thicker or thinner depending on it.
gun oil- if you do shotgun or something you know it is important that your gun doesn’t jam. this helps yoyos as well as a yoyo bearing to be unresponsive.
mineral spirits, acetone and lighter fluid- all very common in the yoyo world. all work great but it can be hard sometimes to obtain these if you don’t know where to look That and aren’t usually sold at stores. These are not lubes they just help keep our bearing clean.
> [@Yoyomasterjr](#):
>
> Bones reds longboard/skateboard lube is sold in a 6oz bottle for 6 bucks it has the same viscosity as thin lube and has six times more for the price.
> Hope that helps
if you have anything to say let me know or want to add something let me know.
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### Author:  [@ShaunC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/ShaunC)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2013, 9:46pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/alternates-for-yoyo-lube/49032/2 "2013-02-03T21:46:07Z")
Unless you are 100% positive that you can completely dry your bearings, using water is a terrible idea. Patting it dry will not remove all of the water. If you don’t remove all of the water, it can rust your bearings. It’s better to just avoid water altogether.
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### Author:  [@Yoyomasterjr](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Yoyomasterjr)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2013, 9:47pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/alternates-for-yoyo-lube/49032/3 "2013-02-03T21:47:19Z")
Bones reds longboard/skateboard lube is sold in a 6oz bottle for 6 bucks it has the same viscosity as thin lube and has six times more for the price.
Hope that helps
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### Author:  [@jhb8426](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/jhb8426)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2013, 9:59pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/alternates-for-yoyo-lube/49032/4 "2013-02-03T21:59:32Z")
> [@abby1371](#):
>
> just a little soap and water- it does wonders however if you use tap water with a bearing with no shields…
Ehhh, NO. Bad idea. Think RUSTY bearings.
> [@abby1371](#):
>
> mineral spirits, acetone and lighter fluid- all very common in the yoyo world…
These are not lubes, they are solvents that can be used to clean the bearing.
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### Author:  [@abby1371](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/abby1371)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2013, 10:17pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/alternates-for-yoyo-lube/49032/5 "2013-02-03T22:17:21Z")
> [@jhb8426](#):
>
> > [@abby1371](#):
> >
> > just a little soap and water- it does wonders however if you use tap water with a bearing with no shields…
>
> Ehhh, NO. Bad idea. Think RUSTY bearings.
>
> > [@abby1371](#):
> >
> > mineral spirits, acetone and lighter fluid- all very common in the yoyo world…
>
> These are not lubes, they are solvents that can be used to clean the bearing.
fixed.
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### Author:  [@abby1371](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/abby1371)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2013, 10:18pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/alternates-for-yoyo-lube/49032/6 "2013-02-03T22:18:10Z")
> [@Yoyomasterjr](#):
>
> Bones reds longboard/skateboard lube is sold in a 6oz bottle for 6 bucks it has the same viscosity as thin lube and has six times more for the price.
> Hope that helps
okay I will add this.
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### Author:  [@Schnayke](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Schnayke)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2013, 10:19pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/alternates-for-yoyo-lube/49032/7 "2013-02-03T22:19:15Z")
trumpet valve oil comes in a wide veriety of thickness’s, from thinner then yoyojam thin lube to as thick as yoyojam thick/ yomega brain lube.
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### Author:  [@abby1371](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/abby1371)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2013, 11:14pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/alternates-for-yoyo-lube/49032/8 "2013-02-03T23:14:34Z")
Okay thanks I will edit that.
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### Author:  [@tkdlaxer](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/tkdlaxer)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2013, 11:38pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/alternates-for-yoyo-lube/49032/9 "2013-02-03T23:38:11Z")
I personally just use a bottle of V4M, its not that expensive, and one bottle will last me years, for me its easier to just get some of that while getting strings then to travel to a music store for trumpet valve oil, or to try to find sewing machine oil etc. YMMV
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### Author:  [@abby1371](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/abby1371)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2013, 2:14am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/alternates-for-yoyo-lube/49032/10 "2013-02-04T02:14:02Z")
Oh cool is okay if I quote it on to the first post?
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### Author:  [@Yoyomasterjr](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Yoyomasterjr)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2013, 4:00am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/alternates-for-yoyo-lube/49032/11 "2013-02-04T04:00:28Z")
> [@tkdlaxer](#):
>
> I personally just use a bottle of V4M, its not that expensive, and one bottle will last me years, for me its easier to just get some of that while getting strings then to travel to a music store for trumpet valve oil, or to try to find sewing machine oil etc. YMMV
Bones red longboard bearing lube as about the same viscosity as 4vm and you get six times as much for the price.
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### Author:  [@DrAwesome](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/DrAwesome)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2013, 4:02am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/alternates-for-yoyo-lube/49032/12 "2013-02-04T04:02:35Z")
Lamp oil. It’s the same think as valve oil. The majority of valve oils are a rather low viscosity. Or at least all the ones I’ve used.
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### Author:  [@jhb8426](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/jhb8426)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2013, 5:09am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/alternates-for-yoyo-lube/49032/13 "2013-02-04T05:09:41Z")
Isn’t lamp oil basically kerosene? I’d stay away from that.
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### Author:  [@yoyospirit](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/yoyospirit)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2013, 5:25am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/alternates-for-yoyo-lube/49032/14 "2013-02-04T05:25:17Z")
> [@jhb8426](#):
>
> Isn’t lamp oil basically kerosene? I’d stay away from that.
I use tiki bonfire oil to clean my bearings lol.
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### Author:  [@jhb8426](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/jhb8426)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2013, 5:28am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/alternates-for-yoyo-lube/49032/15 "2013-02-04T05:28:01Z")
Well yes, I guess that makes sense. Kerosene is used as a solvent in some cases. The tiki oil is probably kerosene based as well.
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### Author:  [@GregP](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/GregP)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2013, 7:01am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/alternates-for-yoyo-lube/49032/16 "2013-02-04T07:01:14Z")
“Getting a bearing unresponsive again” isn’t the intended purpose of lubricating. In most cases, lubrication will make your bearing responsive at least at first, unless you use very small amounts.
You would clean your bearing to help get it unresponsive again. It’ll be at its most unresponsive when it’s dry! However, many of us prefer lubing for a variety of reasons, and view the “responsive” phase (doesn’t take that long to break in) as an acceptable trade.
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### Author:  [@abby1371](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/abby1371)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2013, 11:50pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/alternates-for-yoyo-lube/49032/17 "2013-02-04T23:50:46Z")
Oh okay thanks.
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### Author:  [@krayzebone2003](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/krayzebone2003)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2013, 1:06am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/alternates-for-yoyo-lube/49032/18 "2013-02-07T01:06:30Z")
If you use lamp oil be sure to use the mosquito repellent variations so that you get long spin times that are bite free.
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### Author:  [@Jagmcool](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Jagmcool)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2013, 5:30am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/alternates-for-yoyo-lube/49032/19 "2013-02-07T05:30:42Z")
I just buy ceramic bearings 😃