CF lubrication.....

jim beam said:

Crescentius Vespasianus said:

This a cycling tech forum, but I have a problem that someone here
might know the answer to. I have a carbon fiber kayak paddle that
breaks down into two pieces, for easy storage. For some reason it
takes two of us, to twist each end to get it apart. It's carbon
fiber, on carbon fiber, like a cf seatpost in a cf seat tube. Is
there some sort of lubrication I can put on it, so it can twist apart
easily? I was thinking silicon spray, but maybe I'm wrong there.

siliconE should be fine - if it is a genuine silicone. some "contain" -
which is not what you want. don't use petroleum based sprays like wd40.

you could also do something like wrap the taper in polyester thread and
see if that makes a difference. shouldn't bind as much that way, but
how do you prevent it coming apart in service?

---------------
a hole drilled through both shafts, with
a paddle buttom clip, to make it not
turn on you.
http://www.kayakproshop.com/Paddle_Button.html#Item+Description

but sometimes you want the blades to be
30 degrees angled from each other,
because of the wind, called feathering.
So you push in the paddle button, turn
one of shafts to the next hole. That
way when you go into the wind you don't
have the face of the blade become a sail
or brake, when that blade comes up. But
I can't even turn the shaft, paddle
button derpressed or not. A lot of
people either leave their paddles
feathered, or not feathered, I like to
switch, because downwind an unfeathered
paddle gives you a push. Kayaks are
even more wind sensitive than bikes. At
least on a bike when you take a break,
you don't backwards if you're going into
the wind.

Crescentius Vespasianus said:

This a cycling tech forum, but I have a problem that someone here might
know the answer to. I have a carbon fiber kayak paddle that breaks down
into two pieces, for easy storage. For some reason it takes two of us,
to twist each end to get it apart. It's carbon fiber, on carbon fiber,
like a cf seatpost in a cf seat tube. Is there some sort of lubrication
I can put on it, so it can twist apart easily? I was thinking silicon
spray, but maybe I'm wrong there.

If it were MY boat paddle (and I have some idea how expensive the things
are) I would try some dry teflon powder on it.

I would NOT try any wetting liquid lubricants (like WD-40, or tri-slide,
or 3-in-1 oil).

Teflon powder comes in dry bottles, or you can get it in an evaporating
carrier too such as Remington DriLube (sold in gun shops). If you try
the DriLube, spray a little test-shot on the end of the oar and watch to
see that it doesn't do anything horrible first.....

DougC said:

If it were MY boat paddle (and I have some idea how expensive the things
are) I would try some dry teflon powder on it.

I would NOT try any wetting liquid lubricants (like WD-40, or tri-slide,
or 3-in-1 oil).

Teflon powder comes in dry bottles, or you can get it in an evaporating
carrier too such as Remington DriLube (sold in gun shops). If you try
the DriLube, spray a little test-shot on the end of the oar and watch to
see that it doesn't do anything horrible first.....

Also forgot to add--DO NOT use moly-disulfide powder at all.

It will not bind to plastic, and besides that, it's jet-black and stains
/everything/ it gets on (your clothes, your hands, ect).

Teflon powder is white, and will not stain.
~

Crescentius Vespasianus said:

This a cycling tech forum, but I have a problem that someone here might
know the answer to. I have a carbon fiber kayak paddle that breaks down
into two pieces, for easy storage. For some reason it takes two of us,
to twist each end to get it apart. It's carbon fiber, on carbon fiber,
like a cf seatpost in a cf seat tube. Is there some sort of lubrication
I can put on it, so it can twist apart easily? I was thinking silicon
spray, but maybe I'm wrong there.

siliconE should be fine - if it is a genuine silicone. some "contain" -
which is not what you want. don't use petroleum based sprays like wd40.

you could also do something like wrap the taper in polyester thread and
see if that makes a difference. shouldn't bind as much that way, but
how do you prevent it coming apart in service?

Crescentius Vespasianus said:

This a cycling tech forum, but I have a problem that someone here might
know the answer to. I have a carbon fiber kayak paddle that breaks down
into two pieces, for easy storage. For some reason it takes two of us,
to twist each end to get it apart. It's carbon fiber, on carbon fiber,
like a cf seatpost in a cf seat tube. Is there some sort of lubrication
I can put on it, so it can twist apart easily? I was thinking silicon
spray, but maybe I'm wrong there.

I would use "dielectric grease" (available at HW or auto shops).