This is correct. Most "white grease" is just an emulsion of oil and an emulsifier (soap), this is what gives the oil its white fluffy texture. Think of mayonnaise, which is emulsified vegetable oil. Lithium, I believe, is just an additive ( I could be wrong about this).
What I have never understood is why this emulsified oil is preferred over real grease, which is a clear material, usually with a brown tint. Think axle grease.
White grease isn't nearly as durable. It both dries out, and also can be mixed with water, making a real mess. Real grease doesn't have these problems.
I have never done a real lab comparison, but I'll bet the stuff "Phil" sells for a lot of money is just cheap axle grease. "Phil" doesn't operate a refinery, or a petroleum products laboratory.
Louis Schulman Tampa, Florida, still using the same quart of axle grease I bought at Western Auto many years ago for about a dollar.
On Fri, 18 Apr 2003 18:39:40 -0400, Roy H. Drinkwater wrote:
# There was a thread on the touring list last week about oiling bearings. # #Someone replied: # #>(John) Forrester was probably referring to hubs similar to #>Campagnolo Record, which #>came equipped in the centre with a wee black clip covering an oil hole. #>When Record was first made, Campagnolo supplied a white grease that many #>people still mistake for lithium, when in fact it was a mixture of soap and #>oil. The oil in the grease tended to separate out and dissipate over time, #>leaving a thick yellow residue, which could be reconstituted - via the #>oilhole - by simply adding a few drops of oil from an oilcan. #> #>Campy grease WAS, not is, soap and oil. Nothing seemed to cling to #>ball-bearing as well - I miss it. Nowadays their lubricants are space-age #>synthetic stuff, and very $$$. #> #>Mind you, Campy's old soap-and-oil grease was expensive too, but mostly #>because it was filtered 4 times and was super clean. One of the worst #>faux-pas' you could ever commit in a bikeshop, was to leave the lid off a #>tub of grease, because of worries about particles of dust and dirt #>contaminating the grease (and whenever I was saddled with a cocky kid helper #>in the back, I always used to watch out of the corner of my eye, to see if #>he would actually commit this cardinal sin. When he did, all of us would #>point and yell and curse and generally take the piss out of him completely - #>Great Fun!). # # Soap & oil? Is this correct or just so much bikeshop bs? # # #Roy "I love the smell of Campy grease in the morning" Drinkwater #Lititz, "it smells like VICTORY!" PA #_______________________________________________ #Classicrendezvous mailing list #Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org #http://www.bikelist.org/mailman/listinfo/classicrendezvous