Re: Grease and waxes

On Mon, 01 Jul 2024 17:12:30 GMT, Tom Kunich <cyclintom@yahoo.com>
wrote:

As usual the obvious candidates without a shred of knowledge of chemistry told you all that I didn't know what I was talking about when I said that Silca was making a block that looked like Chocolate that converted grease to wax.

It seems that we're sliding down the slippery slope that ends in yet
another chain lubrication alchemy discussion.  Oh well.  Let the
tribology begin.

I do recall you mentioning something about Silca.  It would have been
nice if you had included your source of (mis)information.
<https://silca.cc/blogs/silca/chain-waxing-system-and-stripchip-faq>
<https://youtu.be/cEnD95UwE3w>
The process is called "oleogelation".  It's mostly used for converting
unhealthy saturated fats into somewhat less healthy unsaturated fats:
<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7022307/>
Beyond what I've just read about the topic, I know nothing. Therefore,
you are welcome to speculate whether bicycles are faster with either
type of fat.

I have continued to be curious why people that know nothing
would say things about which they know nothing.

It would seem that you've never listened to a political debate. 

Grease and wax asr ONE chemical chain from being the same thing.

Ummmm... no.  They're close, but not that close:
<https://www.quora.com/Organic-Chemistry-What-if-anything-is-the-official-difference-between-oil-fat-wax-and-grease>

"Most basically, oils and fats are triglycerides; fatty acid esters of
glycerine, oils being liquid at room temperature and fats being solid.
Waxes are esters of a fatty acid and a fatty alcohol. I am
deliberately not including substances of mineral origin."

"Oils are liquid at room temperature, fat is solid at room
temperature, wax is generally nonedible but malleable at or near room
temperature, and grease is a used oil or fat that contains high free
fatty acids or other solids from having cooked food."

Where the hell do you get Candle Wax from - TALLOW - which is animal
fat.

Ummm... you could make candles from tallow, but today's candles are
made from paraffin wax and stearic acid.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candle>
If you've ever smelled a burning tallow candle, you'll understand why
organic chemists were searching for alternatives.  Some of the
alternatives candle wax compounds were equally disgusting:
"Unravelling the Science of Candle Odours: Tallow Candles"
<https://highlandcandlecompany.com/unravelling-the-science-of-candle-odours-tallow-candles/>
Votive or prayer candles were frequently doped with more pleasant
smelling aromatic perfumes to hide the tallow stench.

The lubricating grease on a new chain (SRAM no longer put this
grease on a chain) is petroleum based but the chemistry is the same.

Nope.
<https://www.reddit.com/r/cycling/comments/147jtj9/how_do_sram_lube_their_chains/>
"SRAM chains use Gleitmo, a high quality industrial chain lube (not
just a surface protectant), that is applied by hot dipping in a vat of
it at the factory so it penetrates into all the internals of the chain
where it is most needed. Its not really suited for home use, first
because its only available in large commercial quantities, second the
method of application as above, and third its very expensive! SRAM
themselves recommend you run with the original lubricant for as long
as possible before adding your own."

And what would bring the usual noisome candidates to call Silca liars
because I reported their product?

Nope.  I wouldn't call you the liar.  More likely a noisy incompetent
that guessed badly what Silca and SRAM are doing.


--
Jeff Liebermann                 jeffl@cruzio.com
PO Box 272      http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Ben Lomond CA 95005-0272
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