Modern lubes for Norma?

[Fungus]

I would advise BALLISTOL, it's an old gun oil (Greman imperial army) I used it on mine and it worked perfectly. One advantage is that you can use it first to clean the movenent's gears and then lube these with fresh oil.
It doesn't stiff up, is not greasy, it penetrates in the metal's surface structure, it conservate, it is easy to clean a way and you only need a very a few drops.

Is Ballistol equivalent to BreakFree?

[phdgent]

Is Ballistol equivalent to BreakFree?

I don't know BreakFree.
Ballistol is a kind of mineral based oil for lubing, cleaning, maintaining and preserving shooting weapons, all kinds of metals, leather (uniform), wood stock, rubber, animal care (cavalry), superficial skin wounds, and all kinds of needs a soldier would encounter in the (war-) field...
It was formulated more than 100 years ago for the German army.
I have always used it on my cameras to gently clean and lube the deferent surfaces like the leatherette of my Hasselblad, the dovetails and fixing buttons of my Linhof, even the screw thread (or the bayonet) of a filter's mount when it squeaked, simply everything...
But not the inside, like the mechanics, that's the domain of experienced technicians!

It protects and prolonges the life of different kind of plastics against becoming brittle due to skin residues and the UV rays too.

I call it the photographers friend, but perhaps that's a bit too personal...

https://www.ballistol-shop.nl/nieuws...van-ballistol/

[Tin Can]

Wasn't an Important WW11 Russian battle won as the German lube jammed their guns in very cold conditions...

I use modern goop

[phdgent]

Wasn't an Important WW11 Russian battle won as the German lube jammed their guns in very cold conditions...

I use modern goop

I don't know that faits divers.
But what I heard of is that in the desert when the English bombarded a German supply convoy, all the Ballistol was destroyed and they couldn't maintain their guns any more...

BTW, I have used my Ballistol treated camera in the freezing wind and never had any problems.

But ofcourse these is are personal experiences, you can have others and you should choose the product you thrust.

[j.e.simmons]

I see two kinds of Ballistol - one in a spray can and another that appears to be a liquid. Is it the liquid you use?

[phdgent]

I see two kinds of Ballistol - one in a spray can and another that appears to be a liquid. Is it the liquid you use?

Yes it's the one in a bottle I use, and sparingly (sometimes with a syringe).