The main problem down here is people's lack of knowledge ... they think that 3-in-one oil is just as good as any other lubricant. Of course, that doesn't apply to the large automotive industry we have down here, but to an extent it does to the average small workshop. Yes, it seems like a business opportunity, but it would also take a small army of well-educated salesmen to persuade the consumer of the superiority of the product.

Just rename it 4-in-one.

 

Thank you for saying that. 3-in-One is pretty good and I use it around the home; although, I use 20/30 weight non-detergent around the barn pretty freely in a squirt gun. For my lathe spindle (plain bearing!), I use "spindle oil," which is maybe a little lighter than 20 weight, more refined, and cheaper than 3-in-One by the gallon. I don't really use much "Teflon" fortified products, except for plumber's tape. I do have specialty greases for plastics (e.g., servo gears) and very refined oils (e.g., watch oils) for my measuring tools. I couldn't afford to put those oils in a squirt gun.

 

One thing you need to watch with 3 in 1 is it used to polymerize with age, or the old type did. Back in the day my mom and dad had an antique shop. He bought many old 1920s type desk fans that sometimes turned real slow. First step in getting them back up to speed was wash out the bearings. Since most people back then used 3 in 1 for everything, that usually fixed the fans, getting the old congealed oil out of the bearings.