I ONLY lube my chain with pure whale fat from a freshly killed whale anything else is just useless.

I'm with noglider on this. I'm done with deep cleaning chains. I just wipe it down and put on some lube. When it's worn, I get a new one. I don't think my chains are that much shorter lived than before.

I suspect "embitterment" was meant to be embrittlement as in hydrogen embrittlement and rather than "some types of mineral sprits" it was meant to be prolonged soaking in Simple Green or similar cleaners. I find chain cleaning/lube threads entertaining, especially the post a page or two back referencing embittering a pale ale with hops, a worthwhile endeavor.

That's where I got years ago. I used to use the Park Tool's cleaning thing and chain brushes and all this other crap (dousing in Motor Oil too, don't do this) and have settled on a pretty simple procedure.

Lazyman's version:
To clean I used either Superlube Dry or Superlube or similar, both remove the crud quite amazingly and aren't too expensive. I do the backwards peddle and spray right on the chain by the lower derailleur pulley. Spin for a bit, enough to let it soak, and then wipe off all the crud with an old shirt rag, do a thorough wiping to get all of the wetness and black crud off. Then l respray with Tri-Flow (PTFE based) in the same spot until chain is lubed and then shift a lot. If I think it need a heavier layer of oil I will add lightly a few drops of Finish Line Wet (used to use Phil's Tenacious Oil). Wipe again with a rag lightly this time and good to go.

If I want to get more thorough then I will tooth brush the pulleys and use that tshirt rag on the cassette, but I'm done with the chain. Anything that takes more than that is new chain time. I stay away from Motor Oils and WD40 like the plague. I want to try the Rock 'n' Roll stuff sometime but I am not dying to do it, Tri-Flow has been pretty solid for quite some time now, 20+ years.

Also I have never done the Prolink stuff, but have used most of the White Lightning and Pedro's products including wax and just go back to the Tri-Flow and Finish Line Wet pretty much every time. Really have heard a lot of good stuff about the Rock 'n' Roll and want to try it though.

Also:

http://oi47.tinypic.com/63x655.jpg

whatever you do don't boil it in oil in one of your Mom's regular kitchen pots! just trust me, ok?

There were threads in this forum about a couple of years ago, mentioning embrittlement cracking at the side plates that seems to had been caused by the new types of mineral spirits that had been introduced in the market in the past few years (I think it's mostly the "odorless" types.....
That's what I had been referring to.
I could not believe it at first, but there seems to had been enough anecdotal evidence that it is true.....

I often run expensive vintage chains and vintage freewheels. For example, I have Regina hollow-pin chains on a couple bikes and still use alloy Regina cogs frequently. As such, I tend to be more meticulous than most about keeping a clean drivetrain to minimize wear. My process:

1. First, soak the chain in kerosene or WD-40. (The original Regina tin is great for this).
2. While the chain is coiled in the tin and soaking, scrub briefly with a nylon brush. Cover tin and agitate. Flip the chain and repeat scrubbing on other side of chain. Agitate.
3. Hang on a hook an give it a quick wipe. (At this point I will sometime take some chain whips to the freewheel, and throw the cogs in the ultrasonic cleaner, too.)
4. 2-3 cycles in the ultrasonic cleaner, flipping once.
5. Next another drip in clean WD-40. While the ultrasonic cleaner is working, I either strain and re-use WD-40 if not too dirty (after cleaning sludge from bottom of tin) or simply use fresh WD-40. This displaces any excess water from ultrasonic cleaner.
6. Wipe chain and hang to dry.
7. Install chain and lube. I usually use Tri-Flow. Occasionally I will soak the cleaned chain in a lube such as Mobile-1, then hang the chain over the canister to let the excess drip back in for later use, then wipe thoroughly before re-installing.

It seems like a lot of work, but they are all quick steps and it really doesn't take much time in total. Sometimes I only do this and keep the rest of the bike filthy.

I'm not too finicky about which lube. I've been using Tri-Flow for as long as I remember. I feel it's more important to keep everything clean than obsess about lube formulas.
@nlerner: Your poor chain!!! :eek: ;)

Yeah, well, I'm just hoping it makes it through the winter. It's replacement is in the drawer!

Using the newer lube/cleaners and a wipe down after ever ride (takes 2 minutes) should keep any pavement ridden bike chain as clean as an A rated restaurant. I use Rock "N" Roll Absolute Dry on my urban single speed with the 1/8 KMC and also on my Ultegra 10 speed on my Roubaix. Apart from other attributes, the lube is supposed to cut down the static charge a bike generates that plates dirt onto chain metal. Don't know if that's true, but I do know that an after ride wipe down and periodic reapplication keeps my chain and cassette / freewheel and chain rings looking new and operating like silk (well, silk would mess things up, but you know what I'm getting at). For my mountain bike I use the Rock "N" Roll Gold stuff.

When I am out riding and run into other cyclists at stops, I am amazed how grimy many chains are, even on very expensive bikes.

Ha. Over on the mechanics forum last year, chagrined by an interminable chain lube thread, I used something considerably more colorful.
Tongue in cheek, of course. The use of one word got me banned for a month.

Any body still use the old recommended method, or remember it.....of soaking a clean chain in melted parafin wax?

I tried it. Once.

What word could get you banned for a month? I guess you probably shouldn't post again, it could cause trouble. I'll just have to keep wondering??....

Maybe starting a chain cleaning/lubing thread should get one banned. :lol:

My Father said he did it. Must have been a very long time ago as I never saw him do it, LOL. I use Butchers wax on my table saw, both table and the acme screws. Cranks turn easily, and the screws/gears don't collect a lot of dust.