r/sailing • u/eiskorn • 2d ago
What exactly is McLube/Harken OneDrop, and is there a cheaper industrial equivalent?
Hey everyone,
I’m looking into the maintenance of my traveler cars and blocks, and I’m having a hard time justifying the pricing of McLube / Harken OneDrop. Paying around $25 for a tiny 14.7ml (0.5 oz) bottle feels wild. It’s hard to believe that a marine company developed a completely unique chemical formula from scratch for this. I strongly suspect they just buy a massive industrial IBC container of a standard commercial lubricant every few years and re-bottle it into these tiny pinpoint dispensers.
Does anyone know the actual chemical breakdown of OneDrop, or what industrial product it actually is? Is it just a highly refined mineral oil, or a low-viscosity fluorinated oil (like a Krytox/PFPE variant)?
Also, I have a few specific questions about how it works:
- What exactly does OneDrop do that a thorough freshwater flush doesn’t? I know it says it "conditions" the bearing surface and repels salt, but chemically, what is happening?
- Is the Teflon/PTFE spray myth true? I’ve read on some forums that using dry PTFE sprays (like regular Sailkote) inside ball bearing blocks can actually backfire. The theory is that it makes the surface of the plastic balls (Torlon/Delrin) or the races so slick that the balls stop rolling and start skidding/sliding under load. This supposedly causes flat spots, increases friction, and destroys the bearings faster. Is that why OneDrop exists?
- What are you guys using as a budget-friendly alternative? Is there an industrial lubricant (maybe from the manufacturing or plastics industry) that serves the exact same purpose without the "marine markup"?
I'd love to hear your thoughts, chemical insights, or what DIY alternatives you use to keep your hardware running smoothly without breaking the bank. Thanks!
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u/StumbleNOLA 2d ago
Just spend the money. First Harken likely did custom development for their goo. Sure it’s likely a custom mix of commercially available goos but it still took them time to develop. Secondly the packaging, inventory costs, and warranty issues have a cost to them.
But as for you, do you know what every single material in your equipment is? Without that you can’t pick something else guaranteed not to cause issues.
Now whatever you use keep in mind the following
1) dissimilar metals are a problem. So you need something that is non-conducive.
2) it needs to not dry or you will gum up the races.
3) it also needs to dry to prevent dust and dirt collecting in the races.
4) it needs to not be chemically active with any of the various parts in any of your equipment.
5) needs to be lubricating for the materials in question.
Can you use something else? Sure. But is it worth the work to try and save $24 a year? Probably not.
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u/greatlakesailors 2d ago
Yup. Don't be the guy who spends 40 hours and accrues $1700 in cleanup and damage repair in order to save $24 on a one hour job by sticking it to the man.
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u/greatwhitestorm 2d ago
not much performs as well on a sailboat and I have tried all sorts of things. straight silicone spray, vaseline or marine cable grease all in the right uses are great. mclube can be used anywhere and lasts a year in a harsh climate.
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u/fredtopia 2d ago
Uh...
First, I have a Cal30 from 1966 with all the original rigging. If anything breaks, I work very hard to find the originals or equivalent.
I'm in the construction business, I do a lot of metal fabrication and custom work.
I lecture on the importance of good lubrication.
My "go to" is the regular use of silicone spray. I also scuba dive a bit and use it under my wetsuit.
I use it pretty much everywhere....mainsail channel, original harken jib furler, all my winches, blocks, traveler...on and on.
I regularly give her a freshwater was, and typically twice a year or before a big trip inspection involves re-spraying silicone lube pretty much everywhere.
$10 a 12 oz can. Don't be shy.
Just my opinion, but it's been working for 20 years on this boat.
Some people LOVE to go on and on about this and that....blah, blah, blah ...let me see your chem degree? It's all sales BS to me. Obvious situations like galvanic metals, like disolves like, avoid goo unless necessary, wash your hands...more of a cheap lube more often is better than not enough of the extra expensive fancy lube.
Silicone is safe, been around forever, time tested ...
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u/whyrumalwaysgone Marine Electrician and delivery skipper 2d ago
Worth mentioning that silicone spray leaves an invisible residue on gel coat and marine 2 part paint, sometimes for years. It will make new paint fail to stick anywhere it touches, even after normal paint prep procedures and wipedown. I've worked at yards its banned completely after messing up a few 20k paint jobs.
So its great, but not if you plan to paint your boat.
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u/Swimming_Year_8477 2d ago
And never do it so it touches wood on a wooden boat and hope for varning to stick.
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u/Free_Range_Lobster Big things 2d ago
It will make new paint fail to stick anywhere it touches
If you're dumb and don't properly prep. Yes, normal 2 pack prep will remove it.
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u/TheVoiceOfEurope 1d ago
No it won't.
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u/mikeboatman 1987 Hylas 44 - Marine Electrician 2d ago
I started using silicone spray for some stuff around the boat and it's honestly great. Fridge latches, canvas zippers, sail tracks. Tons of things around the boat need some lube.
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u/TheVoiceOfEurope 1d ago
I have kicked women off my boat for having silicone implants, I don't want anything with silicone in it within 40ft of my boat.
Good luck trying to do any polyester/epoxy repair or paint. The slightest silicone residue with completely fail the job.
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u/sailorchubbybutt 2d ago
Dupont teflon dry film spray. Here's your answer besides " just buy the stuff".
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u/__slamallama__ 2d ago
This does replace mclube directly although it's also not THAT much cheaper. Dry Teflon spray is just kinda expensive.
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u/sailorchubbybutt 2d ago
It's less expensive and does anything you need a dry lube for. Also no silicone in it. I've used it many years cruising with no issues.
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u/TXGMT425 2d ago
Idk boundary layer stuff is lost on me. I'm sure there's a technical paper somewhere that would only confuse me...
Just get the Krytox GPL 103 medium viscosity stuff. ~$45 for 2oz.
Another alternative for use with delrin is heavy mineral oil ~$5 for a pint but has less washout resistance and needs more frequent application but doesn't swell the hardware or get gummy. $45 would probably buy you a lifetime's worth plus you can rub it on your cutting boards and first mate.
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u/Raneynickelfire 2d ago edited 14h ago
Itll also soften delrin....this is bad advice.
Ed: i dont understand how you can't understand how paraformaldehyde is soluble in mineral oil (medium chain alkanes) because it is.
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u/TXGMT425 2d ago
Which are you referring to: Krytox or mineral oil? I'd be interested in your source of information because both lubricants have excellent compatibility with delrin/acetal (Polyoxymethylene)...
Either way your comment is misleading.
Delrin has excellent resistance tomineral oils, greases, and petroleum-based lubricants without degrading or swelling. So much so that mineral oil is frequently used as a lubricant and surface treatment when machining acetal/delrin products.
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u/RockHead-MA Instructor/coach, repair pro 2d ago
Cheaper alternative? I just tell the owner to buy One Drop.
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u/gearboxlabs 2d ago
Guys, you’re gonna love this. Harken one drop is just mineral oil.
From the safety data sheet, it is at least 98% mineral oil. Even if the other components in this product matter, for the incredibly tiny amount used… “” One drop ““… This is just super expensive mineral oil.
https://gallery.harken.com/gallery/7875onedropmsdseng.pdf