soap as screw thread lubricant

[John Piwaron]

I was just perusing some postings on USENET and note one of them saying to not make the mistake of using soap to lubricated the threads of woodscrews to be screwed into hardwood.

Why would using soap instead of wax be a problem? To be honest, soap is more readily available than wax.

[Jim Becker]

I was just perusing some postings on USENET and note one of them saying to not make the mistake of using soap to lubricated the threads of woodscrews to be screwed into hardwood.

Why would using soap instead of wax be a problem? To be honest, soap is more readily available than wax.

Soap will naturally attract moisture which is bad for the screw and for the wood. Beeswax or a similar substance is a better choice for this if you feel you need to use lubrication.

[Todd Burch]

Adding to what Jim said, I would further venture to say, assuming the screw is steel, the moisture would react with the steel and the tannins in the wood and you would get a blackened area around the screw. Todd.

[Lee Schierer]

Soaps also tend to include oils that may stain the wood. The materials that make up soap do not mix with most solvents used in finishes and will leave marks or stains around the screw holes that may show up year later. Beeswax will dissolve in most solvents, so any surface residue simply becomes part of the finish.

Besides, its good to use beeswax, what else are beekeepers going to do with the stuff. :D

[Russ Filtz]

I like to use an old piece of parafin canning wax. Not sure if this is good for the wood/screw or not, but it's solid and can be thrown around anywhere. I keep a chunk near the workbench and in the toolboxes! In fact I had to use some yesterday when my staircase railing support broke. Kept trying to use the brass screws that came with the kit into the hard oak railing, but kept stripping the screw heads. Even with pre-drilling and wax! Ended up using steel screws. As they're on the bottom of the rail and not visible, don't really care if they blacken a bit.

[Ken Garlock]

Back when I was a kid, a carpenter showed my his little trick. Just take a screw and lightly run it down the area between your nose and cheek. There is always a supply of skin oil there.... :)

[John Piwaron]

looks like I'll go get a hunk of actual wax today.

Thanks all for the informative replies.

[Eric Apple - Central IN]

looks like I'll go get a hunk of actual wax today.

Thanks all for the informative replies.

If you have used soap in the past, I would not worry. But I changed. I have 20 year old pieces that used soap on the screws withount an issue. Mostly red oak stuff. Perhaps it's because nearly every screw from even 20 years ago has a bright corrosion resistant coating.

But since I know better now, I use a wax block. If I can't find that, I'll still grad a bar of soap once in a while. Just watch out for the dust from a bar of dial. yuck

[Charles McKinley]

I got this tip from someone else. The wax rings used to seal Toilets when they are installed are cheap and easy to find in the plumbing section.

[John Miliunas]

I like to use an old piece of parafin canning wax. Not sure if this is good for the wood/screw or not, but it's solid and can be thrown around anywhere. I keep a chunk near the workbench and in the toolboxes! In fact I had to use some yesterday when my staircase railing support broke. Kept trying to use the brass screws that came with the kit into the hard oak railing, but kept stripping the screw heads. Even with pre-drilling and wax! Ended up using steel screws. As they're on the bottom of the rail and not visible, don't really care if they blacken a bit.

Russ, FWIW, next time running the same size & thread steel screw into the destined target. Screw it all the way home, back it out and then try your brass screw. The steel screw acts as kind of a "tap". YMMV, of course... :cool:

[Paul Kunkel]

Back when I was a kid, a carpenter showed my his little trick. Just take a screw and lightly run it down the area between your nose and cheek. There is always a supply of skin oil there.... :)

:D I've used 'nose oil' for years :D

[Lynn Sonier]

I keep a short candle in my toolbelt pocket and run the screw across the top of it.
In defence of soap, if you get it wet it'll make nice bubbles!!
Lynn