I have loosened some old diopter rings using a drop or two of WD-40.
I have to work it back and forth maybe 5 times, whick off excess,
and wait 24 hours for things to diffuse.
WD40 has become a standard product for every homemaker and many mechanics shelfs across the planet. WD40 is primarily a water diffuser. It does manage to free things up if you spray it into sticky mechanisms. At least in some cases. But the effects will not last. In terms of lubricity, it has essentially no useful lubricating qualities. Again, its primarily to displace water and serves as a pretty half 3
rust preventative.
I highly recommend you not use WD40 unless your objective is to displace water on something like a soaking wet motorcycle chain. Its good for that. Also good for starting cars with spark plug wire issues. As the spark plug wires age they start to cause difficult starting in damp and wet conditions. Years ago a guy showed me this first hand. I was stuck, the car would not start in cold damp conditions. He came along asked me "What's up?" . I say, I don't know. It won't start. He say "Hold on, I'll be right back". He comes back, sprays down the spark plug wires with a can of WD40. Tells me, "Let it sit for a minute so the WD soaks in and displaces the water". I do, the car starts like a champ first try. Mmmmmmm.
So anyways. Its well accepted WD40 makes a good lubricant and its about time that fallacy be put to rest. Better if you must use an off the shelf type lubricant is that Dupont Teflon Dry Lube Spray sold now at many hardware stores. The caveat is that teflon, by nature of what it is, does not withstand close to as much load and pressure as moly. But certainly in a binocular focus mechanism or diopter, I should think teflon would be fine.
Of course I would just use moly dry lube because I can. I have a lot of it purchased for other "stringent and demanding" applications. It accomplishes the same thing as a good heavy oil such as B&C lube [ ie... you put a drop on the mechanism in confined space and it goes into the mechanism and lubes ] but it flows in better because its more viscous, it adheres to the substrates better as it gets right into the pores of the surfaces and adheres there, remaining and protecting against surface to surface, and it dries so you don't have problems with dust/sludge buildup. fwiw. Of course, for less stringent applications, the teflon dry lube would function fine. But keep in mind that neither dry lube will protect against rust.
FWIW, you will not likely find Moly Dry Lube at your local stores. At least if my own experience here is any indication. You can find it at specialized industrial suppliers typically. Its definitely not cheap running $12 - $20 + a spray can. But aerosol varieties are pretty wasteful and you don't really want moly getting all over everything so better is in a container and you apply with an eyedropper or whatnot. It's pretty amazing slick. You might be impressed. I was. :t: