Pinewood Derby Dry Lubes – Graphite / White

This process will be choosing which lube to pair with your axle polish level. Things to consider when choosing your dry lube will be:

  • Particle Size (mesh–large flake, super fine)
  • Hardness (does it easily smear, or is there a gritty feeling left)
  • Purity (if its not 100%, what is the filler)

Lubes are rated scientifically based on a  mathematical formula called coefficient of friction.  This is based on a static (NON-ROLLING) application.  These calculations are based on large amounts of weight (greater than PWD car) and again NOT rolling.  So simply looking at those numbers will truly lead you in the wrong direction.  Trust us we took that course.  There is not enough pressure / load to get the true benefits of the more dense lubes (moly and tungsten) when compared to graphite.  Every PWD website thinks they have the best lube.  Hardware stores should be the last place to buy your lube.  Take great time in doing this research. WE DID!

Best Pinewood Derby Graphite

In addition to hardness, the physical properties of moly and tungsten are single layer lubes.  Meaning you can not stack or build additional layers of lubes on top of each other.  No matter how many times you apply it.  No one else even thinks or considers this an important part of dry lubes.  But we do!  So once that single layer has been removed through mechanical friction (aka rolling) all you have left is the base material (in this case plastic).  Why is this an important thing to understand?

What we also found is if you combine either of these lubes with graphite, the mixture will still only be a single layer lube. The other particles will no longer allow graphite to stack on top of itself to build layers.  You are back to square one.  For PWD what we have found is that a graphite on graphite application will be the slickest surface.  Building rotational layers on both the axle and the wheels in the direction of wheel spin will be the best dry lube theory.

Graphite is the key to a winning dry lube.  Plain and simple.

Graphite such as Derby Dust® Dry Lube is an effective lubricant due to its unique blends of plate like structures known as lamellae. These lamellas lay parallel to the direction of motion built during the “break in” process. The unique characteristics of Derby Dust® Dry Lube allow the layers or lamellas to easily shear over each other resulting in low friction.

Derby Dust® Dry Lube is the Trifecta of lubes. We took proper care in the formulation and design of this lube. Blended for nearly all levels of axle polish.  This is the very reason why we decided to get into the PWD industry.  We are the red pill.  Come give us a try.   Proper particle size through successions of filtration, maintained and packaged at the proper humidity level, and industry leading purity with no additional fillers (quartz and mica).  No gritty feeling, easily smears, and sticks on both prepped axles and pinewood derby wheels.

Derby Dust™Dry Lube will not hold compression therefore it is not packable.

This lube can be used as a burnishing lube–rub in with cloth or cotton applicator. Polish it into the wood of the car using 2000 grit sandpaper at axle location. Polish it into the axle at a low rpm with a finishing cloth. Polish it into the wheel using the cotton applicator. Then use it to dust both as you break in the set. Product can mixed wet with 99% alcohol if you want to make a paste. This method is a very effective means of apply product to burnishing cloth.

Derby Dust™Dry Lube carries a lighter mass than tungsten and is softer. Tests show that it grips all the surfaces of every aspect of a derby car better than just one lube alone. In addition to layers of dry lube, Derby Dust™ Dry Lube incorporates lubrication at the micro level with the use of finer mesh.   Know that the peaks and valleys of your wheel and axle set are being protected from friction. The larger particles in Derby Dust™ Dry Lube best perform on relatively rough surfaces at low speed, while its finer particles perform on smoother surfaces at higher speeds.

Combine Derby Dust® Dry Lube with a winning application process and you get a combo is breaking track records by the handfuls each season.