Thanks SteveH, I shall remember you advice. I've never used kerosene. I have some times used thin spray can oil, it dissolves muck and dired up oil well and penetrate super fast. Regular oil seems to do the trick too, but it takes a bit more effort and patience. That said, I have never had the very dirty grimy machines some have. They have been dry and needed a good cleaning, but seemed to have been cared for up until they went into storage in the back of a cupboard.
Last edited by Mickey2; 10-02-2015 at 02:19 PM.