I had googled it a while back, and can not find it now? But it said they were basically the same thing. Tri flow also has teflon added to it, don't know how good that is for a machine over the years? Sewing machine oil is cheaper, and you can't go wrong with using the product that was meant for sewing machines. JMOHO

I don't know what you read that would say Tri Flow is the same as 3in1 oil, but that is just so wrong. Tri Flow is highly recommended by most vintage sewing machine repair people on all of the 20+boards and groups I belong to. All light weight oils, including sewing machine oil, dissipate over time, and the teflon that Tro Flow has in it does not gunk up and leave a varnish like substance behind like 3in1 or products like WD40 will. The teflon left behind is added protection to prevent wear at metel to metal friction points. The first oiling my machines get is always Tri Flow and I've never had any of them freeze up again or show any signs of gunk left behind. The only place I don't use it is any place that has a wick.

Cari

I WONDER WHAT YOUR BAD EXPERIENCE WITH TRI-FLO WAS LIKE??? Could you describe? I would love to see pictures, too. I've been using T-F for a long time and I have repaired hundreds of old machines. The Teflon eventually wears away at friction points kind of like the old Teflon skillet I pitched. I find I don't need to oil as much. I have tried 3 in 1 oil and WD40 and had pretty sorry results. Tri-flo may well be a combo of three different ingredients. If you go to a car parts store you can buy all kinds of different oil blends and your car will work better on some than others. I talked to an oil expert I could trust once and he suggested to use a thin oil on a sewing machine. He did not know anything about the tri-flo formula. If you are in doubt call an oil lab and see what they suggest. Several years ago I oiled my mom's featherweight with tri-flo and she let the machine set. I recently pulled it out and had no lock up what so ever when I turned the machine. 3 in 1 oil will lock up a machine very quickly.

Haven't we had this conversation???

I have never had any adverse affects of Triflow; I'm not sure what the additives are except for the teflon, but the oil in the small plastic bottle has never showed signs of gumming up or behaving adversely. This oil is added solvents to help dissolve and clean out gummed up parts; maybe that's why this has such a good effect on older machines.

I have to admit, I have used all kinds of spray can oils, including WD40 and never had any major problems; they are all very similar; dissolve and flush out old grime rather well. What they don't to is lubricate the way thicker oils does, and don't lessen friction like basic sewing machine oil does. They dry up quickly too, leave parts dry. I don't use them that much anymore; maybe in a case of very grimey internals in machine, mostly a good oil will do the same job given a bit more time.

I like Finish Line Ceramic wet lube too; it has to be the transparent bottle with the gold cap, the others are way too thick, with additves to make them stand up to harsh out door conditions. From the info I have Finish Line Ceramic Wet Lube is a synthetic oil of petroleum origin. It's a pure oil, very light flowing, with added (accoring to description) nano particle teflon and boron nitride. It has superb specs when it comes to penetration and reducing friction and works very well on sewing machines. Left long enough to dry up, it will not gum up parts more than the basic sewing machine oil; which meas very little problems decades down the road.

Most oils are added various stustances to increase perfomance under specific conditions, few of these apply to sewing machines, and very few oils actually offer any improvement on the basic sewing machine oil. I think Triflow and Finish Line Ceramic Wet Lube does, like mentioned, they have very good specs compared to other oils, and the additives they have work well for sewing machines. My 201 runs a few notches moother with Finish Line Ceramic oil, I think it's the teflon :- )

Miriam, NO I have not had this conversation with you before. I also said it was JMOHO, that you should use the product that is made for what ever you are working on. Like in this case, sewing machine oil for a sewing machine. I have NEVER used Tri Flo, because of what I had read. That was a while back. If you like it and want to spend the extra money, then go for it. But again JMOHO, I will stick with good old sewing machine oil, as it has never failed me yet.
I was trying to find where I read this, and found this interesting, this is a forum where guy's fly (toy,for lack of better description) planes, and helicopters, and one guy posted this....a few guys where i fly use oil made for home sewing machines..a lot of oil for a small price, and you can pick up a bottle at WalMart Again it is what you want to spend your money on.

Miriam, I got a chuckle when I read this -- so true! Murphy's Law is always at work in my world, LOL! Yep, $189, the gal said that was what they charged for a "full overhaul".

I wonder if a penetrating oil would help to get things loosened up; it usually will work on things that are 'frozen' or locked up. Then give it a good final oiling with the sewing machine oil. Just a thought.

yes all of that is mentioned in the post referenced above "shall I try and get his machine". I used lots of things.

Tri-Flo IS a penetrating oil.

I agree absolutely! I got a vintage Montgomery ward machine with cams that was locked up so bad the lady told I could have it for free because it was her aunts and hadn't been used in years. I took it home and oiled the heck out of it and cleaned it and it runs like a top. Persistence pays off.