Tri-flow aerosol same as oil?
 

Couldn't find plain triflow oil so I bought triflow "superior lubricant" in an aerosol can. Now I am having second thoughts about using it on my vintage treasures. Does anyone know if it's safe to use in place of oil? Thanks in advance.

It isn't a 'long term' replacement for sewing machine oil, but the aerosol is what I usually use to free up vintage machines, or sticky bits. It works very well for me, yet once the machine is free, or the bits are moving as they should, I will always follow up with the standard drop or two of SMO. The Triflow "superior lubricant" in the aerosol can and I have brought machines back that I never would have imagined sewing again - and rather quickly. Some might suggest that a slow and patient coarse of one drop at a time sewing machine oil over many weeks or months would do the same thing, and it may. I've never been that patient to give it a go when the Triflow will do it overnight.

*note that SMO is being used an abbreviation for the proper noun phrase: 'sewing machine oil' and was capitalized in accordance to proper grammar and acceptable netiquette guidelines.

My favorites have been Finish Line Ceramic Wet lube and Triflow, they have been ideal for the vintage all metal machines. These are the only two I have noticed giving a notch or two of extra smoothness. I have to admit, in most cases the basic oil will get the job done and work just as well. Even frozen and sluggish machines run fine after an over night soak. Stubborn cases often takes more time even with several fancy products on hand. The aerosol are safe and will work. It's ideal for clean up jobs, dissolving and flushing out grime and dried up oil. On a resonably clean machine there might not be much of an advantage. The only disadvange with spray can stuff is they are much thinner and dry up quicker; which will result in hickups; I have had the feed dogs and stitch length setting on a few 66s and 99s act up and it was because I thought the spray can oils at least were acceptable and would last a bit, but not even two days in the worst of case. A factor might be that it's not the spray can oils causing all the problem, but dried up oil and grease partly dissolving and not being flushed out. When the light spray can oil evaporates the machine gets sticky again.