how do manufacturers appropriately grease there pots for smoth action

[FRANK]

what do manufacturers use to appropriately grease or oil there pot shafts to make them roll nicely not loose not to tight ?

[Tim Mace]

A guess.......lithium?

[Russell Vance]

The pots (mainly CTS) I've pulled apart don't appear to be lubricated - loose pot rotation is either low quality or worn - tight is good as it doesn't roll off the setting while playing. Brass shaft pots feel better than all aluminium shaft pots. "Caig" makes a pot cleaning/lubricating spray for the conductive tracks on pots and sliders - you could try that on tight pots. R.

[Len Biglin]

Hi Paul, are you still chasing the noisy tone pot ? Did you try a plastic knob ? You can get tele style knobs with a plastic insert inside the metal knob , let us know , sometimes the outcome is the best part of the discussion.Len

[Pierre-Antoine Roiron]

I disassembled some too and did not see any grease on the shafts. Most of the time, as Russell said, using an electronic cleaning spray make the tighter ones roll smoother.

[FRANK]

have you heard of pot maintenance ? White lithium grease for contacts its very common for luthiers lol common guys haha lol White Lithium Grease this makes it stick nice gives a pot thats loose feeling something to grab against and pots that feel to tight you can make them loosen up a bit the stuff works great yea stew mac had a sales not to long ago maby 20 years ago ?

[Rob Mercure]

If you can find an old electronics shop or supply house look for a product called "Tuner Lube." It's essentially vaseline with some sort of conducttive element that will allow pots to work well mechanically as well as remove any static. I often disassemble a pot, flush it out with 100% iso-alcohol, and then smear a mung bean sized glob of lube in it. Lasts forever and unfreezes pots that have dried up years ago from poor lub or being flushed out without relubing.

There are other similar products and if the issue is simply mechanical vaseline and the other suggestions should do - it's just nice to be able to remove all the old gook and then relube it.

Rob