My Thumb Oilers

[rmaynard 16,154]

When you run out of money and storage space, you sometimes have to collect smaller things. One of my passions is collecting oilers. Thumb oilers specifically.

This is a small sample of what I'm talking about.

 

 

Anyone else collect these little guys?

[peter lena 9,184]

@rmaynard  neat collection , another  related point is that they will probably never rot / rust out , my experience with lubrication , creeping , is a  no brainer , every time I see a practically  new truck rusted out , its so simple / easy  ,  stay oily , pete 

[Achto 29,218]

Nice collection !! I have a couple old ones that I use but no collection per say. 

[squonk 43,276]

My Grandfather had quite a few. Wish I had grabbed them. 

[c-series don 9,727]

@rmaynard @Ed Kennell How funny that you post this! Probably about the same time you were posting, I was on the phone with Ed and I was telling him that I use one of those for squirting Marvel Mystery Oil in the cylinders of my small engines for long term storage. I honestly did not know that is what they were called! I have a few of them, I’ll have to take some pictures and post them. My guess is that most of the younger generation would have no idea what they were!!! 

[Achto 29,218]

7 minutes ago, c-series don said:

younger generation would have no idea what they were!!! 

 

 or how to get the oil out of them. 

[rmaynard 16,154]

That is true. I have a couple of very interesting ones. Young people today think that WD40 is the only thing they need. These are all sewing machine oilers.

This is a British bicycle oiler 

This one is from 1898

 

 

[HyperPete 784]

Interesting that one popped up in my FB marketplace today.

 

[rmaynard 16,154]

2 minutes ago, HyperPete said:

Interesting that one popped up in my FB marketplace today.

 

Noera has been around for a long time.

[HyperPete 784]

5 minutes ago, rmaynard said:

Noera has been around for a long time.

 

 

I have a large one in my shop that was my grandpa's.  Fully functional.  I keep 30W in it.  Besides the old metal 3 in 1 oil cans, i never knew there were different ways to apply oil.  I also had a glass 3 in 1 oil jar, but my ex absconded with it during our divorce.  Grrr.

 

I bought an oiler with a pump lever and the gasket under the top is too small, so it leaks like a sieve.  I got it to mix acetone & ATF as penetrating oil.

[ri702bill 9,174]

The Tin Man's best buddy....

[rmaynard 16,154]

8 minutes ago, HyperPete said:

  I also had a glass 3 in 1 oil jar, but my ex absconded with it during our divorce.  Grrr

 

Glass oil jars are hard to find. Most were dropped and broken. This survivor still has it's original lead spout.

 

[HyperPete 784]

It was bluish colored glass with raised lettering.  I got it while excavating an old gas tank at a service station.

[squonk 43,276]

1 hour ago, ri702bill said:

The Tin Man's best buddy....

[rmaynard 16,154]

 

Somebody got ripped off badly. The auction oil can is not the same one that Dorothy is holding in the movie.

 

 

[JoeM 8,128]

3 hours ago, Achto said:

 or how to get the oil out of them

if it is not aerosol, the're SOL!

 

We just call them oil cans 

[Ed Kennell 41,252]

Nice collection Bob.  Here are a few of mine.

 

 

The Eagle trigger finger pumpers work great for squirting fuel down the throat of a lazy starting engine.

 

Can you ID this one with the dual cap.  It does have a thumb popping bottom.

[rmaynard 16,154]

1 hour ago, Ed Kennell said:

 

Can you ID this one with the dual cap.  It does have a thumb popping bottom.

 

I have a couple of these. Neat idea to have a way to seal the can. No labels. They weren't necessarily for oil. I have seen them with glue, cleaners, and furniture polish labels. 

[c-series don 9,727]

I put a knot in a wire and ran it through the tip up to a nail to hang my Ford cans up for display. It kinda makes it look like they are floating in the air! All the cans I have were given to me over time. I have different fluids for different applications in each of the cans not hanging up. 

[SylvanLakeWH 28,055]

[Horsin'round 209]

[ri702bill 9,174]

3 hours ago, rmaynard said:

 

Somebody got ripped off badly. The auction oil can is not the same one that Dorothy is holding in the movie.

 

 

Looks like the Auction Can contained Snake Oil....

[Horse Newbie 7,297]

Here’s mine…

starting at left- Golden Rod, with an index finger trigger.

Eagle, Eagle(small), no name, Craftsman.

Not a collection. I just could not get rid of them…

[wh500special 2,256]

I find the sound those things make when pressing the bottom to be so pleasant and even soothing.  Click-click-click-click…

 

Steve

[rmaynard 16,154]

17 hours ago, c-series don said:

I put a knot in a wire and ran it through the tip up to a nail to hang my Ford cans up for display. It kinda makes it look like they are floating in the air! All the cans I have were given to me over time. I have different fluids for different applications in each of the cans not hanging up. 

 

 

 

Don, I love the hanging Fords. Been looking for Ford-embossed cans, but they fetch a high price down here. I found one where most of the logo was rusted away for $47.00. Rejected. Found two others with great logos like yours. They were over $150.00 each. Rejected as well. I'll keep looking. Also have several cans like the Toro one, but the graphic are worn too bad to read. I think if I squint I can see what might have been International.