[sdiy] potentiometer lubrication - the definitive answer?

[Julian]

I have a synth here that the pots dont feel right on.  Theyre not necisarily 
noisy, but they feel kinda loose and almost gritty.  Gritty is a bit 
extreme, but not smooth.

Now ive spent some time reading both in the archives here, on vintage hi-fi 
forums, and elsewhere on the web, and there are so so many conflicting 
commnets on both pot cleaning and lubrication.

Evreything from wd40 to vasalene is mentiond in some way or other, generally 
in equal parts of love and hate.



Does anyone have any trade experiance of pot manfacture, and can give some 
definative answers as to whats used to lubricate pots?  And, specifically 
where its applied (on the wiper / track and/or on the shaft / body 
interface)

(ssshhh you kids at the back there!)

At present, ive been using a spray branded by servisol, which, although it 
does a good job of removing grime (and hence pot noise) it can end up 
changing the feel of the pot if youre not carefull in the same way as the 
pots on the synth im working on now in fact....

Would the answer be to use a mainly solvent based spray, and then apply new 
lubricant afterward?

Like i said, this question comes round all over the place, and noone seems 
to be able to give a 100% clear answer on whats general policy in 
manufacture, just what they do themselves...

Any comments?

Cheers, Julian