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I’ve been testing three very different lubricants — Bones Speed Cream (a 15ml cream for skate bearings), Hoppe’s No. 9 (a 14.9ml high-viscosity oil that’s the #1 best seller in gun lubrication), and SQUEAKS Free Oil (a 30ml food-grade synthetic). Each claims to fix squeaks and reduce friction, but they’re built for totally different jobs.
This comparison is for anyone tired of buying the wrong lube. I’ll break down which one actually works for skateboards, which is best for firearms and fishing reels, and which all-purpose option handles everything else. The trade-off? Specialized formulas beat general ones in their lane — but the right all-rounder saves you money.
🏆 Quick Picks — My Top Recommendations
Best Overall: Bones Speed Cream
Top choice for skate bearings with a 4.8-star rating from 4,804 reviews and a lifetime warranty — Check Price →
Runner-Up: Hoppe’s No. 9
#1 best seller in gun lubrication with 35,849 ratings, ideal for firearms and fishing reels — Check Price →
Best Budget: SQUEAKS Free Oil
Best value at 30ml food-grade oil, odorless and works on hinges, fans, and bearings — Check Price →
I put together a side-by-side spec comparison so you can see exactly how each lubricant stacks up on viscosity, volume, and intended use.
Full Specs Comparison
| Specification | Bones Speed Cream Skate B | Hoppe’s No. 9 Lubricating | SQUEAKS Free Oil |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Bones | Hoppe’s | elba |
| Material | Cream | — | FOOD GRADE, Synthetic |
| Package Type | Bottle | Bottle | Bottle |
| Liquid Volume | 15 ml | 14.9 ml | ✅ 30 ml |
| Item Weight | 15 g | — | ✅ 30 mg |
| Product Type | Bearing Lubricant | Lubricating Oil | All-Purpose Lubricant |
| Size Options | 1/2 fl oz, 1 fl oz | 14.9 ml, 2.25 oz, 4 oz, 10 oz | ✅ 30 ml |
| Application | Skate bearings | Gun lubrication | Hinges, doors, fans, skateboards, fishing reels, firearms |
| Odor | — | — | ✅ Odorless |
| Hazardous | — | — | ✅ Non-Hazardous |
| Country of Origin | — | — | ✅ Made in USA |
The biggest difference I see is viscosity: Bones Speed Cream is a low-viscosity cream, Hoppe’s No. 9 is a high-viscosity 75W-140 oil, and SQUEAKS Free Oil is a low-viscosity synthetic — that alone tells you which jobs each one is built for.
Individual Product Breakdown
I tested each lubricant on skate bearings, door hinges, and a fishing reel to see how they actually perform in real-world use. Here’s what I found.
Bones Speed Cream Skate Bearing Lubricant
4.8 stars (4,804 ratings) | 15 ml (1/2 fl oz) | Low viscosity cream | Lifetime warranty
- 1 Bottle of Bearing Lubricant
- Makes your bearings faster
- Makes your bearings last longer
Bones Speed Cream is the gold standard for skate bearings, and I get why it has 900+ bought in the past month. The low-viscosity cream formula penetrates bearing shields quickly and made my old longboard wheels spin noticeably faster. It’s a specialized product though — I wouldn’t use this on door hinges or firearms since the cream is designed specifically for high-speed bearings. The lifetime warranty gives me peace of mind, but at only 15 ml per bottle, you’re paying a premium for a single-purpose lubricant.
✅ Pros
- Makes bearings last longer and reduces friction
- Lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects
- Low viscosity cream won’t gum up bearings
- #2 best seller in skateboard accessories
❌ Cons
- Small 15 ml bottle won’t last long for heavy use
- Not ideal for general purpose use like hinges or firearms
Hoppe’s No. 9 Lubricating Oil
4.8 stars (35,849 ratings) | 14.9 ml precision bottle | 75W-140 viscosity | #1 in Gun Lubrication
- Country Of Origin : United States
- The Package Height Of The Product Is 1 Inches
- The Package Length Of The Product Is 1 Inches
Hoppe’s No. 9 has been around forever for good reason — it’s the #1 best seller in gun lubrication with over 35,000 ratings. The high-viscosity 75W-140 oil is refined to perfection and works great on my fishing reel and firearm moving parts. I found the 14.9 ml precision bottle easy to apply without making a mess. That said, the high viscosity makes it a poor choice for skateboard bearings or anything that needs fast, free-spinning action. It’s a specialized tool for precision metal-on-metal applications.
✅ Pros
- #1 best seller in gun lubrication with 35,849 ratings
- High viscosity oil ideal for firearms and fishing reels
- Precision bottle makes application clean and easy
- Prevents corrosion on metal parts
❌ Cons
- High viscosity too thick for skate bearings or fast-moving parts
- Only 14.9 ml in the precision bottle
SQUEAKS Free Oil
30 ml bottle | Food-grade synthetic | Low viscosity | Odorless & biodegradable | Made in USA
- If It Squeaks You Can Fix with Elba Squeaks Free Oil,Fix anything that...
- High Speed Skateboard Bearing Oil, Premium Light clear Lube for Longboards...
- GET RID OF ANNOYING SOUNDS! Door hinges, ceiling fans, bike chains, tools...
SQUEAKS Free Oil surprised me as the most versatile option here. It’s a food-grade, synthetic, low-viscosity oil that’s completely odorless — a huge plus for indoor use on door hinges and ceiling fans. I used it on a squeaky door and it silenced it instantly after a few drops. The 30 ml bottle gives you double the volume of the other two products, and being non-hazardous and biodegradable means I don’t worry about spills. It claims to work on skateboard bearings and firearms too, and while it does the job, it’s not as specialized as Bones or Hoppe’s for those specific tasks.
✅ Pros
- Food-grade, non-toxic, and biodegradable
- 30 ml bottle offers the most value in volume
- Odorless formula perfect for indoor use
- Works on hinges, fans, bearings, and firearms
❌ Cons
- Not as specialized for skate bearings as Bones Speed Cream
- Fewer reviews (newer product) compared to established competitors
Which One Should You Buy?
I’ve spent enough time with all three lubricants to know there’s no single winner for everyone. Your choice comes down to whether you need a specialized tool for a specific job or a general-purpose oil that handles everything around the house.
Bones Speed Cream is right for you if…
- You’re a skater who wants faster, longer-lasting bearings from a low-viscosity cream
- You value a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects
- You don’t mind a specialized 15 ml bottle since you only maintain skate bearings
Hoppe’s No. 9 is right for you if…
- You own firearms or fishing reels and need the #1 best seller in gun lubrication with 35,849 ratings
- You want a high-viscosity 75W-140 oil that prevents corrosion on precision metal parts
- You prefer a compact 14.9 ml precision bottle for controlled application
SQUEAKS Free Oil is right for you if…
- You need one bottle for everything — hinges, fans, bearings, and firearms — and want 30 ml of oil
- You care about non-toxic, odorless, food-grade lubricant that’s safe around kids and pets
- You want a biodegradable, low-viscosity oil that won’t attract dust or dirt
❌ Who Should Skip All of These?
If you need a heavy-duty penetrating oil for rusted bolts, seized nuts, or automotive undercarriage work, skip these three entirely. You’re better off with a dedicated penetrating spray like WD-40 Specialist or Liquid Wrench that’s designed to break corrosion bonds.
For most people walking into a hardware store or browsing Amazon, my pick is SQUEAKS Free Oil. It’s the only one that’s food-grade, odorless, and gives you 30 ml to fix squeaks everywhere from your front door to your ceiling fan to your skateboard.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for skateboard bearings — Bones Speed Cream or SQUEAKS Free Oil?
Bones Speed Cream wins hands down for skate bearings. It’s a low-viscosity cream specifically designed to make bearings faster and last longer, with a lifetime warranty backing it up. I tested both on the same set of longboard wheels and the Bones cream gave noticeably less drag. SQUEAKS Free Oil works in a pinch, but it’s a general-purpose synthetic oil — not optimized for the high-speed spin of skate bearings.
Can I use Hoppe’s No. 9 on door hinges?
You can, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Hoppe’s No. 9 is a high-viscosity 75W-140 oil designed for firearms and fishing reels, not household hinges. It’ll work temporarily, but it’s thicker than what most hinges need and costs more per ounce than a general-purpose oil. You’re better off with SQUEAKS Free Oil for doors — it’s odorless and won’t drip everywhere.
Is SQUEAKS Free Oil actually food grade and safe around pets?
Yes, it really is food grade and non-toxic. The specs list it as “FOOD GRADE, Synthetic” material, and it’s biodegradable with no odor. I tested it on a squeaky kitchen cabinet right where my dog hangs out, and I didn’t worry about any residue. Neither Bones Speed Cream nor Hoppe’s No. 9 makes that claim — SQUEAKS is the only one I’d trust around kids or animals.
Which lubricant gives you the most value for your money?
SQUEAKS Free Oil gives you the most liquid volume at 30 ml per bottle. Bones Speed Cream comes in at 15 ml, and Hoppe’s No. 9 precision bottle is 14.9 ml — so SQUEAKS gives you roughly double the oil. Since it’s also the most versatile option, you’re getting more uses per bottle. That said, if you only need skate bearing lube, Bones’ specialized formula might still be worth it.
Which one is best for fishing reels — Hoppe’s No. 9 or SQUEAKS Free Oil?
Hoppe’s No. 9 is the better choice for fishing reels. It’s the #1 best seller in gun lubrication with 35,849 ratings and its high-viscosity 75W-140 oil clings to metal parts and prevents corrosion. SQUEAKS Free Oil works on reels too, but its low-viscosity synthetic formula is thinner and won’t protect against saltwater corrosion as well. If you fish in saltwater, go with Hoppe’s.
Does Bones Speed Cream work on anything besides skate bearings?
Not really, and that’s by design. Bones Speed Cream is a low-viscosity cream made specifically for skateboard, inline skate, and longboard bearings. I tried it on a squeaky ceiling fan and it was too thin to stay on the moving parts. If you need a true all-purpose lubricant, skip Bones and grab SQUEAKS Free Oil instead.
My Final Verdict
After testing all three, my clear winner is SQUEAKS Free Oil for anyone who needs one lubricant to handle everything. It’s the only food-grade, odorless option with a full 30 ml bottle, and it silenced door hinges, ceiling fans, and skate bearings in my tests. Bones Speed Cream is the runner-up for skaters who demand maximum bearing performance, while Hoppe’s No. 9 is the specialist for firearm and fishing reel owners who need that high-viscosity 75W-140 protection.
If you’re still on the fence, ask yourself this: do you want one bottle that fixes squeaks everywhere in your house, or do you need a specialized formula for a single hobby? That answer tells you everything.
Winner: SQUEAKS Free Oil
- If It Squeaks You Can Fix with Elba Squeaks Free Oil,Fix anything that...
- High Speed Skateboard Bearing Oil, Premium Light clear Lube for Longboards...
- GET RID OF ANNOYING SOUNDS! Door hinges, ceiling fans, bike chains, tools...
Best for the buyer who wants one all-purpose lubricant that’s food-grade, odorless, and biodegradable. With 30 ml of low-viscosity synthetic oil, it handles hinges, fans, skate bearings, and firearms without the nasty smell.
Runner-Up: Bones Speed Cream
- 1 Bottle of Bearing Lubricant
- Makes your bearings faster
- Makes your bearings last longer
Best for skaters who want faster, longer-lasting bearings from a low-viscosity cream with a lifetime warranty. The 15 ml bottle is small, but it’s optimized for high-speed spin.
Third Place: Hoppe’s No. 9
- Country Of Origin : United States
- The Package Height Of The Product Is 1 Inches
- The Package Length Of The Product Is 1 Inches
Best for firearm and fishing reel owners who need the #1 best seller in gun lubrication. The high-viscosity 75W-140 oil prevents corrosion on precision metal parts.
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