What is this stuff on the pedal screw threads?

[ontodva]

I thought at first it was rust coming out the end of the pedal screw thread onto the crank, but with the pedals off it looks like a kind of thread grease, but bronze in colour. There is so little of it, it's hard to tell by touch if it is grease or not. One pedal I just cleaned and applied regular grease to the thread then screwed it back on. This pedal I thought to ask you about.

 

[si_c]

Probably copper grease, it's used to stop two metals seizing together - a steel pedal axle and a aluminium crank arm for example.

 

[Johnsco]

That's definitely copper grease - As stated in Post #2
It should be there.

 

[raleighnut]

^^^^^^^^ yep

 

[figbat]

Yep, copper grease, often known by the brand Copaslip. It’s an anti-seize grease, having fine copper particles in it that act as a solid lubricant. You can get an aluminium version too - both Al and Cu are soft metals so don’t damage the threads of steel or aluminium alloys. You should be thanking whoever put that on the thread!

 

[vickster]

as above, don’t wipe it off

 

[PapaZita]

As everybody above says, it's anti-seize grease. Regular grease, that you've replaced it with, is probably the next best thing, so no need to worry there. Copper grease is a little better than regular grease. Any grease at all is much, much better than no grease.

 

[ontodva]

Thanks for the info.