Graphite smudges are a real pain, especially on fresh paint. Silicone worked pretty well for me too, but I'll definitely check out PTFE next time—sounds promising. Thanks for sharing your experience, makes me feel better knowing I'm not alone in this battle...
Graphite's messy for sure, but silicone can get gummy over time too. Curious if anyone's had issues with PTFE in colder climates? I've seen some lubes stiffen up badly when temps drop...
I tried PTFE spray on my locks last winter, thinking it was the perfect solution—no mess, no stickiness. Worked great until we hit a cold snap around January. Temps dropped below zero and suddenly my key felt like it was turning in molasses. Had to wiggle and jiggle it for ages before it finally opened. Switched back to graphite after that, messy fingers be damned... at least I could get inside without freezing my butt off.
Totally feel your pain on that one. I went down the PTFE rabbit hole myself—thought I'd cracked the code to winter lock drama. Nope, first deep freeze and I was out there doing the key jiggle dance too, neighbors probably thought I'd lost it. Graphite's messy, sure, but at least it doesn't turn your lock into a frozen syrup dispenser. Plus, a little graphite smudge on your fingers beats paying a locksmith at midnight in January... ask me how I know.
Graphite works, yeah, but I've actually had good luck with silicone spray myself. It's cleaner than graphite and doesn't gum up like PTFE in the cold. Just make sure you wipe off any excess around the lock after applying or you'll get a slippery mess on your door handle... learned that the hard way. Might be worth a shot next freeze.
