Werner Paddle Ferrules Sticking

The locking v-spring-like thingy that locks the ferrule is acting-up and before I start messing around with a graphite handle, I thought I should ask for help or advice.

The locking spring is sticking.  It stays in the unlocked position unless I fiddle with it using a stick to pop it into position.  Once I put the paddle together and lock the two sections, it's a PITA to push it down to unlock and separate the two sections for transport.  It didn't do this when new - it's a year old - and as far as I can tell with my naked eyes, the button is in the right position, centered in the hole.  It's just not willing to move freely.

Has anyone had this happen, or is it just happening to poor, pitiful me?  If it's happened to anyone else, what did you do?  And heck, even if you've never heard of such a thing, what do you think I might I do to get it to behave again?  Short of tossing the paddle in the fireplace, I mean.

Have you tried to lube the "pin" with dielectric grease?

Clean with compressed air, grease, and it should be serviceable again. Hit it with compressed air every couple months.

Have you tried to lube the "pin" with dielectric grease?

Nope, hadn't even thought about grease, but may I ask, why dielectric grease?

Clean with compressed air, grease, and it should be serviceable again. Hit it with compressed air every couple months.

Are you suggesting dielectric grease too?  I can do this, but I'd never have thought I had to maintain my paddles, too.  What a world, what a world...

Thank you both.  I'll scurry out to the garage and get it fixed.

Silicon spray, graphite, or WD-40.

I concur with the compressed air, and a dab of dielectric grease.  Be sure to apply the grease and then wipe if mostly off.  Don't try to scrub it, just let it leave a light film. 

Dielectric grease is great, as it does not migrate like petroleum grease does, or attract dirt/sand when wiped on in very thin applications.

For applications where a light film of silicone lubricant (aka dielectric grease) is desired, try spray-on silicone spray (you can find it at an auto parts store). I've had really good luck with it and it leaves a very thin coat if applied sparingly. Also works great on rubber hatch seals and rudder lines.

EDIT: I should mention you want the "dry" type of spray. It dries completely in a few seconds and leaves behind a thin layer of silicone lubricant.

I wouldn't use any kind of grease on a breakdown paddle, because sand can stick in it, which could make it difficult to get the halves of your paddle apart.  If I wanted to lubricate the joint of a breakdown paddle or its pin, I'd use a dry lubricant like silicone spray.

I had a breakdown whitewater kayak paddle which had a tight-fitting joint.  When I paddled in muddy water, fine silt would get into the joint and freeze it up, which turned my breakdown paddle into a one-piece paddle.  In order to separate the halves of the paddle, I had to drill a hole the diameter of the paddle shaft in each of two blocks of wood, saw the blocks in half through the middle of the holes, clamp a split block on one side of the paddle in a bench vise, clamp the other split block to the other half of the paddle with a C clamp, and then hammer the two halves apart.  After doing this several times, I sanded down the outside of the male portion of the joint between the two halves of the paddle, which made the joint looser and eliminated the problem.

Dielectric grease is great, as it does not migrate like petroleum grease does, or attract dirt/sand when wiped on in very thin applications.

Okay!  Now I understand why dielectric grease.  Thank you very much.

For applications where a light film of silicone lubricant (aka dielectric grease) is desired, try spray-on silicone spray (you can find it at an auto parts store). I've had really good luck with it and it leaves a very thin coat if applied sparingly. Also works great on rubber hatch seals and rudder lines.

EDIT: I should mention you want the "dry" type of spray. It dries completely in a few seconds and leaves behind a thin layer of silicone lubricant.

I wouldn't use any kind of grease on a breakdown paddle, because sand can stick in it, which could make it difficult to get the halves of your paddle apart.  If I wanted to lubricate the joint of a breakdown paddle or its pin, I'd use a dry lubricant like silicone spray.

Thank you, Cap'n.  I have spray silicone lubricant out in the garage that I use for hatch gaskets and weather stripping on the cars.  With luck, it's the "dry" spray.

And thank you, pete.  I have dialectic grease and (maybe) the right silicone spray.  One of them will do the trick without causing a different problem, and I'll give the spray lubricant the first shot at freeing my ferrule.  You must have really liked that paddle because somewhere along the way I'd probably have been aggravated enough (and lazy enough) to leave it laying next to the river and make it somebody else's problem.