Cutting fluid is the coolant and lubricant used in machining — turning, milling, drilling, tapping, grinding and broaching — where it cools the cutting zone, lubricates the tool-workpiece interface, flushes swarf away and protects the machine and part from corrosion. Harlow Lubricants Supplies is an authorised distributor for Castrol, TotalEnergies, Quaker Houghton and Molykote, with 35 years in lubricant supply, and we stock soluble, semi-synthetic, synthetic and neat cutting oils in 20 L, 205/208 L drums, 1,000 L IBCs and bulk for UK delivery and export to Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa.
Need a quote or a data sheet? Tell us the material you are cutting, the operation and the machine, and we reply with stock and lead time.
Every drum is genuine, manufacturer-sealed stock supplied with its technical and safety data sheets. Quotes go out the same working day with stock position and lead time against them.
What types of cutting fluid are there?
Metalworking fluids divide into two families: water-miscible fluids, which are supplied as a concentrate and mixed with water on site, and neat cutting oils, which are used undiluted.
- Soluble (emulsifiable) oils — mineral oil emulsified in water, giving a milky mix. Good lubricity, the traditional general-purpose choice.
- Semi-synthetic — lower oil content, translucent mix. A balance between the lubricity of a soluble and the cooling and cleanliness of a synthetic.
- Synthetic — oil-free, clear mix. Excellent cooling and swarf settling, long sump life, ideal for grinding.
- Neat cutting oil — undiluted, for heavy-duty operations where lubricity matters more than cooling: broaching, gear cutting, deep-hole drilling, tapping.
Which cutting fluids do you stock?
- Castrol Hysol (XF, XH, T15, EPS, ABF 12, G100, Hysol 40) — soluble and semi-synthetic, 20 L to 1,000 L and bulk.
- Castrol Syntilo (22, 81BF, 9913, 9954, 2000) — synthetic, 20 L to 208 L.
- Castrol Variocut (C486, G600 HC, G650 HC, G683 HC) — neat cutting oils, 1,000 L and bulk.
- Quaker Houghton Hocut 768 and 3350 — 20 L and 205 L.
- TotalEnergies Spirit MS5000 and WBF 5400 / 7200, and Scilia MS7046 neat cutting oil.
- Aztec Cutting and Tapping Spray and Molykote S-1013 aerosols for hand operations.
What concentration should I run?
Follow the product data sheet, and measure rather than estimate. A refractometer reading takes seconds and is the only reliable way to know where the sump actually is — concentration drifts as water evaporates and as fluid is carried off on swarf and parts.
Running weak causes rust, poor tool life and bacterial growth. Running rich wastes concentrate, increases residue and can cause skin irritation for operators. Always add concentrate to water rather than water to concentrate when mixing an emulsion.
Why does cutting fluid go off, and what can I do about it?
A water-based sump is a warm, aerated, nutrient-rich environment, so bacterial and fungal growth is the normal failure mode — usually announced by a bad smell on a Monday morning after the machine has stood over the weekend.
The controllables are concentration, tramp oil removal, aeration and housekeeping. Skimming tramp oil matters most: it blankets the sump, starves it of oxygen and feeds anaerobic bacteria. Keeping concentration at the recommended level and running the pump periodically over shutdowns does most of the rest.
Which fluid suits which material?
Aluminium and its alloys need a fluid formulated to avoid staining. Ferrous machining is more forgiving but needs corrosion protection. Yellow metals need a fluid without aggressive EP chemistry. Grinding favours synthetics for cooling and swarf settling; heavy broaching and gear cutting favour neat oils.
Tell us the material, the operation and whether the machine is a single sump or a central system, and we will narrow the range rather than selling you the first thing on the shelf.
What pack sizes can I buy?
20 L and 205/208 L for most workshops, 1,000 L IBCs and bulk for central systems and high-throughput shops. Prices are quoted per enquiry, the same working day; orders over €10,000 receive a 10% discount and we price-match like-for-like genuine product. UK deliveries normally arrive within 2–5 business days.
Related ranges: slideway oil for the machine’s own slides, plus hydraulic oil and industrial gear oil.