Spartan Felt manufactures custom felt wick and wool felt wicking material engineered for controlled fluid transfer. Whether you need an oil wick felt for machinery lubrication, a capillary felt for continuous fluid delivery, or a custom wick material built to your density and hardness specification, our proprietary substrates and resin formulations let us match the wicking rate to your application. Our grinders and fabrication equipment hold tight tolerances on every custom felt wick we produce.
How felt wicking works
Felt is a natural capillary material — the interlocking fiber structure pulls fluid through the material at a predictable, consistent rate, which is why felt wicking has been the standard choice for lubrication and fluid transfer for over a century. As a wick media, felt can absorb, store, and release water, oil, solvent, or adhesive-based fluids in a controlled way, functioning simultaneously as a felt reservoir and a delivery system.
Wool felt wick vs. synthetic felt wick
- Wool felt wick — highest natural capillary action, ideal for oil lubrication wicks, lamp and diffuser wicks, and applications needing fast absorption and release
- Synthetic felt wick — engineered fiber blends for chemical resistance, higher temperature tolerance, or cost efficiency in high-volume manufacturing
- Density and hardness — wicking speed depends on density. Softer, low-density felt wicks absorb and release fluid quickly; harder, high-density grades absorb more slowly and retain fluid longer. We produce industrial felt wick across this full density range to match your transfer rate requirement.
Industrial felt wick applications
- Oil lubrication wicks for bearings, shafts, and moving machinery components
- Felt reservoir pads and oil wick felt inserts for sealed lubrication systems
- Fiber nibs and applicators for writing instruments
- Cosmetic applicators compatible with water, solvent, and oil-based fluids (nail polish, nail polish remover, lip gloss, eyeliner)
- Ink roller and stamp pad material, engineered for thickness, hardness, and porosity tolerance
- High-viscosity liquid applicators for cements and adhesives
- Aircraft-quality wicking and felt squares
Custom felt wicks built to your specification
Every fluid transfer application has different requirements for absorption rate, release rate, and total capacity. Spartan Felt’s wick manufacturing process lets us produce custom wick material and custom felt wicks in specific:
- Shapes (strips, pads, squares, die-cut forms)
- Densities and hardness grades
- Thicknesses We will accommodate any requirement — contact us with your fluid type and application details for a recommendation.
Wicking FAQ
What is felt wick used for? Felt wick is used anywhere a fluid needs to move from a reservoir to a surface at a controlled rate — most commonly oil lubrication for machinery, ink and stamp pad applicators, cosmetic applicators, and writing instrument nibs.
Does felt wick oil? Yes. Felt is an excellent oil wick material — it can be fully saturated with oil, retains it, and releases it consistently onto shafts, bearings, and other moving parts as needed.
What’s the difference between wool felt and synthetic felt for wicking? Wool felt wick has naturally superior capillary action and is the traditional choice for lubrication wicks. Synthetic felt wick trades some absorbency for chemical resistance, temperature tolerance, or cost efficiency, depending on the fiber blend.
Can felt wick be custom made to size? Yes. Spartan Felt produces custom wick material and custom felt wicks in specific shapes, densities, and thicknesses to match your fluid transfer rate and application.
What density felt wick do I need? It depends on your fluid and transfer speed requirement. Lower-density felt absorbs and releases fluid faster; higher-density felt absorbs more slowly and retains fluid longer for extended-duration lubrication. Contact us with your application details and we’ll recommend a grade.
