I think it is problematic to think of anything as a "general" lube. Different applications require different lube properties. It seems, silicone lubes have received almost universal acceptance in air guns, yet it is the very last thing that should be used in certain applications; i.e., when metal-on-metal parts are subject to high pressure or heat. A good synthetic, non-silicone lube may be the most generally useful, such as Mobil 1 oil or grease, depending on the application.