The graphite is a dry lubricant, therefore it is low friction and low maintenance.
This requires a hard, dry lubricant, as anything soft or sticky will rub off or pick up dirt that comes in contact.
Sandpaper may be "stearated" where a dry lubricant is loaded to the abrasive.
Graphite powder is used as a dry lubricant.
It also acts as a dry lubricant to prevent a built up edge on the cutting tool.
MoS with particle sizes in the range of 1-100 m is a common dry lubricant.
Be sure to use a dry lubricant - oils tend to attract dust, which will eventually cause the lock to seize.
You can silence many staircase noises merely by applying powdered graphite or some other dry lubricant to reduce the friction.
The weapon is coated with a rust-resistant coating which doubles as a dry lubricant.