I put a very thin layer of shin-etsu silicone grease on the JLF octo gate, right where the actuator hits the gate. This makes riding the gate smoother. Is this a crazy idea that I am going to regret?
Possibly.
The goal in general is to NOT ride the gate, but unfortunately, octo-gates sort of encourage that.
That being said, the more you ride the gate, the more the actuator grinds on the gate. This usually causes plastic dust to form. In most cases (at least, from my experience), this dust falls and settles into the bottom of the case directly below the joystick lever. I’d be worried that this powder would now stick and accumulate on the grease, and you’d essentially be constantly grinding more and more of this dust into your actuator and gate, which will in turn wear them out faster.
At least, that’s my thought process.
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Where does the dust come from? The actuator or the gate? I am using the red 0.5mm oversized aluminum actuator from Paradise Arcade Shop.
I actually greased the gate for an LS33, or maybe it’s called LS15? You know, the one with the yellow base, no pivot, all shaft…it needs it bad as it rides the gate real hard no matter how much you try not to ride it without missing an input, the lack of pivot makes for a difficult transition at less you go to the direction all the way. It makes for a smoother application but it’s far from ideal.
IMHO I don’t see a need to lube an octo gate but to each their own.
I think it’s mostly from the actuator; my experience was only with (mostly) stock JLFs, and I haven’t used a JLF as a main lever in well over 6 years now.
You might be ok with your aluminum actuator? Or maybe it will grind down the gate part? I dunno at this point. 
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That exactly what happens.
Should never grease the gate. Only parts that should get grease is moving parts or metal you don’t want to get oxidized.
Gate, actuator, any other rubbing parts.
So for you, you just be grinding that gate.
Keep in mind the JLF gate is hard acrylic, it still going to make dust and the dust will act like grit wearing everything out faster. You perhaps start to wear away at the anodization on the aluminum actuator eventually.
I can see no harmness by doing it.