I have been using my hand, but the cloth is a great idea! And I too try to leave the valves in just a little bit when I oil.
I can report some success with the techniques you all described for screwing that third valve cap! Yesterday, I threaded it correctly on the first try! I don't think it will always happen like that, but I'm happy for the progress.
Wessex Dolce
"Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things -- trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones." - Puddleglum in "The Silver Chair"