My newest coticule....

...has been soaked in oil.

It's a vintage coticule. Apparently the previous owner was a big fan of honing oil. I thought that coticules were not porous, but it sure is acting like it is. I can't get the damn oil out of it. I've been brushing it like crazy with Ivory liquid, Goo Gone, and every other degreaser I can find. It still has oil in it.

I've even lapped it. It's totally flat now, and there is not very much useful thickness left in the yellow side, so I really don't want to get too jiggy with further lapping.

Anything else I can try??

Pizza, Contact Rob, Send him a PM or go to his site, this is his busy time of year, that's probably why he hasn't been on the forum latey. He may have a suggestion, or even Bart may know. OIL's a bitch, I don't know, other than a strong degreaser.
I'm not sure what effect the degreaser would have on a Coticule if any. If it's Vintage, That oil's probably been rubbed in for years and years. You may never get it all out. What if you just left it in soapy water for a few days, or weeks? Since oil doesn't mix with water, it may come out eventually, you'll see it floating on the top. I would try that, if you haven't yet...
Rich

Howard and others have successfully used oven cleaner. If you do a search in the archives you may find a post by Kees who had an Escher that got oil on it and there is a lot of feedback there. :gl:

Zib and Jimmy... huge thanks gents. I'm going to try the oven cleaner followed by letting it soak for a week or so in some very good citrus-based degreaser I have.

And Zib... yeah, it really looks like this thing has been soaking in oil for over a hundred years.

Here is a post by Howard that might help. He is a stone collector and has gotten many in that condition.

check forum oldschool had oil on escher and he used salt to remove it.Just make sure .i don't want you do something wrong to hone.

I read somehere, possibly one of my blacksmithing books, that to de-oil a stone, you could soak it in a pertolium solvent, like kerosene, and once all the oil had been disolved out, you "baked" the kerosene out of the stone with gentle heat. but that was likley for harsh grit grinding stones and something that fine might not like it.

Man, you guys are great... thanks everyone... there might be hope for that old coticule yet!

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Originally Posted by GadgetGeek

I read somehere, possibly one of my blacksmithing books, that to de-oil a stone, you could soak it in a pertolium solvent, like kerosene, and once all the oil had been disolved out, you "baked" the kerosene out of the stone with gentle heat. but that was likley for harsh grit grinding stones and something that fine might not like it.

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Naphta is an excellent solvent. The most common source would be the Ronsonol lighter fluid. See its composition info here: http://www.cooperbooth.com/datasheets/160606.pdf

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GadgetGeek

I read somehere, possibly one of my blacksmithing books, that to de-oil a stone, you could soak it in a pertolium solvent, like kerosene, and once all the oil had been disolved out, you "baked" the kerosene out of the stone with gentle heat. but that was likley for harsh grit grinding stones and something that fine might not like it.

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I don't have anything new to add and have never had this problem other than on a couple of Carborundums that were so impermeable that I was able to lap the oil off. Anyway, I feel obliged to warn of the potential for danger when adding heat to a kerosene soaked hone. I know this is obvious but a reminder seems in order--don't blow up your hone!

Also, regarding the suggestion of salt to draw out the oil. It seems chemically improbable and I think I remember that it did not work.

Lots of good ideas.

If they don't work, you can try what I do with very smutty stones: soak them overnight in a high-enzyme laundry detergent of the kind used for hand laundering. We (and the Belgians, the Danes and the Norse I think) have good old BioTex for that. You probably haven't, but I'm sure similar products exist over there too.

Dawn dishwashing liquid.

I have no other advice to offer, other than what's already been mentioned.
If nothing works, you could also decide that you don't mind. Add a bit of detergent to your honing water and use the hone as is. Coticules can be used with any kind of fluid. I don't think it'll change one bit to the performance of your hone.

Good luck,
Bart.

Maybe an overnight soak in isopropyl alcohol. Many oils will float on the top of rubbing alcohol. I remember Gramps using it to remove rancid oil from India stones. Agitate the hone every 2 hours or so and use enough alcohol for complete coverage. I have no idea if it would harm a coticule, use at your own risk.

Edit: put a cover over the container or the alcohol will rapidly evaporate.

Come to think of it.
If it's a vintage Coticule, glued to its back, there's a high chance that some of these methods will dissolve the glue, that was often based on beeswax. Be prepared that you might need to re-glue it, after a long soaking period in some of the chemicals that were suggested.

Heat can also affect the glue.

Bart.

I hope we are all smart enough here to realize the dangers of petroliums and heat. I belive that was the reason kerosene was recomended over something lighter like gasoline or naptha. I like the alcohol idea, perhaps mehtyl hydrate would work even better, as it is easier to get in more pure forms than isopropyl

Thanks for that, Bart, it's definitely not a *natural* combo stone, but it is definitely a blue/yellow combo. The yellow layer is so thin that I'm really concerned about it maintaining it's structural integrity should the blue stone come off of it. I might have to just stick to not soaking it, or taking your suggestion and just living with the oil.

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Originally Posted by GadgetGeek

I hope we are all smart enough here to realize the dangers of petroliums and heat.

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I completely agree and I hope so too. Unfortunately I have learned by experience that what I presumed to be common sense was not so common after all. For example, hot things will burn you, liquid nitrogen will freeze you, reaching into a bucket of broken glass will cut you, and if you consistently don't show up for work, I'll fire you.

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Originally Posted by Utopian

I completely agree and I hope so too. Unfortunately I have learned by experience that what I presumed to be common sense was not so common after all.

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When I was in the ironworker's union I have heard a fellow described as,"Couldn't pour pi$$ out of a boot if the instructions were on the heel." :D

Pizza,

I worse comes to worse, and you have to re glue it, PM me, I have some stuff that's great...

Utopian, I hear you on that. It's the main reason I quit 9-5 ing and work freelance. more stress of finding jobs, but I rarely if ever deal with the people who don't get that line about getting fired. Although I still cannot for the life of me figure out why I keep getting mistaken for a responsible person!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by zib

Pizza,

I worse comes to worse, and you have to re glue it, PM me, I have some stuff that's great...

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Thanks, man, it might get to that point. Still working on it. :)