Olive Oil

[oldranger]

Ok gang

Im trying the olive oil trick for cleaning crud off coins.
Right now 20 are soaking in an old coffe can with the
oil covering the coins.

Sound right or am I missing something? And how long
do they normally soak. id hate to have coins with acne from too much oil!!!

As usual thanks for teh info
Ron
Rangers Lead The Way

 

[dahut]

Ok gang

Im trying the olive oil trick for cleaning crud off coins.
Right now 20 are soaking in an old coffe can with the
oil covering the coins.

Sound right or am I missing something? And how long
do they normally soak. id hate to have coins with acne from too much oil!!!

As usual thanks for teh info
Ron
Rangers Lead The Way

A really long time. Be Ye In No Hurry....

 

[marcomo]

Yep, a lonnnnng time. And it will darken your coppers.

 

[dahut]

You may wish to look into electrolysis. It works pretty good, from my experience, and its a lot faster. It's also cheap.

At least one person I know of uses an inexpensive ultrasonic cleaning tank. Then he soaks the coppers in a baking soda paste.

 

[John-Edmonton]

I have heard for years how olive oil is supposed to work well. I haven't had any luck. I just put my copper coins in hydrogen peroxide for 24 hours and they come clean. Silver goes into my ultrasonic cleaner.

 

[John-Edmonton]

Use lots of caution with electrolysis. You will dissolve the coin if the electric current is too strong, or left on too long. The gas produced is toxic, so do it outside. I only use it on rings or coins that are already in very poor shape.

 

[Uncle Willy]

Doesn't John from Virginia heat his peroxide in the microwave first?

Bill

 

[dahut]

Use lots of caution with electrolysis. You will dissolve the coin if the electric current is too strong, or left on too long. The gas produced is toxic, so do it outside. I only use it on rings or coins that are already in very poor shape.

All true. BUT, it is so much fun, in a weird, "mad scientist" sort of way that you just gotta give it a go.

 

[oldranger]

Thanks guys for all the advise.. as usual VERY diverse opinons
I never heardf the peroxide. Ill try that too.

Will it get the crud off or just shine them up. Anyway tyhanks for the info
Happy Hunting
Ron

 

[cwilk]

I've not had too much luck with olive oil either. I just leave mine alone now except for warm water, soap, and a soft toothbrush.

Chris

 

[John-Edmonton]

n/t

 

[KRT (Ont)]

I had some large cents soaking ih olive oil and set them in a cubby hole and forgot about them for over ten years, they turned out not too bad still had a bit of crud on them HH Ken

 

[marcomo]

I've had good luck with coppers using the boiling hydrogen peroxide method.

It usually cleans them up nice but takes away lustre or shine. To get that back I give them a good soaking in boiled linseed oil and then pat them dry with paper towels or an old rag I don't care about and can throw away afterwards. Boiled linseed oil has a distinctive smell that isn't bad but you don't want it on your clothes. I found out the hard way if you throw the old linseed oil rags in the washer, the smell will stick around (and on your clothes) for more than one washing cycle. The one who must be obeyed was not happy!

I made a homemade electrolysis machine with an AC adapter and alligator clips using the common instructions you can find on the internet.

Electrolysis seems to work best for me with iron and silver, although silver is the most likely to come out of the ground just needing a little dishwashing detergent and water and maybe a soft toothbrush.

Common date wheats hit the tumbler followed by a boiled linseed oil soak.

If you get an ultrasonic cleaner, get one that has enough power. I bought a $20 Harbor Freight cheapie and it takes a lot of cycles to do any cleaning, and even then it's not much.

The boiled linseed oil soak was my own idea, but everything else I've learned from the good people who have shared on this and other forums.

As David says, this hobby brings out the mad scientist in me and it is kind of fun...

 

[oldranger]

once again tks for all the info. you are
correct sir there are MANY good ppl on
here willing to share experince with newbies like me

Happy and safe hunting

Ron
Rangers Lead The Way