Ether goes anhydrous real easy and explodes. The benzine of yore is the
complete benzine ring. Naphtha is not the complete ring and lacks all
of the solvent properties of the old style benzine. It's also slightly
less likely to rot your brain.
Bruce Mercer wrote:
Thanks Rich,
I wondered about benzine (naptha) as it was widely used for many years
as a solvent. It evaporates quickly as well. My guess is that benzine
was used. Ether was even more flammable than benzine or alcohol... or
they problably would have been passed out sleeping on the job.
Bruce
----- Original Message ----- From: "Rich" <rich-m...@octoxol.com>
To: "Antique Phonograph List" <phono-l@oldcrank.org>
Sent: Tuesday, October 27, 2009 11:45 AM
Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Waxing DD
In the Blue Amberol book there is a description of the manufacturing
process. The last rinse leaves a slight lubricant on the cylinder.
It will be all gone by now even if the cylinder being examined is NOS.
Stearin is soluable in ether and benzene. Benzine was very popular in
years gone by as the solvent of choice for many things.
Bruce Mercer wrote:
DD were "waxed" starting in about 1920 with stearin. Stearin is a
triglyceride and is found in heavy fats, animal and plant, palm oil
being one. It is insoluable in water and somewhat soluable in
alcohol. It's basically a hardener. I'm guessing it was mixed with
alcohol for the DD. Obviously this wouldn't have been done with BA. I
have my doubts as to anyone 'seeing' it on a cylinder, if indeed it
was ever used on a cylinder. I've opened unopened boxes of DD from
the factory and you can tell nothing visually different from a mint
copy that's been played and taken care of in a machine. (The use of
stearin is discussed in Ron Dethlefson's book, Edison Diamond Discs
Re-Creations Record & Artists 1910-1929. DIAMON DISC RECORD
PRODUCTION. PAGE 151.
The only proper thing to clean DD is denatured alcohol as it has
almost no water content. As for a light coating after that type of
cleaning, I have experimented with different brands. It has a small
effect on worn records, taking a very little of the hiss away and
hiding grey grooves for the unscrupulous that may want to put
lipstick on a pig and put it on ebay. It would be interesting to know
the exact procedure used in using stearin, as it was used for a wear
retardant.
My .02
Bruce M.
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