Having tried most of the oils recommended over the last 30-odd years
(including almond, neatsfoot, lavender, etc) I took Colin Ross's advice
after reading about all the trouble he had been through repairing sets when
the oils had hardened (especially when not played on a regular basis) -
including my own set.
I've used mineral oil (liquid paraffin - as sold by a chemist/pharmacy for
use as a laxative) and I have found it excellent with no problems or
ill-effects.
Due to health problems, my pipes often remain in their case for several
months at a time but they haven't had any problems since I started using it
(before this, the keys would be stiff, pads leaking etc and occasionally
have to have lumps of hardened oil removed from various parts.
I'm a convert to it and also don't like the smell of baby oils!
Colin Hill
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Sharp" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "NSP Mailing List" <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 27, 2008 11:16 AM
Subject: [NSP] Re: Correct grade of oi l?
Graham Wright writes:
... I get a bit confused about the right type of oil for the pipes ....
Here we go again. :-)
As I recall from the last time this came up:
Neatsfoot oil works but will cause verdigris on the keywork if the
pipes are allowed to sit unmaintained.
Olive oil works but will build up a residue over time and it will get
quite sticky if the pipes are allowed to sit unmaintained.
Mineral oil (liquid paraffin) works well, leaves no residue, and
doesn't effect the metal ferrules or keywork. There are no apparent
side-effects if you have a serious lapse in the maintenance of your
pipes. It was the recommended oil by the NPS technical director and is
what I'm currently using. Various experimentation occurred with
mixing this and Vaseline (a less-liquid paraffin) to yeild a thicker
mixture. I'm not 100% certain but Johnson's Baby Oil Gel may be the
current recommended product; its a slightly thicker version of liquid
paraffin which doesn't dry out quite as quickly but it comes with a
scent. Personally, I have enough things in my life that smell like
babies, including a real baby. I don't feel the need to make my pipes
smell like a baby too. :-)
--Mike
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