Mineral Oil

[Marcwithac]

The instructions for Mark Hoovers hard rubber deoxidizing formula recommend cleaning afterward with mineral oil and states that mineral oil will not harm, and is in fact good for, the pen. I have used mineral oil to clean salt stains on my black rubber G-shock with excellent results. I am curious whether anyone knows the short and long term effects of mineral oil on black or red hard rubber pens.

[Brianm_14]

One, almost as an aside, I would think any salt stains would be best removed with slightly warm water, with perhaps a bit of vinegar added. A sparing amount of water, with repeated fresh applications, would work.

 

Two, mineral oil is a highly refined petroleum product. Rubber and petroleum products come into contact all the time in autos and most machinery. But I would still like to hear an opinion from an experienced pen restorer before moving ahead.

 

Until a few years ago, waxes were widely used on museum pieces and fountain pens, and by experts in conservation. I think people felt somewhat reassured by the price of these highly refined waxes. We now know that the waxes have accelerated the breakdown of the vety items they were supposed to protect; furthermore, the waxes are often impossible to completely remove. Hence, my note of caution.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Renascence wax was the wax in question. Some fans of it here say it's fine.

 

If you can find some carnauba wax with out petroleum additives is what I'd use....I do wax my pens, and have never had a mar since. I post.

[Brianm_14]

You are correct about which wax I was alluding to, although others are no better.

 

I would only use that particular wax on a metal. I have seen it degrade leather and rubber items over the course of less than two decades. Beeswax would safer, if pure and solvent free. But only on leather, linen, cotton, perhaps rubber.

 

I simply cannot bring myself to wax a pen.

 

Still unsure about mineral oil, a petroleum derivative.

[Marcwithac]

One, almost as an aside, I would think any salt stains would be best removed with slightly warm water, with perhaps a bit of vinegar added. A sparing amount of water, with repeated fresh applications, would work.

I am very reluctant to use water on vintage BHR.

[praxim]

Food grade mineral oil or a light silicone oil have both worked, shown no short to medium term ill effects, for me.

 

 

addendum: ... on hard rubber pens

Edited September 8, 2019 by praxim

[OMASsimo]

Isn't it a question of the material of the object? I would think that different materials decay by different mechanisms and thus need different ways of protection. Leather as an organic material might need a very different protection than metal or hard rubber or celluloid.

[Honeybadgers]

Isn't it a question of the material of the object? I would think that different materials decay by different mechanisms and thus need different ways of protection. Leather as an organic material might need a very different protection than metal or hard rubber or celluloid.

 

 

Kind of, sort of.

 

Most of these materials break down, if not exposed to heat or solvents that actually change their chemical structure, by simple off-gassing of any moisture or volatile compounds. This is usually oils and water and solvents in the case of plastics.

 

I don't know enough to make a judgement call, but an inert oil is very unlikely to harm rubber. Solvents and additives in petroleum oil like 10W30 will make non-vulcanized rubber uptake a LOT and swell, which is what makes them a good gasket, but it's also going to make the rubber vulnerable to abrasion and shock damage. Which is why different kinds of rubber are used in different ways. Vulcanized rubber, which is what ebonite is, is not going to play well with something that has detergents like motor oil. But mineral oil or silicone oil is very unlikely to cause harm.

Edited September 8, 2019 by Honeybadgers

[praxim]

I neglected to include in my post the words "on hard rubber pens" addressing Marcwithac's comment immediately prior. I have edited to suit.