STEP BY STEP NAPTHA BATH

[belfastboy]

I actually went back and looked at my previous posts and I see that I did use 3 gallons at least once. I recall buying 4 gallons because I saw a less expensive brand (Crown) at the store so I bought the last 4 gallons on the shelf. The Coleman fuel was quite a bit more expensive. But I recall using 3 gallons.

Filtering the gas back into the cans is the biggest pain in the entire process IMO.

Up here Coleman is $20 a gallon.

 

[Timeras1]

Love the Auburn avatar Tukwila!!

Belfastboy, I didn't go for name-brand Coleman fuel, but went with the more generic white gas.

 

[Tukwila]

Love the Auburn avatar Tukwila!!

I've always loved that car!

 

[belfastboy]

Love the Auburn avatar Tukwila!!

Belfastboy, I didn't go for name-brand Coleman fuel, but went with the more generic white gas.

Colman is the only choice up here and I trust its purity. The off brands can have more crap in them than the straight white gas of Colman

 

[Tukwila]

The Crown gas from Canada is excellent quality. I have used it to clean hats and to run my Coleman camp stoves.

 

[Timeras1]

The Crown gas from Canada is excellent quality. I have used it to clean hats and to run my Coleman camp stoves.

Yep, the Crown gas is what I got from Walmart... 3 hats down, at least two more tomorrow...

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I also use Crown. Haven’t had a problem yet...at least not a solvent related problem.

 

[belfastboy]

The Crown gas from Canada is excellent quality. I have used it to clean hats and to run my Coleman camp stoves.

I will seek it out....have not seen it on the shelf...thanks.

 

[Tukwila]

I haven't bought any in awhile, but last time I picked up the Crown camp fuel it was $7-something and the Coleman was $12-something.

 

[belfastboy]

I haven't bought any in awhile, but last time I picked up the Crown camp fuel it was $7-something and the Coleman was $12-something.

The Coleman is $20 Canadian plus 12%tax. Cannot find the Crown anywhere. Amazon lists it but no stock/....same as a year ago. Walmart the same

 

[Tukwila]

The Coleman is $20 Canadian plus 12%tax. Cannot find the Crown anywhere. Amazon lists it but no stock/....same as a year ago. Walmart the same

People may be hoarding camp fuel as well. Who knows... I think I got mine at WalMart the last time.

 

[DaveProc]

For your reading pleasure
The American Hatter July 1916
Cleaning Soft Hats, The Gasoline Bath for All Soiled Hats

"In working with gasoline there are several precautions you must bear in mind, ignorance or neglect of which has brought many a man into trouble.."

 

[belfastboy]

For your reading pleasure
The American Hatter July 1916
Cleaning Soft Hats, The Gasoline Bath for All Soiled Hats

"In working with gasoline there are several precautions you must bear in mind, ignorance or neglect of which has brought many a man into trouble.."
View attachment 348120 View attachment 348121 View attachment 348122 View attachment 348123

I like the part at the very end concerning "no smokers shall be permitted....."

 

[Tukwila]

The part about warming the gas makes me nervous. No way.

 

[belfastboy]

The part about warming the gas makes me nervous. No way.

Yes, I read that and a shiver went up my spine. Whenever I do a naptha bath for a hat it is on the driveway, outside, regardless the weather.

 

[Tukwila]

...and not using rubber gloves, and getting burned by the gas. Oh, no worries, just rub some lotion on your hands.

 

[belfastboy]

...and not using rubber gloves, and getting burned by the gas. Oh, no worries, just rub some lotion on your hands.

I am thinking they did not have suitable gloves back than??? I use chemical handling grade rubber gloves up to my elbows. They last a long time and cost under $20.

 

[Tukwila]

I was just using heavy duty rubber gloves. I need a new pair as these are starting to crack in places. I think they lasted 3 or 4 years... time to get some chemical grade gloves like you have.

 

[Peter_E]

This thread is a bit old now, but here’s my recent experience. I’ve read about cleaning hats using naptha, and I have also read that Coleman’s camp fuel is just naptha and is an acceptable substitute. Well, I just tried some on an old hat (because I had a gallon of Coleman’s fuel). It cleaned the hat, but days later the hat still reeks of the stuff. So, I went to Ace hardware and got a gallon of VM&P Naptha (for $18.99) and used it on another hat. A coupke of hours after I took the hat out of the naptha it was dry and smelled of nothing. So, based on my experience, if you do not want to smell like an oil refinery for the foreseeable future, DO NOT USE WHITE GAS CAMP FUEL. Get naptha (unless you’re in California, in which case you can’t).

 

[BobHufford]

This thread is a bit old now, but here’s my recent experience. I’ve read about cleaning hats using naptha, and I have also read that Coleman’s camp fuel is just naptha and is an acceptable substitute. Well, I just tried some on an old hat (because I had a gallon of Coleman’s fuel). It cleaned the hat, but days later the hat still reeks of the stuff. So, I went to Ace hardware and got a gallon of VM&P Naptha (for $18.99) and used it on another hat. A coupke of hours after I took the hat out of the naptha it was dry and smelled of nothing. So, based on my experience, if you do not want to smell like an oil refinery for the foreseeable future, DO NOT USE WHITE GAS CAMP FUEL. Get naptha (unless you’re in California, in which case you can’t).

I'll have to give this a try. I've used Crown brand camp fuel from Wal-Mart (@ $7.64 / gal.) and have had any odors related to the solvent dissipate in a short time (with a couple of exceptions that took much longer for reasons I can't explain). I've heard the Coleman fuel has other additives that might cause the issue you experienced, but if straight naphtha is available from Ace I might splurge. It could be worth it.