Cleaning and oiling CPC's (1 Viewer)

[mintberrycruch]

I am planning on buying a set of CPC and currently have the Rounder sample sets. I just wanted to try multiple different oiling methods to determine which one I like the best. I have seen several people claim that any mineral oil works for the compression method or the warm water dunking method, but which works the best for CPC's?

 

[BearMetal]

Brand new, CPCs don't need any oil except for a very very light edge oiling. The only method to use here is to take a microfiber cloth with just a single drop of mineral oil that you've massaged in, and you just roll 5 at a time until they're edges are covered

 

[72o]

The first thing I did when I opened the CPC boxes was put some oil on them. I love the way CPCs look after you fondle and oil them.
I just grab a barrel (20 chips) and oil the edges while squeezing them together with my thumb and pointer finger. Then, with the remnants of some oil on my hands, I rub each and every chip separately and quickly. Then immediately wipe them dry and lay them out flat to completely dry. Easy and dare I say fun.

 

[JMC9389]

The first thing I did when I opened the CPC boxes was put some oil on them. I love the way CPCs look after you fondle and oil them.
I just grab a barrel (20 chips) and oil the edges while squeezing them together with my thumb and pointer finger. Then, with the remnants of some oil on my hands, I rub each and every chip separately and quickly. Then immediately wipe them dry and lay them out flat to completely dry. Easy and dare I say fun.

View attachment 1022186

What's even more fun is licking the mineral oil off your fingers once you're done! You have to wait a couple of hours for the fun part, but boy howdy!

 

[72o]

What's even more fun is licking the mineral oil off your fingers once you're done! You have to wait a couple of hours for the fun part, but boy howdy!

Sh!t works for real. Double doodie.

 

[mintberrycruch]

The first thing I did when I opened the CPC boxes was put some oil on them. I love the way CPCs look after you fondle and oil them.
I just grab a barrel (20 chips) and oil the edges while squeezing them together with my thumb and pointer finger. Then, with the remnants of some oil on my hands, I rub each and every chip separately and quickly. Then immediately wipe them dry and lay them out flat to completely dry. Easy and dare I say fun.

View attachment 1022186

HAHA thanks for the tips! I will try that

What's even more fun is licking the mineral oil off your fingers once you're done! You have to wait a couple of hours for the fun part, but boy howdy!

I might skip that step

Sh!t works for real. Double doodie.

hahah oof. I may use a rag instead lol

 

[mintberrycruch]

Would this work?

 

[AlbinoDragon]

It would work, but all you need is the stuff you find in the pharmacy that's intended for... digestive relief. Seriously. The stuff you posted is intended for wood cutting boards and probably costs many times what a bottle at Walgreens or CVS would set you back.


For my new CPCs, a quick rinse in the sink to get the worst of the manufacturing dust off and the recommended light wipe of the edges with the tiniest but of oil. After 15000 ASM/CPC chips that had their original oiling and additional doses after deep cleaning (infrequently needed), and oiling a bunch of ChipRoom Paulsons, I'm still on my original bottle. Easily 75000 chips oiled with less than a bottle of oil.

 

[Colquhoun]

It would work, but all you need is the stuff you find in the pharmacy that's intended for... digestive relief. Seriously. The stuff you posted is intended for wood cutting boards and probably costs many times what a bottle at Walgreens or CVS would set you back.

Agreed. In fact, the mineral oil at the drug store is pharmaceutical-grade, which is an even higher level than food-grade.
Food grade is for incidental contact, but pharmaceutical is for ingestion.
It’s cheaper and more refined. Win win

 

[mintberrycruch]

It would work, but all you need is the stuff you find in the pharmacy that's intended for... digestive relief. Seriously. The stuff you posted is intended for wood cutting boards and probably costs many times what a bottle at Walgreens or CVS would set you back.


For my new CPCs, a quick rinse in the sink to get the worst of the manufacturing dust off and the recommended light wipe of the edges with the tiniest but of oil. After 15000 ASM/CPC chips that had their original oiling and additional doses after deep cleaning (infrequently needed), and oiling a bunch of ChipRoom Paulsons, I'm still on my original bottle. Easily 75000 chips oiled with less than a bottle of oil.

Great, thanks for the info! Did you oil your CPCs with a microfiber cloth?

Also, how did you clean them? I believe that I read that someone had an issue with CPCs being submerged in water

Agreed. In fact, the mineral oil at the drug store is pharmaceutical-grade, which is an even higher level than food-grade.
Food grade is for incidental contact, but pharmaceutical is for ingestion.
It’s cheaper and more refined. Win win

Awesome, thanks for the info!

 

[JMC9389]

Great, thanks for the info! Did you oil your CPCs with a microfiber cloth?

Also, how did you clean them? I believe that I read that someone had an issue with CPCs being submerged in water


Awesome, thanks for the info!

No need to clean factory fresh CPC's before oiling with a microfiber cloth. Just get in there and start oiling. Dallop a half a cap full of the mineral oil and that'll cover a 500 or 600 chip set easily. The compression technique from oiling with the microfiber cloth will make all of the factory dust fleck off and leave the surface of the chip clean.

 

[AlbinoDragon]

Great, thanks for the info! Did you oil your CPCs with a microfiber cloth?

Also, how did you clean them? I believe that I read that someone had an issue with CPCs being submerged in water


Awesome, thanks for the info!

Just a quick rinse with the sprayer on the kitchen sink with the chips in a plastic colander. Probably 40 or so at a time then laid out to dry on a beach towel.

I use paper towels to apply the oil. No need for anything fancy. I also have never "compression" oiled as I have never felt the need to try to pack the oil in (it's porous, but can't be that porous). Worst case scenario, an oil touch up for the chips that don't get used that much might be necessary.


I like the rinse as my experience over a half-dozen custom ASM/CPC chips over 15 years is there is enough leftover factory dust on the chips when thy arrive that a surprising amount of color comes off on the towels. It has to be the leftover dust on the chips as I'm not rubbing hard enough to actually be from the chip. Oiling jobs after the initial one don't show this.

Do as you see fit, YMMV as everyone does things a little differently.

 

[Jeevansluck]

This is a great thread. I also enjoyed oiling up brand new CPCs.

I did first wash with water. Rinse off all that dust. Then stage 2 is compression method. I do 20 at a time, 5 is too inefficient. I suppose I’ve got pretty large hands so I do 20. YMMV.

The only peculiar thing I notice about some peoples methods is the bit about “drying” them. There is no “mineral oil” that is gonna dry. Even if you mix with water and do it that way, oil will separate itself from water and only water will dry.

Mineral oil can’t dry. The porous surface of the “composite clay” chip material will absorb what oil it can, and then only excess needs to wiped away.

 

[AlbinoDragon]

This is a great thread. I also enjoyed oiling up brand new CPCs.

I did first wash with water. Rinse off all that dust. Then stage 2 is compression method. I do 20 at a time, 5 is too inefficient. I suppose I’ve got pretty large hands so I do 20. YMMV.

The only peculiar thing I notice about some peoples methods is the bit about “drying” them. There is no “mineral oil” that is gonna dry. Even if you mix with water and do it that way, oil will separate itself from water and only water will dry.

Mineral oil can’t dry. The porous surface of the “composite clay” chip material will absorb what oil it can, and then only excess needs to wiped away.

I agree that oil can't dry, but that doesn't explain why chips that I have that haven't been used for quite a while do appear to "dry out" and look more like when they came from the factory.

I don't understand the chemistry, but it is an effect that I have observed.

 

[Jeevansluck]

I agree that oil can't dry, but that doesn't explain why chips that I have that haven't been used for quite a while do appear to "dry out" and look more like when they came from the factory.

I don't understand the chemistry, but it is an effect that I have observed.

I’d be leaning towards the chip pores slowly absorbing the oil as opposed to evaporation.

This all said, I suppose I could be wrong on some level. Perhaps I am missing a factor.

I too have observed (specifically black base and green base) chips “drying” after much time on the shelf. I always figured the chips were “thirsty”.

 

[TKEUofM]

Just grab a stack of 20 from a rack and wipe the edges. The faces don’t seem to have much dust on them.

 

[Ben8257]

I’d be leaning towards the chip pores slowly absorbing the oil as opposed to evaporation.

This all said, I suppose I could be wrong on some level. Perhaps I am missing a factor.

I too have observed (specifically black base and green base) chips “drying” after much time on the shelf. I always figured the chips were “thirsty”.

We all go round and round on this one because.... oil "can't" evaporate! But yet we all store our oiling rags in a sealed container why? Because they dry out if you leave them to outside air.

I absolutely agree that over time the oil continues to soak into the chips pores leaving the surface dry... just let freshly oiled Paulsons sit for a few months and you will see they will go back to Chalky and Dry. So sure the "continued soak in" philosophy is possible. Some more dense chips like BCCs you can soak them in oil and the next day they will be completely dry with nothing to "wipe off" so often we oil them twice but still feel dry.

None of this explains why and oiling cloth dries out and quite quickly honestly, get your micro cloth wet with oil, let it sit out on the counter a few days and it will be mostly dry. Store it in a sealed container and it will be ready next time. Why?? Well I am no chemistry major so I really don't know why. Lol

As far as fresh CPCs, I 100% recommend a light bath to wash away the factory dust BEFORE oiling them. The oil is making a seal and whislt yes the majority of the dust will be wiped away by applying the oil, some of the dust granules will remain and leave the chips with a slightly gritty feel, if you quickly wash them forst and then oil they will feel buttery smooth!

We compression oil the entire clay surface not just the rolling edge, remember the comments above about Pores in clay, would you rather have those holes filled and sealed with oil or "fat Fred's" personal concotion of doritos, fried chicken, pizza, brake fuild, dead skin particles and lack of hand washing after bathroom breaks to fill those voids... that's your decision... but I would go with the Mineral Oil myself.

Best of luck woth the new set! Dibs on a sample! Lol

Fellow Chipper Ben

 

[Colquhoun]

While I totally agree that the chips soak in some oil, and can “dry out” and need repeated oiling, I’m not convinced “compression” really does anything.
Using your fingers and pushing oil hard on the surface isn’t forcing oil into the chip, it’s just displacing the oil. No different than driving in the rain…a car tire doesn’t force water into the concrete, it displaces it.
Now if you put some oil on the chip and put it in a pressure chamber, THAT would compression oil.

 

[Ben8257]

While I totally agree that the chips soak in some oil, and can “dry out” and need repeated oiling, I’m not convinced “compression” really does anything.
Using your fingers and pushing oil hard on the surface isn’t forcing oil into the chip, it’s just displacing the oil. No different than driving in the rain…a car tire doesn’t force water into the concrete, it displaces it.
Now if you put some oil on the chip and put it in a pressure chamber, THAT would compression oil.

I can definitely concur on this statement. But personally pressing the oil in continually around the entire surface almost guarantees that you didn't miss and of the surface area. I agree I don't think you are "pushing" oil into the surface of the clay... but more ensuring you got the whole thing. Will oil run on its own... absolutely, but guaranteed into every crevas, not necessarily... so again I prefer the compression method to ensure the intended surface is coated.

 

[allforcharity]

Oils can and do evaporate.

 

[Colquhoun]

Oils can and do evaporate.

Well, it depends on which type. Volatile oils like crude oil evaporate quickly. Mineral oil evaporates very very slowly, but the rate can be increased with heat. Coconut oil does not evaporate, even when heated, it just breaks down.
No coconut oil on chips, please.

 

[liftapint]

I highly recommend first rinsing off your chips, laying them single-layer on a towel over night to dry, then using this type of gel oil to oil them.
Well, find one that is unscented, unless you want your chips to smell like a trip to the beach. But if you can find an unscented baby oil GEL, it does a much better job of oiling your chips than your standard mineral oil. I can't explain it. It just does.

Your local drug store should have something similar, so you can make sure it's unscented.

 

[mintberrycruch]

I highly recommend first rinsing off your chips, laying them single-layer on a towel over night to dry, then using this type of gel oil to oil them.
Well, find one that is unscented, unless you want your chips to smell like a trip to the beach. But if you can find an unscented baby oil GEL, it does a much better job of oiling your chips than your standard mineral oil. I can't explain it. It just does.

Your local drug store should have something similar, so you can make sure it's unscented.


View attachment 1023058

Thank you so much for the tip! Is there any risk in the inlay getting wet? I have a sample set and it doesn't seem like the inlay has any kind of adhesive, but I am not sure exactly how they are stuck to the chips.

Just grab a stack of 20 from a rack and wipe the edges. The faces don’t seem to have much dust on them.
View attachment 1022996

Those chips look great, cool color scheme!

Just a quick rinse with the sprayer on the kitchen sink with the chips in a plastic colander. Probably 40 or so at a time then laid out to dry on a beach towel.

I use paper towels to apply the oil. No need for anything fancy. I also have never "compression" oiled as I have never felt the need to try to pack the oil in (it's porous, but can't be that porous). Worst case scenario, an oil touch up for the chips that don't get used that much might be necessary.


I like the rinse as my experience over a half-dozen custom ASM/CPC chips over 15 years is there is enough leftover factory dust on the chips when thy arrive that a surprising amount of color comes off on the towels. It has to be the leftover dust on the chips as I'm not rubbing hard enough to actually be from the chip. Oiling jobs after the initial one don't show this.

Do as you see fit, YMMV as everyone does things a little differently.

Is there any chance of this damaging the inlay or making it come loose?

 

[NeoViny23]

I have to check out the oiling instruction that I have received with my first ASM Order 15 years ago.... I defenitely have something in mind about "only oil the edges!!!".... I will post a photo of this instruction later....

 

[mintberrycruch]

I have to check out the oiling instruction that I have received with my first ASM Order 15 years ago.... I defenitely have something in mind about "only oil the edges!!!".... I will post a photo of this instruction later....

Please let me know if you come across it, I would be very interested to see what the official oiling instructions were.

 

[NeoViny23]

my bad, I appologize…. I really thought that the oiling tutorial was also included on that ASM print…. but I also have a print in german language from 2009, where all the steps of the oiling procedure are described and this includes a special note for ASM chips … it recommended to oil just the edges…. and they recommended paraffin oil (to purchase from a pharmacy)… I oiled my chips 2 or 3 times in the last 15 years and they are still in a kinda-new-shape…

 

[mintberrycruch]

View attachment 1024431

my bad, I appologize…. I really thought that the oiling tutorial was also included on that ASM print…. but I also have a print in german language from 2009, where all the steps of the oiling procedure are described and this includes a special note for ASM chips … it recommended to oil just the edges…. and they recommended paraffin oil (to purchase from a pharmacy)… I oiled my chips 2 or 3 times in the last 15 years and they are still in a kinda-new-shape…

awesome, thanks for passing this information along!

 

[jclee706]

I am planning on buying a set of CPC and currently have the Rounder sample sets. I just wanted to try multiple different oiling methods to determine which one I like the best. I have seen several people claim that any mineral oil works for the compression method or the warm water dunking method, but which works the best for CPC's?

This video goes in great detail

 

[NeoViny23]

I would never ever oil the Inlays.. Only the edges!!!!

 

[Jeevansluck]

I would never ever oil the Inlays.. Only the edges!!!!

+1