Oil and Water Trick (1 Viewer)

[Taghkanic]

I tried this method today—a tablespoon of mineral oil in about a half gallon of warm water—on about 60 near mint Paulson solid Starbursts.

All I can say is: It works.

I don’t know why it works, but it does. I’ll be retiring my Kiwi foam pads.

My one tip would be that a tablespoon was plenty. I think a teaspoon would have been enough.

Notes: I used a salad spinner to dunk the chips in a plastic tub, stirring in advance with a spoon and agitating them by hand for about 30-40 seconds.

It defies everythingI thought I knew about oil and water, and I don’t know exactly how the oil gets on the chips (whether via the surface, or by an agitated solution beneath). But the chips came out evenly oiled, at the right amount of oiliness.

I layed them out afterward on a soft canvas tarp cloth, flipping and spinning each side against the cloth, and dabbing off some beads of milky oil-water... While watching football this afternoon, I’ll probably give them each a light rub with a microfiber cloth.

 

[Trihonda]

Since there’s a thread about the oil and water trick, I figured I’d post this video tutorial on my go-to washing and oiling technique. You’ll have to excuse to poor production value... I’m not a movie maker...

 

[sem0030]

I will try this with my CPCs!

 

[saleen121212]

Since there’s a thread about the oil and water trick, I figured I’d post this video tutorial on my go-to washing and oiling technique. You’ll have to excuse to poor production value... I’m not a movie maker...

Would this work with chips that have gear labels on them or would that damage the adhesive or label?

 

[Trihonda]

I’ve heard people voice success using this trick with labels adhered.. you’re only dunking the chip briefly for a few seconds. However, it couldn’t hurt to ask @Gear his thoughts.

 

[saleen121212]

I’ve heard people voice success using this trick with labels adhered.. you’re only dunking the chip briefly for a few seconds. However, it couldn’t hurt to ask @Gear his thoughts.

Thanks! Gear is too busy for questions like this right now lol. I am trying to get 4500 labels from him.

 

[sem0030]

Did this yesterday with my Atlantic Club hot stamps. Phenomenal results. First time oiling a chip and it was extremely easy.

 

[sem0030]

Does anyone know if this would be a sufficient method with China clays? Have a friend who bought some and I have read that they need even less oil so don't want to tell him this method if it could backfire.

 

[sem0030]

Does anyone know if this would be a sufficient method with China clays? Have a friend who bought some and I have read that they need even less oil so don't want to tell him this method if it could backfire.

Talking about Majestics to be exact

 

[IaHawk]

Following...I never oiled my Majestics I bought last year and curious if you can do china clays with this method.

 

[Trihonda]

Following...I never oiled my Majestics I bought last year and curious if you can do china clays with this method.

I believe so. Just don’t leave chips submerged for too long. using this method correctly, the chips are only dunked for a few seconds.

 

[CantSpellPoker]

Should I be doing this on my CPC Color Sample Set? They're pretty chalky. Want to make sure that I'm looking at what the final color will be after I've oiled any new set I buy (if they need oiling at all, which is why I'm asking in the first place).

 

[sem0030]

The difference between my Atlantic Club hot stamps were pretty astounding. So might be a good idea.

 

[ReallyGoodUsername]

I was somewhat skeptical of this until I used the trick last week and it worked great! Would suggest anyone about to oil 200+ chips to just try it out on a barrel and save themselves some time.

 

[TunnelMoney]

When using this method for new China Clays, should you clean them first to get the dust off, or could you go straight to the oil/water mix?

 

[allforcharity]

This "trick" didn't work so well for me when I tried it with a few hundred well-used CDI98s. I'd say maybe 60% got a roughly even coating of oil, the rest was mostly splotchy. I'll stay with the compression oiling method.

 

[Poker Zombie]

I thought I was the only one. Tried it on a rack of China Clay, and didn't like the result. Plus, they were now wet, and I needed to spread out a bunch of wet chips, concerned they might soak through the towel, so I couldn't dry them on my poker table.

I have 600 43mm chips to oil soon, and will be doing them the old fashioned way by hand. With the temperature dropping below freezing again tonight, the mineral oil will be good for my dry hands.

 

[Trihonda]

This "trick" didn't work so well for me when I tried it with a few hundred well-used CDI98s. I'd say maybe 60% got a roughly even coating of oil, the rest was mostly splotchy. I'll stay with the compression oiling method.

were the chips clean and ready for oiling?

 

[allforcharity]

were the chips clean and ready for oiling?

They sure were. Had just cleaned them a few hours before with the ultrasonic.

I think we'll need some decent guidelines about the oil:water ratio. Should it be 1 gallon:2 tbsp., or some other? And the number of chips to do will matter as well. Doing a couple barrels at a time, you may have to consider replenishing some of the oil after 400 chips or so, if you've got many hundreds to do.

 

[kollapse]

I went through 16 pages of the "Oiling Chips Done Right" and couldn't really find a concesus (admittedly I was tired and confused), but found this method intriguing. I have just recieved a set of 400 bank poker chips from Apache (https://www.apachepokerchips.com/product/bank-18xx-board-games-poker-chips/) and wanted to give the method @Trihonda uses in his video a go. A couple of questions:

• First, of course: is it advisable to use this method on china clays with labels like these?
• If yes: how do I best clean the chips before oiling (I don't a ultrasonic cleaner)? Do they need to dry completely before water/oiling?
• Do we have a concesus on ratios for water + oil for CCs?
• How long do they need to dry after oiling and patting with a towel?

Also, and this may sound stupid, but any Europeans/Swedes who've used this and can tell me what type of "mineral oil" to use? Mineral oil here means motor oil, so I'm trying my best not to screw up here.

 

[Trihonda]

I went through 16 pages of the "Oiling Chips Done Right" and couldn't really find a concesus (admittedly I was tired and confused), but found this method intriguing. I have just recieved a set of 400 bank poker chips from Apache (https://www.apachepokerchips.com/product/bank-18xx-board-games-poker-chips/) and wanted to give the method @Trihonda uses in his video a go. A couple of questions:

• First, of course: is it advisable to use this method on china clays with labels like these?
• If yes: how do I best clean the chips before oiling (I don't a ultrasonic cleaner)? Do they need to dry completely before water/oiling?
• Do we have a concesus on ratios for water + oil for CCs?
• How long do they need to dry after oiling and patting with a towel?

Also, and this may sound stupid, but any Europeans/Swedes who've used this and can tell me what type of "mineral oil" to use? Mineral oil here means motor oil, so I'm trying my best not to screw up here.

are you planning to put labels on your blank chips? It’s inadvisable to oil blanks if you plan to apply a sticker to the oiled surface anytime soon thereafter.

 

[arch3r]

are you planning to put labels on your blank chips? It’s inadvisable to oil blanks if you plan to apply a sticker to the oiled surface anytime soon thereafter.

@kollapse
Agreed. You will need to allow the blanks to dry and allow all the oil to completely soak in. But once you do, it will be fine. I milled these and then oil/watered them, let them cure for about two weeks, only then applied the gear labels and all was fine. Just don't rush the process.

 

[kollapse]

are you planning to put labels on your blank chips? It’s inadvisable to oil blanks if you plan to apply a sticker to the oiled surface anytime soon thereafter.

@kollapse
Agreed. You will need to allow the blanks to dry and allow all the oil to completely soak in. But once you do, it will be fine. I milled these and then oil/watered them, let them cure for about two weeks, only then applied the gear labels and all was fine. Just don't rush the process.

View attachment 513229 View attachment 513230

Oh sorry, I have the pre-labeled chips (the ones in the link).

 

[arch3r]

Oh sorry, I have the pre-labeled chips (the ones in the link).

In that case, I would probably only edge oil the chips. I did exactly just that with my Royals from @Apache and then look great. Using them then helps transfer the oil to the rest of the chip, but not in any amount that will effect the inlay sticker.

I try and avoid fully oiling/washing chips with just stickers as the inlay. Although you may be fine, I fear that the oil/water will get under the label, even just on the edge, and then its just a matter of time before it looks like shit. Not a guarantee that will happen, but why take the chance.

 

[Av8tion]

Also, and this may sound stupid, but any Europeans/Swedes who've used this and can tell me what type of "mineral oil" to use? Mineral oil here means motor oil, so I'm trying my best not to screw up here.

The type of mineral oil used to oil chips is food-grade.... it is sold at many pharmacies as a mild laxative

 

[kollapse]

The type of mineral oil used to oil chips is food-grade.... it is sold at many pharmacies as a mild laxative

From what I can find we don't have any/many laxative oils that fit the description. The closest a "mineral oil" I get that's not motor oil is also called white oil, or medically pure oil, which can be used to oil cutting boards and other surfaces that'll have food on them. That sounds...rougher on the chips then I'd want?

Edit: on closer inspection I did find pure paraffin oil that's apparently laxative, for dogs (and cats etc). Is that it?

 

[allforcharity]

From what I can find we don't have any/many laxative oils that fit the description. The closest a "mineral oil" I get that's not motor oil is also called white oil, or medically pure oil, which can be used to oil cutting boards and other surfaces that'll have food on them. That sounds...rougher on the chips then I'd want?

Edit: on closer inspection I did find pure paraffin oil that's apparently laxative, for dogs (and cats etc). Is that it?

Yes, paraffin oil is the more common term in Europe.

 

[kollapse]

Yes, paraffin oil is the more common term in Europe.

Ok, that's good to hear. What first threw me off was the OP of this thread said "don't use petroleum-based" oils. Which mineral/paraffin oil is by definition, if I'm not completely mistaken.

 

[Poker Zombie]

Ok, that's good to hear. What first threw me off was the OP of this thread said "don't use petroleum-based" oils. Which mineral/paraffin oil is by definition, if I'm not completely mistaken.

Yes, it is petroleum based, but very highly refined.

 

[allforcharity]

Yes, it is petroleum based, but very highly refined.

Those exact words can describe a few chippers here, too.