Oiling Chips Done Right (9 Viewers)

[Poker Zombie]

This is awesome, will do with my first set of China Clays. THank you for this!

I hope you read the whole thead, because the OP suggests a method that is a lot more work (and actual pain) than required.

 

[TomC727]

Just recently did my tourney set.

 

[ctestb]

I hope you read the whole thead, because the OP suggests a method that is a lot more work (and actual pain) than required.

Apologies, I read the first 4 pages and never saw the oil & water method. Only issue is if you have sticker inlays, wont that cause the inlay to peel?

 

[Poker Zombie]

Apologies, I read the first 4 pages and never saw the oil & water method. Only issue is if you have sticker inlays, wont that cause the inlay to peel?

I have used a simple wipe-on/wipe-off method with my China Clays. No "pressure". I have not tried the oil/water method personally, so I cannot recommend for or against that method with China Clay.

I can say that with the oil/water method, the amount of time underwater should have no ill effect on the label, provided the label is not paper.

...and no need to apologize. The OP should for torturing many chippers with his god-awful method that he called "done right". This thread should be deleted IMO.

 

[Himewad]

Some of the Royal CCs have a lot of the factory dust on them. The blues and pinks are the ones I have noticed it the most. Give the chips a good rinse in warm soapy water to get that off, and let them dry. Then you can oil as much or as little as you want. I went heavier than most, and mine turned out fine. But I let the paper towels soak up the excess mineral oil for days before I gave them a final wipe down.

 

[Himewad]

Decided to expand my CC Royals chip set. Oiling done. Like I said, I go heavier than most, but they turn out nice when I’m done.

 

[EpicAS]

Hi guys... with the oiling process... how long should I wait before racking up freshly oiled chips?
And will there be any issues with playing/shuffling them immediately after oiling them?

 

[allforcharity]

Hi guys... with the oiling process... how long should I wait before racking up freshly oiled chips?
And will there be any issues with playing/shuffling them immediately after oiling them?

I usually wait about 8 hours or more while they are lying on top of a moderately absorbent surface, such as a big towel or old bedsheet.

The chips will still feel oily if you don't give them at least a little rest period. As mentioned many times before, the trick is to not overuse the oil, otherwise you will have to wait longer.

 

[EpicAS]

Yeah I literally used around 4-5 drops for 200 chips (so far) and they don’t feel too oily at all at the moment, but the colours are much more vibrant.

 

[SuckoutKing]

If you need to oil your chips, get new chips because their is something wrong with them.

 

[warma]

I use a very small amount, wipe them 1 rack at a time and throw them right back into the rack.

 

[louBdub]

BBO Ceramics oiled. Everyone says no, I say, it makes them a better looking chip. YMMV.

 

[FordPickup92]

BBO Ceramics oiled. Everyone says no, I say, it makes them a better looking chip. YMMV.

Did they become slippery to shuffle or handle?

 

[louBdub]

Did they become slippery to shuffle or handle?

Not after I buffed them all with micro fiber rags. I broke some child labor laws for this part, but they got over it

The process made them pop a bit more, deeper colors, but feel the same after all said and done.

 

[bigredking]

I have a set of clays from Apache on the way. Oiling the sample set via this method made for some great looking chips but cramped my hands pretty good. Has anyone rigged up a clamp or some vise grips to provide the pressure?

 

[Poker Zombie]

I have a set of clays from Apache on the way. Oiling the sample set via this method made for some great looking chips but cramped my hands pretty good. Has anyone rigged up a clamp or some vise grips to provide the pressure?

I'm guessing you only read the first post, and earned your cramped hands.

You don't need pressure. Just a simple wipe. The OP was just an idiot that got dozens of other idiots to suffer hand cramps. Those that read 20 pages of posts didn't have to suffer.

"Compression" oiling of chips is just the dumbest thing ever dreamed up. Sadly, you fell for it.

 

[Stibnite]

Not to beat a dead horse, but I agree with @Poker Zombie this isn't perfect!I have used the compression method for a year now on over 20,000 chips.

I do everything exactly the same as the OP other than I absolutely do wipe the entire chip after the drying period. I don't see how a quick wipe is pulling out the oil that has soaked into the clay.

Excess oil os going to then absorb into your cloth or felt along with dirt, skin particles (dust), any food that may not have been properly washed off. All of this is what we refer to as Hooker Juice, its nasty when you get used chips but can you imagine basically your entire playing surface absorbing hooker juice... yuck!!

There are 100 ways to skin a cat as they say, find what works for you! I prefer this method but do not leave your chips wet. After wiping them off they will still have that beautiful bright color and be properly sealed. It's even hard to imagine players didn't complain about oily hands after playing those chips!

Just my 2 cents on the subject!

Fellow Chipper Ben

I am a little late to the ongoing party here as we were expanding our business during the pandemic and I didn't get time to frequent forums, but I am reviewing the responses and have some feedback I will be adding.

First and foremost, this method was intended to be long-term, rather than repeated. The sets I used in the original examples did not have to be reoiled for 5 years, and when I did this past week, I only did the edges for a quick touchup which took me all of 40 minutes for 1000+ chips. Compression is no longer needed once it has been done the first time, because the pores of the chips have already been sealed off--that was the original point of the experiment.

If there is still wet mineral oils loose on the chips, then that should be wiped off before letting it hit the felt. While shiny, they should still be dry. If they're not, the excess can be wiped away. Ours dried off just fine.

Also, when I put the oils into the microfiber cloth, I spread it around so the cloth was lightly oiled. This was due to the factory dust coming off and making parts of the cloth dirty.

I think what some are missing here is that this was not meant to be repeated after it was done the first time. This method has been incredible for all our chips covered in factory dust, and only having to do a touch up in 3-5 years is wonderful. Our felts look just fine and have not been affected.

Once a chip has been sealed with oil, it doesn't have to be sealed again.

I am not done reading the 6 pages of responses yet since my last post, so I may repeat myself on a few things, but back to reading I go.

 

[Stibnite]

I still maintain if your fingers hurt, you listened to the idiot from the OP.

You do NOT need to press the oil into the chip. Casino chips get "oiled" by players handling the chips, and oiling the chip simulates hours upon hours of handling.

This is the worst titled thread in all of PCF. It should be "I'm an idiot that oiled chips until my fingers bled - I want you to be as stupid as I am".

I've oiled thousands of chips. I've never "pressed" the oil into a chip.

Idiot? When you start tossing around childish name bashing, you lose any respect and credibility you have with your statements.

Let's keep it professional, please. There is absolutely no need for you to launch attacks.

No one should be pressing firmly enough to cause soreness. Also, the method is meant for removing factory dust and sealing microscopic pores. Once. There is no need to repeat this process on the chips after they've been done the first time. Any and all other methods, even light touchups are more than efficient for ongoing maintenance.

It is a matter of preference for most. This was experimental for me, as I had tried all the other methods already. I shared my experiment, and we have since performed this on many thousands of chips over the past 5 years. The originals I did this test on did not get touched up until last week. 5 years of not having to reoil them was nice. I honestly don't think they even needed it still, as they still looked fine to me. Just wanted to clean up the edges a bit.

The pressing I referred to originally served two purposes: 1) Cleaning off factory dust or dirt. 2) Forcing oil into the chip's pores briefly similar to wood.

I would, however, appreciate you lowering your tone at me. No need to be unprofessional in your responses. Thanks.

 

[Stibnite]

Thanks for setting me straight @Himewad ! I totally didn't think about it but totally makes sense -- after 12 hours there's a small pool of oil under each chip, so nothing actually evaporated, gravity just pulled it off Did I say I was a newb? I'll say it again and yes not a big deal, but the edge needs to be wiped off where it pools!

Yeah, the oil won't evaporate. It will simply absorb into the chip's surface if capable or porous enough to do so. If there is any oily residue left over, just wipe it off. Not going to hurt it.

 

[Stibnite]

Let's get scientific here. If compression is required, how much oil do you think you can get into a chip if its submerged in mineral oil and in a vacuum? Similar concept to oil impregnated bronze bushings. Hmmmmmm? Someone here must have a vacuum chamber?

The method I used was simply for wiping away the factory dirt and forcing the oil into porous surfaces. Vacuum method could seal it during a first oiling, but won't remove the dust, and with vacuum pressure, could potentially damage the inlay (I would think, anyhow).

 

[Stibnite]

How much mineral oil is needed for 600 chips?

I use more on the first oiling (new, factory dust covered chips) because I want them sealed correctly and likely to evenly coat the microfiber cloth. They won't absorb/drink more than they can physically handle, so anything excess can simply be wiped away (if there is anything left after air drying, then it is sealed and not absorbing anything else--wipe it off). After that, though, they'll only need touched up every few years (we waited 5 years to touch up our first batch done this way), and you'll only need very miniscule amounts. When touching up, we just grab a whole stack of 20 and roll them in the cloth on the edges, and not even 3-4 drops of the oil can touch up the edges of 1000+ easily.

 

[Stibnite]

I have a set of clays from Apache on the way. Oiling the sample set via this method made for some great looking chips but cramped my hands pretty good. Has anyone rigged up a clamp or some vise grips to provide the pressure?

You were likely applying too much pressure, but yeah, it can definitely cramp the thumbs just with the motions.

Fortunately, this method should never have to be repeated on a chip after the first time as they'll only benefit from touching up thereafter.

 

[Stibnite]

I'm guessing you only read the first post, and earned your cramped hands.

You don't need pressure. Just a simple wipe. The OP was just an idiot that got dozens of other idiots to suffer hand cramps. Those that read 20 pages of posts didn't have to suffer.

"Compression" oiling of chips is just the dumbest thing ever dreamed up. Sadly, you fell for it.

You seem to love calling myself and others "idiots."

This method was an experimental analysis of what worked for new chips covered in factory dust, and it worked better than any other method we'd used. Yes, it is more work (at first), but it lasts and never has to be repeated. Nothing worth doing is ever easy. No one is forcing you to do this, but there is also no need for you to be disrespectful to others when sharing your opinion--as I stated in my reply to the previous time you threw around unnecessary name calling.

I see you are passionate about your opinions, and that is fine. You simply do what works for you. Does not have to be made personal.

Appreciate your feedback, nonetheless.

 

[Stibnite]

I went through and read a lot of the responses after I was absent awhile. I had no idea this had picked up momentum. I suppose I should have known people would be bored at home during Covid-19 and oiling chips. =D

I was reminded of this thread the other day when someone recognized me at a live poker session and thanked me face to face for the post in relation to the home games they're running with their custom set.

So, I took a moment this weekend to check back on this thread, and my goodness, you guys have been busy.

First, I am very happy this method has helped so many people. Thank you greatly for acknowledging that and for sharing your beautiful poker sets. I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing the results everyone has posted.

Next, I truly enjoy the feedback, both positive and negative. I enjoy reading where some have tweaked or improved the method to work better. Innovative ideas always evolve, and I am thrilled to see improvements.

There are so many questions, but most have been answered by other forum members, so I will just outline a few that stuck out to me.

1) "Adam, my hands hurt!"

Ok, if your hands are hurting, you are likely applying too much pressure. Generally, just giving it a firm hold as you spin it is enough. Your thumbs might still cramp at first when new to the motions, but shouldn't be hurting.

2) "How much oil should I use?"

If the chips are new and covered in factory dust, you can be more liberal with the oil. I can't remember how much I used in my original experiment (I'm sure I posted it somewhere), but now I use about a half a capful (approximately 1/4 of a teaspoon) per 1000 chips with a microfiber cloth only if it is the first oiling on new chips. If the chips are previously used, I only use about 3-5 drops per 1000ish--as it goes a long way. Likewise, if the chips have been oiled before, I will only touch them up with a few drops as well, as they've already absorbed the maximum amount of oils they can take in, and any excess is just wasted. Not that mineral oil will break your bankroll, but just creates more work wiping them off.

The photos I originally posted appear to show a lot of oil, and in reality, it's not--just simply the step I was in while rolling the chip. Some parts of my cloths are more damp than others. I will roll it through the damp spot, and then roll it once more in the less damp spots and set it to the side. I also tend to use different portions of the cloths depending how much factory dust is coming off, because you'll find a lot of it will come off onto your cloth using this method and I don't want the colors smearing.

3) "How often should I perform 'compression oiling, and how long does it last?'"

Once, and only once. The whole idea of this method was to find a way to make the oiling last longer or more permanent. All of us were curious as to how long it would last. Even after 5 years, I am not sure the original Milanos I experimented on for the sake of this thread really needed touched up, but did anyways last week, and only on the edges. The idea of compression is simple: remove the factory dust and seal the surface pores. Once this has been done, there's no need to do it again, as it is sealed and won't take in more oils. So thereafter, perhaps every few years (or as often as you feel it is needed), take a few drops to a cloth, pull out an entire row of 20 chips and roll their edges. Then, roll them in a dry cloth to wipe them off and place back in your rack. Done. Our touch up process took just over a half hour for 1000 chips. This compression method is longer to do, at first, but the beauty of it is it is a one time per chip method that never needs to be done again. Touching up the chips only requires a quick roll of the edges, and that is quick and easy.

4) "They are still wet after air drying, what do I do?"

Wipe them off. The air drying method is to allow time for the oil to penetrate into the pores, and some types of chips will drink more and react differently than others. The oil isn't going to evaporate, so if there is still an oily surface, then simply wipe off the excess. You don't want oily chips falling all over your felt, so the end result should be a clean and vibrant feel--not an oily one. Air drying on paper towels or cloth towels, etc, which can absorb the extra oils, is generally efficient as gravity will do its thing. The chip should get what it needs and the towels will get the rest. If you added too much oil, its ok, as it wipes off easily. Even if some of the facings get left chalky looking after being dried, its OK, as this goes away from usage.

5) "Do you have an update on the original Milanos?"

Yes. It has now been 5 years since they were first compression oiled. We are about to start on a bunch of new 100s which were just prepped for oiling. In this photo, you'll see 6 of the 100 Blacks which haven't been touched by oil since their original oiling in 2016 mixed between new and clean 100 blacks for comparison. You can tell they might need touched up on the edges, but even after 5 years they don't look bad by any means. They have seen a good bit of usage, so only have signs of wear but still retaining a decent sheen.

This time around, we only spent about 40 minutes touching up the edges of this collection. They still look incredible.

Very thankful all of this information helped so many people. Hopefully it continues to do so as we all learn new methods together and share our experiences.

 

[EpicAS]

@Stibnite what are your thoughts on oiling non-china clays? Like paulsons or CPCs?

 

[Poker Zombie]

Idiot? When you start tossing around childish name bashing, you lose any respect and credibility you have with your statements.

Let's keep it professional, please. There is absolutely no need for you to launch attacks.

No one should be pressing firmly enough to cause soreness. Also, the method is meant for removing factory dust and sealing microscopic pores. Once. There is no need to repeat this process on the chips after they've been done the first time. Any and all other methods, even light touchups are more than efficient for ongoing maintenance.

It is a matter of preference for most. This was experimental for me, as I had tried all the other methods already. I shared my experiment, and we have since performed this on many thousands of chips over the past 5 years. The originals I did this test on did not get touched up until last week. 5 years of not having to reoil them was nice. I honestly don't think they even needed it still, as they still looked fine to me. Just wanted to clean up the edges a bit.

The pressing I referred to originally served two purposes: 1) Cleaning off factory dust or dirt. 2) Forcing oil into the chip's pores briefly similar to wood.

I would, however, appreciate you lowering your tone at me. No need to be unprofessional in your responses. Thanks.

I stick by the insult. The title of the thread implies "done right", and quite frankly, it has led many astray. I have low tolerance for "bad" information.

Yes, you need some pressure. You are cleaning the chip of loose dirt (dust). But forcing it into the microscopic pores? Please. The amount of pressure I have used wouldn't be considered more than you would use for cleaning water spots from a wine glass. My chips were oiled nearly 7 years ago, and have never been reoiled.

 

[Stibnite]

@Stibnite what are your thoughts on oiling non-china clays? Like paulsons or CPCs?

Main issue I have seen is with textures. The engravings tend to gather 'puddles,' if you will, and end up needing to be wiped out. I would suggest sticking with outer edges on a lot of these with heavy textures. That said, works great on the edges of non-china clays.

 

[Stibnite]

I stick by the insult. The title of the thread implies "done right", and quite frankly, it has led many astray. I have low tolerance for "bad" information.

Yes, you need some pressure. You are cleaning the chip of loose dirt (dust). But forcing it into the microscopic pores? Please. The amount of pressure I have used wouldn't be considered more than you would use for cleaning water spots from a wine glass. My chips were oiled nearly 7 years ago, and have never been reoiled.

This was a journey through a new method for which I kept it very transparent both in effect and intention and took others along for the trip, so "'bad' information" is strictly your personal interpretation of the method and results. I tested all suggested methods I could find, and with some combined methods, this one worked best for us and I shared it in detail. I never forced anyone's hand at trying it.

The pressure you are saying you use is no different than the pressure we use--as it is more than enough for removing water spots. You act as though we're using a 2-ton press. A firm grip on the chip is more than adequate. Also, this method is meant to be done once, all the same. So basically, you like your method better, and that's fine. I am not going to bash you personally, or your methodology, regardless of my opinion. Just because someone does something different from you, does not make them an 'idiot.'

I am very neutral. I tend to lean toward what works the best for long term based on research and findings, and this is no different than how I handle other experiences and experiments.

Also, clay poker chips definitely have microscopic pores that mineral oils can penetrate on its outer surface. The entire point of oiling poker chips, cutting boards, etc., in the first place is for preservation and to impede absorption of organic/inorganic materials, and reduce wear through reduced friction.

Your method (wasn't it the shoe polisher?) works just the same for the outer edges. The compression method adds the facings of the chip into the mix. So, your insult just comes across childish and self-centered--revealing a mere character flaw.

If being offensive is just your personality, then that's fine. You are who you are, and I have no intention to change you or your mind.

Everyone is free to choose what they wish. Some people till the ground and others build raised garden beds--both can successfully grow a garden. Do what makes you happy, and likewise, let others do what makes them happy.

Otherwise, we can all just settle the score at a poker table like men and call it a day.

 

[Poker Zombie]

I never forced anyone's hand at trying it.

The title of the thread didn't force anyone, but it sure duped them.

The pressure you are saying you use is no different than the pressure we use--as it is more than enough for removing water spots

Perhaps it was the way you wrote the directions then, as multiple readers complained of cramping and/or blisters.

Your method (wasn't it the shoe polisher?) works just the same for the outer edges.

I use a wipe-on, wipe-off method. I wouldn't call it "compression". Maybe polishing. The shoe polisher was @BGinGA. I have not tried that method, but I know he has far more chips than my measly 10,190.

Otherwise, we can all just settle the score at a poker table like men and call it a day.

I'd love to.

"Battle of the Oily Bastards"

 

[Stibnite]

The title of the thread didn't force anyone, but it sure duped them.


Perhaps it was the way you wrote the directions then, as multiple readers complained of cramping and/or blisters.


I use a wipe-on, wipe-off method. I wouldn't call it "compression". Maybe polishing. The shoe polisher was @BGinGA. I have not tried that method, but I know he has far more chips than my measly 10,190.


I'd love to.

"Battle of the Oily Bastards"

I don't think anyone is duped. They are more than capable of making their own decisions.

Yeah, if they're getting blisters they are definitely overdoing it. Hopefully my original writing didn't give off the vibe that they needed a vice grip. Any exercise is good for some poker players, I guess.

Wipe on wipe off method sounds about the same intended amount of pressure, so hopefully people aren't still regretting missing thumb day at the gym.

The idea is that we are touching the chip's surface with rubbing and agitation, as opposed to dip methods, etc. So essentially, just enough pressure to wipe the dust off the surface is all that's needed.

All is good once the chips are in the middle.