Micrometer box cleaning

[paul raynerParticipant @paulrayner36054]

Evening all. I’ve been lucky enough to obtain a Starrett micrometer in mint condition, Unfortunately the original box it came in looks like it had been used in a pass the parcel game around the workshop and the music never stopped! It’s absolutely filthy, oily, grease & grime. Question is how would you go about cleaning it? I would like to keep what is left of the varnish and logo so solvent, I suspect is out of the question. Would wood soap work? any thoughts appreciated.

thanks all, regards. Paul

[DiogenesParticipant @diogenes]

Most Wood Soap is claimed to not damage wood flooring’s ‘natural oils’ and I suspect is more of a care product for wood that is essentially ‘clean’ anyway..

I assume a natural grain-finish wooden box ?

Where the varnish survives with grease/oil on top you might ‘test’ a small inconspicuous area with something like paraffin / WD40 (smells better) applied on a piece of rag / cotton wool.

Where oil has penetrated and discoloured the fibres of the wood itself I don’t think you’ll have much luck getting it back out, probably best to consider it ‘evidence of a life well-lived’.

Boxes that are empty (or containing ruined micrometers) do turn up if you have the will (and wallet) to hunt them out..

[Neil LickfoldParticipant @neillickfold44316]

I use the grease and wax remover, it is a bit like the painters prepsol. It works well of getting some of the gunk out of wood. I use it on a paper towel and work slowly.

Most of the grime will be from soluble oils over years. Sometimes using some soluble cutting fluid can remove quite quickly the grime, but don’t let it get too wet. I have tried the coolant to remove the worse of the grime, then use the grease and wax remover to do the rest.

 

[Charles LamontParticipant @charleslamont71117]

White spirit is unlikely to harm the varnish, but I would try it very gently on the logo. Anything aqueous may raise the grain.

[JohnFParticipant @johnf59703]

Paul,  I have used Oxalic acid to remove oil & muck from wood particularly on gun stocks sometimes with a little heat added, works well but it may well raise the grain.  No matter if you are doing a full refinish.

The logo, have you considered making a new transfer of the logo,  there are plenty of images of Starrett logo’s on the web.  Was the tool made in the US or Scotland ?

One problem you may have is many of the boxes were made to pale wood of varying types and finished with a coloured varnish which is almost impossible to replicate and even more difficult to “patch in”

A photo may help but I think my choice would be a complete re-finish and a new logo.

John

PS Oxalic acid is a white powder you mix with water

[paul raynerParticipant @paulrayner36054]

Hi all, thanks for the replies, John the top is ply by the looks of it and the bottom is the usual routed out mahogany. I’m not bothered about it being showroom condition. I would just like it to be nice and clean without destroying what is there if you get what I mean. I had also thought about using car upholstery cleaner, the one’s in a spray can.

[Martin King 2Participant @martinking2]

Paul, send me a pic of the case, we have dozens of micrometer cases that have arrived over the years and we “mix & match” all the time. If we have a decent one you are welcome to it gratis.

cheers, Martin

[paul raynerParticipant @paulrayner36054]

Martin, thank you very much for the kind offer, very generous of you. But I have just cleaned it up this morning and I’m very happy with it. I should have taken some before pictures, it was that bad. I ended up using white spirit with lots of blue roll, a quick wipe with a paper towel soaked in brake cleaner and then a bee’s wax based polish. 

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