Coleman fuel vs. naphtha vs. ????

[tonyb]

I have some experience using naphtha for felt-hat cleaning purposes and I've found it mostly satisfactory. And I've also used denatured alcohol and good old dish soap and water. Of late I've been snapping up real grungy (but real cheap) old lids for teaching myself hat renovation.

My demand for cleaning solvent has increased along with this supply of old hats to take apart and put back together again. Naphtha is expensive, and all the more so now that the local home-improvement warehouse store carries it only in quarts, not gallons, as they once did. My existing supply is running low and I'm looking to buy 10 gallons or more, so I have enough for a dark hat vessel and light hat vessel. This would run into a bit more scratch than I wish to spend.

So, how 'bout Coleman fuel? How effective is it in comparison to naphtha? And where does one find the best price on it? And, is there another solvent I might consider?

And, can anyone suggest a better (read less-expensive) source of naphtha? Some sort of industrial supply or painting-contractor supplier, maybe?

 

[RBH]

...
So, how 'bout Coleman fuel? How effective is it in comparison to naphtha? And where does one find the best price on it?

My use of the camp fuel has been just as good as the higher priced naphta.
I belive it is the same thing just marketed different.
The best price I found for it was at Wal Mart.

 

[Tango Yankee]

And, can anyone suggest a better (read less-expensive) source of naphtha? Some sort of industrial supply or painting-contractor supplier, maybe?

I got my naptha at Ace Hardware last year. Had to special order it, and had to buy it by the case. Not a hardship as a case is 4 1-gallon tins. Cost less than $50 IIRC. Didn't take long for it to come in.

I've also seen it recently at Tractor Supply Company for about $13 a gallon.

Haven't tried the Coleman fuel or white gas alternatives.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[RBH]

At the time I bought my camp fuel it was a little less than 12 of what Naptha cost.

 

[Rick Blaine]

For what it's worth I only use denatured alcohol when I am attempting to dissolve stiffener from the felt, or straw as I am doing as we speak to an old South Carolina Hwy. Patrol summer Ecuadorian Panama, stay tuned.

I have found white gas to be better for simply cleaning. I think it dissipates quicker and leaves less residual odor. It is also what I recall the old timers using when I was a fry. It is also, as noted, quite a bit cheaper.... my .02.

 

[RBH]

.... I think it dissipates quicker and leaves less residual odor. ....

True Rick... now that I think back the camp fuel did not leave as much of an odor and it was quickly gone. Thanks for that tid bit as most do not think about what you have left over after a cleaning.
Speaking of left overs, if the fuel is not too dirty [ filter it if it is ] you can reuse your cleaner more than once. Of course.. use good judgement, dont clean a 'white' hat in used cleaner that was last used for a brown or black hat.

Good luck and please let us know what happens if you should use this. Also for your first time I would let the hat soak no longer than 3 hours... at the most. The more you do this the better you can judge what to use and for how long.

 

[GWD]

I just used Naphtha today on a dirty silver Whippet however I didn't soak it in a 5 gallon bucket as I've read here on the forum. I purchased a pump sprayer and sprayed the hat with it and I used the bucket to catch the drippings, then poured it back into the can. It worked fine, although the edging is still pretty grungy. I haven't completely soaked any of my hats yet but maybe one of you experienced guys here can try it with a pump sprayer and compare results. It could be a big cost savings.

Before

After

 

[John in Covina]

I see to recall that Naptha did come in a variety of grades and that some had more parafin in them than others. Wikpedia may have an article on Naptha.

 

[Kevin Popejoy]

And, can anyone suggest a better (read less-expensive) source of naphtha? Some sort of industrial supply or painting-contractor supplier, maybe?

Naphtha=white gas=Camp fuel

Buy the store brand at Wal-Mart, it's even cheaper than Coleman. I've used both the expensive hardware store variety and the cheapest I could get at Wally world. There's no difference except price.

Kevin