HANDYMAN’S CORNER

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 16, 13 October 1933, Page 4

HANDYMAN’S CORNER

CONDITION OF OIL STOVE

JLG.F., Te Horo, writes: “Could any of your readers advise me through your column, ‘Handyman's Corner,’ on the following: I wish to recondition an oil stoue, the pores of which have become clogged with old oil and filings, etc.?” -

A good oilstone, natural or composition, should not lose its “bite” if properly made. If this does occur there are three probable causes: (1) Cheap and inferior stones in some instances have a thin cutting surface, which soon wears away, leaving underneath a piece of useless slate; (2) sometimes a natural stone varies in the texture of its grain, which causes it to cut quicker or slower as the cake may be; (3) using the wrong kind of oil or allowing dust to settle on the surface of the stone, which clogs it and causes it to become useless. Though one would be inclined to say off-hand that you ar e concerned with the third given cause, the encountering of faulty material such as mentioned in (1) and (2) sometimes is mistaken for (3). Should this be the case the only thing is to “write off” the stone. If, however, it is a genuine case of a good stone clogging, place it in a vessel of cold water, add enough soda to make a weak soda solution, bring to the boil, and boil for six hours, xieatsfoot oil is best for natural stones and sperm oil for composition stones. Avoid linseed or other heavy vegetable oil.