renwax - RENAISSANCE WAX

[Robert P.]

Hello, I just received an mm 44 EK2, and the core was DRIPPING wet with oil
Any good ideas?

the core ain't iron, but white-ish, some paint is gone...
why would the dealer send me a oil soaked cross

I need to pm him about that

Hi Steinar,

Some collectors love 'snake oil'. I just wipe it off carefully. After awhile I can't tell that it was even on it.

Robert

[Steinar]

oily cores
I actually didn't like the wet, oily surface, had to waste a lot of time to remove it. Some paint as well...

[Stahlhelm]

Steinar:

I've dealt with the same situation before myself. To remove the oil, but not remove a spot of paint, here's what I did. I just took a clean cotton cloth and pressed the cloth onto the core of the cross and against the interior frame edges, holding it in place, until the oil was soaked up. Now, yes doing it that way sure took some time. I actually had to do this off and off over a period of about a week, since oil would continue to seep out and coat the core each time after I had removed it. However, using that method, in which I carefully pressed the cloth against the frame, and NEVER rubbed it even once, I was able to remove the oil, again, without removing any paint whatsoever.

It's, of course, the friction and rubbing action that removes the paint. After I had removed most of the oil in that careful way, the rest of it dried up soon enough on its own. The cross now, and for over a two years since, has looked as good as ever, without showing even a trace of any previous oil use. The key here is in having a lot (and I do mean a LOT) of patience and never rubbing or even wiping to remove it. I always avoid any type of friction, whenever I must do such thing.

Try that, and I think you will be more satisfied with the results. Unless the cross is already in seriously bad condition, I'd say that you should also suffer no loss of paint.

Having said all that, I must also say that there is no reason that any dealer should send a customer such an oil-soaked item, which is not advertised as such and appropriately discounted. I would say that, due to this, you do have a very legitimate cause for receiving a refund, if you so desire.

Chris

[Steinar]

Hello Stahlhelm

thank you for your answer.

The cross wasn't very expensive, but, I do not think the seller advertised it as an oil soaked EK2... I would never bought it if so... (of course)

I have actually removed most of the oil, with paper and q-tips... the core is lose as well so I have managed to get most of it away
It turned out to be a nice cross, however, it feels like a cleaned cross with absolutely no trace of age on the frame.

I reeeeally gotta go no, got an exam in 1 hour lol.

[Stahlhelm]

Good luck with the exam and the cross, Steinar!

Chris

[Robert P.]

Come on, Steinar, when do we get to see it?

Robert

[Stahlhelm]

Yes, it would be nice to see this cross. We've been talking about it so much that I'm now curious to see it, as well.

Chris

[Steinar]

thanks Ill make some pictures... just give me a minute... most of it is dried up/gone now.
I talked to the dealer, it was only non scented vaseline
Scared me anyway

[Steinar]

still some oil in the corners... not a good light here in the basement at the moment

[Steinar]

the blitz make the cross "not too good looking"

[Steinar]

back..

[Steinar]

mm

[Steinar]

I like this picture more. natural light

[WhitePhantom]

wow great pictures. I just got my first EKII and tried to get the MM up close but all the pictures came out badly.

I love the color of the frame, still holds a nice sivler colour to it. I much rather prefer it over the natural patina most EK's get.

[Steinar]

I prefer mint but I also prefer a cross with a heavy patina, and mint core perhaps
I haven't tried a magnifier glass, but I use the macro function on my cam WITH zoom

But you need LOADS of light