I don’t think using a plastic “bucket” in the Sparex pickle has
anything to do with formation of the brown sludge. I think it has to
do with the Sparex itself. I think that because I have always used a
plastic bucket and sometimes have gotten sludge, sometimes not.I do
however mix up the Sparex solution a half gallon at a time and keep
it in a glass jug, using it in small increments as needed in the
pickle pot.The mixture often sits for many months on the shelf before
being used up. Sometimes it has developed the slime while on the
shelf in the jug, though usually not. When that has happened it has
also happened in the pickle pot. The current batch does not sludge up
either in the pot or the jug and I’ve been using it for at least a
year. I use the “bucket”, copper tongs, stainless steel tweezers and
sometimes chopsticks to retrieve items from the pot. Makes no
difference. It’s gotta be the individual. batches of Sparex.
I had an idea the plastic bucket we use had something to do with
the brown gunk, but we don't use Prips Flux....we use the
Handi-flux paste. Interesting!!! Another one of those mysteries.
By the way, those of you who are using the Citric Acid, I do have
a big jar full, but need to know the proportions for dilution in
water.
Others may have a scientific answer-- I just dump “some” in the
crockpot-full of water. I guess I add between a half and three
quarters of a pound. It has worked fine. If it didn’t seem to, I
would add more… Clearly, the concentration changes as it ages, and
as water evaporates, so I don’t think it is very important. In all
my time reading this forum, I don’t recall ever seeing a thread (or
a comment) on the dangers of over-strong pickle. Even when I had
problems with weak joints on a piece I forgot to remove from the
pickle overnight, and solicited comments here, nobody said, Oh that
happens when the pickle is too strong. So, anybody care to jump in
now?
My experience with the brown “gunk” is that it is present from the
beginning when mixed, and doesn’t suddenly appear after I have used
it with or without plastic containers and/or related to type of flux
used.
I would recommend an industry wide boycott of Krohn products
I have not recommended Sparex for over 10 years. We used lots of it
way back in the 80’s and early 90’s, but the brown goo caused by the
impurities made me look elsewhere. Price was always way too high - as
are most “jewelry specific” supplies and tools…
Back in the old days, Sparex came in a plain old everyday steel can.
As it sat on the shelf, it would turn brownish. Now, they line the
can with a coating, and it still turns brown, but not as fast. We
always thought of it as iron from the can and hard water, but I don’t
know that for a fact. What I do know is that the more brown it is,
the more sludge there is. I don’t know if putting it in a plastic
bottle right away might fix it. We have gone to Otto Frei’s version,
which does come in plastic, and we get no sludge. BTW - we also tried
citric acid. It was 100% effective for the pickle’s #1 job, removing
flux. But it was 100% ineffective at it’s #2 job, the first step in
cleaning grungy jewelry, like repair work, so we went back to Sparex.
In an effort to add a little more info to the Sparex Brown Sludge
discussion; sparex is an unrefined by product of a manufacturing
process. It still contains products of that pooches that aren’t good
for clean pickle. It’s also stored in metal containers that can react
with the sodium bisulfate & contribute to the sludge. Since the
demand for pickle by jewelers is small, when compared to many
commercial items, little effort & expense was paid to coming up with
a product that ‘pleased’ the customer.
Ph Down, which is also sodium bisulfate, is manufactured
specifically for use in swimming pool & spas. As a result, it is
manufactured in larger quantities & since it comes in contact with
humans, it must meet more stringent requirements. Due to the larger
demand for the product, the unit cost for production is most likely
lower and because of it’s human contact it’s necessarily cleaner &
more refined than sparex.
Several years ago I contacted the makers of sparex about the brown
goo. I was told that it is a clay that cannot be removed in the
manufacture of it. My observations are that heat releases it.If I
turn my pot off and on for short periods it may take weeks to form.
I went away for aweekend and accidently left a new batch on and it
had formed upon my return.
Today I sent the following message to Krohn Industries, after
speaking with R. Krohn. I presume that as a supplier to the industry,
he will be interested in supplying a response and / or resolve the
problem in manufacturing.
Regards caster at ix dot netcom dot com
Mr. Krohn,
Thank you for taking time to chat with me about the "Sparex
Pickle Granules" problem that I and a number of other folks are
having. As I mentioned there has been extensive discussion on
the forum regarding this problem. Perhaps you could read
through the threads and compose an answer that would tell us
how to correct the challenges that we are facing. As promised
her is the link to the start of the thread.
http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archive/200612/msg00398.htm
Regards
RLW (Ronald L. Wade)