Bike Forums - View Single Post - Odourless mineral spirits from German Amazon?

05-26-23 | 08:59 AM

#10

cyccommute

Mad bike riding scientist

Joined: Nov 2004

Posts: 29,108

Likes: 6,141

From: Denver, CO

Bikes: Some silver ones, a red one, a black and orange one, and a few titanium ones

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bike Gremlin

I often remember a billboard from my elementary school:
"There's no shame in not knowing - there's only shame in not wanting to learn."

Anyways, after decades of wrenching, I've decided to give odourless mineral spirits a go. I've been using diesel so far.

The problem/question:
The stuff is next to impossible to source in my country (apart from 250ml bottles that cost an arm and a leg).
Fortunately, thanks to some good people, I'm able to source stuff from German Amazon (amazon.de).
I've done a fair share of Googling and using the translation, but I would prefer to be sure before spending money.

So, my question is:
Can someone post a link to the product on German Amazon (preferably a three, four or five-litre package to save some money)?

I'll give myself the liberty to mention cyccommute - hoping it's taken as a sign of recognition and respect, and not as bothering.

This is what I think might be the stuff (amazon.de links):

1) The price looks a bit steep for this one:
AMI Turpentine oil replacement odourless - 1000 ml/can

2) This one has a nicer price, but I'm not 100% sure it's the more refined odourless stuff:
KLUTHE Lösol Turpentine Substitute 3 Litres

If that's not it or someone knows of a cheaper package/brand, I'd be grateful.

Basically, I'm looking for something that cleans and degreases at least as well as diesel, but that evaporates at least a bit faster with a bit less oily residue - and can be used to dilute mineral oil (make it less viscous) - without being as highly flammable and toxic as petrol.

Thanks in advance for any tips and help.

Relja Still-Dumb Novović

The AMI solvent translates to turpentine substitue, odorless. Mineral spirits has a bunch of other names, one of which is mineral turpentine. I would say that it is what we in the US call odorless mineral spirits.

My German is too rusty to interpret all of the information on the Kluthe product and the search function on the Kluthe website doesn’t seem to work all that well with english. One of the pictures in the Amazon listings says “<0.2% Aromaten Kohlenwasserstoffe” which translates to aromatic hydrocarbons. Cyclic compounds is another name for aromatics which are the “odor” part that has been removed from “odorless mineral spirits”. I’m reasonably certain that the Kluthe turpentine substitue is odorless mineral spirits. Either would work. Buy some nitrile gloves.

Turpentine is derived from trees, specifically conifers, and works much the same way as the petroleum distillate does but with a distinct odor. The two materials have very little in common chemically.

More chemical trivia: The name Kohlenwasserstoffe is literally coal water stuff but water stuff is hydrogen so the name means coal hydrogen.

__________________
Stuart Black
Dreamin' of Bemidji Down the Mississippi (in part)
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!

Reply

2