cowseatmaize
Well-Known Member
Hi, I posted under cleaning but have moved on to history here.
I just bought a mineral water, 1840-60 or so and it's happened again. It's like it was reused for something really horrible, thick brown to black and smells. I'm thinking coal tar. I ruled out molasses because it's not water solulble. I had this happen with the same era case gin I got. I know reusing bottles was common, I have an 1880-90 Wright and Taylor Dist. with a Harness Oil Blacking label. It's faily clean so I'm leaving it alone. The only chemical I've found to work is laquer thinner. Paint thinner, alcohol, lime away, muratic acid, soapy water don't seam to touch it. Hot water softened it some so I'm now thinking a double boiler.. That might give you an idea of the substance base.
Anyone have any idea what the stuff might be. I tried to research coal tar but didn't find much. It was used for paving in the 1860's and a dye was extracted from it but nothing really seamed to be for home use. Maybe roof patch? Shoe goo? What other nastyness could have been used at the time?
I know it's dried up now but I cant imagine how they funneled it into these narrow neck bottles.
The original post.
I just bought a mineral water, 1840-60 or so and it's happened again. It's like it was reused for something really horrible, thick brown to black and smells. I'm thinking coal tar. I ruled out molasses because it's not water solulble. I had this happen with the same era case gin I got. I know reusing bottles was common, I have an 1880-90 Wright and Taylor Dist. with a Harness Oil Blacking label. It's faily clean so I'm leaving it alone. The only chemical I've found to work is laquer thinner. Paint thinner, alcohol, lime away, muratic acid, soapy water don't seam to touch it. Hot water softened it some so I'm now thinking a double boiler.. That might give you an idea of the substance base.
Anyone have any idea what the stuff might be. I tried to research coal tar but didn't find much. It was used for paving in the 1860's and a dye was extracted from it but nothing really seamed to be for home use. Maybe roof patch? Shoe goo? What other nastyness could have been used at the time?
I know it's dried up now but I cant imagine how they funneled it into these narrow neck bottles.
The original post.
