Removing oil from old ships timbers?

[compo]

Hi folks

I have come into a quantity of VERY old Teak from a ships deck and it's lovely.
However, the surface it coated in years of tar, oil etc obviously from swabbing the decks. It is just too wasteful to cut this off.

Does anyone have any suggestions for removing the ingrained oil? In cross section the oil penetrates 3/4 mm in some areas.

I read about a restorer who ironed a surface bring the oil up and set light to it. Anyone know any more about this, or have any other ideas? I've also heard of using petrol.

Guess I need the help of a good restorer.

Any suggestions please...

Thanks, Sean

 

[houtslager]

give it a good scrape with either a freshly sharpened scraper blade or new skarsen type scraper.when you have most of the crap removed from the surface, move outside, using a liberally soaked - dripping - in meths wash the surface down and stand at arm's length and light the surface.You may have to do this 3 or 4 times.This will draw out all oils / finished out from the pores and give you a good surface to start on .

hth,

HS

 

[MikeG.]

:shock:


I hope you don't consider doing this under the eaves of your thatched cottage.....

How close do you live to the nearest burns unit??? :


Mike