Blacksmith and Metalworking Forum
This is a discussion on very interesting within the Non-Metalworking forums, part of the General Discussions category; Water or Coke, VERY interesting WATER #1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. (Likely applies to half the world population.) ...
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Hmmm, I Wonder If I could use coke for etching pattern welded blades ?
__________________ The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne. - Chaucer We are charged with designing the future, not being victims of it. - R. Buckminster Fuller http://oakwoodforge.blogspot.com/ http://www.goldenboararmoury.com/ |
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There are many myths about America's favorite soft drink. Coke is a very weak acid solution and if my memory serves me correctly it has a pH of around 4. Lemon juice has a pH of around 3 as does vinegar. I doubt the statement that coke will dislove a nail in 4 days. Coke is packaged in aluminum cans among other containers. Aluminum is much less resistant to acid than steel yet the can does not dislove. As for disolving a T-Bone steak in 2 days I find this highly unlikely. To be corrosive to skin or animal tissue a substance must have a pH less than 2.5 or greater than 12. The more concentrated the acid the more corrosive to skin, the weaker the acid solution the more corrosive to metal. I was involved in the transportation of hazardous chemicals including many acids and alkalis for over 20 years. Sulfuric acid in concentrations over 50% are hauled in unlined steel or stainless steel trailers. Concentrations under 50% must be hauled in trailers that have a lining impervious to the acid either rubber or plastic. As for an engine cleaner, to remove grease and oil you need a strong alkali such as Sodium Hydroxide (caustic soda) or Potasium Hydroxide (lye) which will turn the grease into soap, a weak acid solution would have little or no effect on it, while a concentrated acid solution could cause the grease to ignite. Sulfuric Acid H2S04 contains twice as much oxygen as pure oxygen 02. Nitric Acid HN03 is placarded as an oxidizer in shipping instead of a corrosive because of its strong oxidizing potential is a greater hazard than the corrosiveness of the acid. As for etching a blade in coke you could do it if you wanted to wait long enough, but there are other substances that would work faster and better. Woody
__________________ Never try to teach a pig to sing, it wastes your time and annoys the pig. I do not suffer fools gladly. |
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funny thing is I am enjoying a cold glass of coke as I read this..quite ironic...cool post. Thanks Jr. Peyton
__________________ Yesteryear School of Blacksmithing Elmer Roush will be teaching "Tool Makiing for the Blacksmith" January 19-22 2009 Mon.-Thurs. January 23-25 2009 Fri.-Sun. Space is limited! Contact me for more information: yesteryearschool@gmail.com |
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Myth busters did a show on the many myths of coke. They found that it was more corrosive that the same concentration of phosporic acid. It did help dissolve corrosion, and shined a penny up really nice and fast. As for the nail myth, look to any science fair and you should find a project on how fast it dissolves a nail, or a tooth for that matter. The kids that did it when I was in elementary school found that it was faster but still took a while when compared to water. IMO, the no-name brand of cola seems to be more potent, since it gives me heartburn while the true coke doesn't. Last edited by easilyconfused; 10-12-2006 at 08:53 PM. |
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RegionalChaos, coke is a mild acid solution. Weak acid solutions are more corrosive to metal than concentrated acid solutions, heating acid makes it more corrosive to metal. For sulfuric acid every 10 degrees the acid is heated over 80 degrees F. it doubles the corrosion rate to steel, or so I was told years ago by the manager of the acid plant at Inspriation Consolidated Copper Company. If you heat any acid solution, coke, ferric chloride, vinegar, it will make it more corrosive to metal. I have used a boiling vinegar solution to clean up brass shell casings prior to reloading. Woody
__________________ Never try to teach a pig to sing, it wastes your time and annoys the pig. I do not suffer fools gladly. |
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