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What Container Do You Use For Acetone Baths, And What Removal Tool?

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ratman4762's Avatar
United States
2520 Posts
 Posted 11/21/2025  3:13 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add ratman4762 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply

Quote:
I use a small glass bowl for the soak and my fingers for removal.
Have to admit I've done that for many years, and still do for a single coin. Bamboo tongs are for many coins and lot of soaking....
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Greasy Fingers's Avatar
United States
6987 Posts
 Posted 11/21/2025  10:43 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Greasy Fingers to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply

Quote:
How do you avoid getting little partial fingerprints near the edge?
Just before coin extraction I wash my hands real well and dry with a fresh towel. Plus I think I have pretty thin fingers....compared to most other people. What... 10 + years of doing this and I haven't seen any prints left on coins.
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HGK3's Avatar
United States
572 Posts
 Posted 11/21/2025  11:54 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add HGK3 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Don't laugh, but I use urine specimen containers. I bought a batch of 6 on ebay and find them to be the perfect size for anywhere from 1 to 10 coins depending on size (of the coins).

Big benefit is that they have leak proof lids, which means no acetone fumes.
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United States
619 Posts
 Posted 11/23/2025  6:08 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add deadmunny to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
The first time I considered trying Acetone, I went looking for thread like this. I ended up experimenting, trial and error.

I use those little white "antique" pond creme jars that I found while bottle hunting. Minimize waste of acetone by going as small as possible. Place something over the jar to slow the evaporation. Do it in the patio where there is plenty of ventilation. Thank you to all who contributed their tips.
Valued Member
United States
117 Posts
 Posted 11/23/2025  10:57 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Bosstone100 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Thank you posting this. I haven't been happy with the containers I'm using.

It makes sense to find something to keep the coin at an angle so you hit more surface area.
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Sap's Avatar
Australia
16804 Posts
 Posted 11/23/2025  11:30 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Sap to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Gloves: Don't use nitrile gloves, unless the nitrile rubber they're made of is different from the nitrile rubber in the gloves at my lab. Those things dissolve in acetone pretty quick. Please test it first before starting off with any coins, and if the gloves disintegrate or get sticky, don't use them with acetone.

Container: anything glass or ceramic that you're not planning to use for human consumption afterwards. Lids are redundant for me as a soak never lasts more than a minute.

Grabber: fingies for me too. I don't trust any gloves not to be acetone-soluble, and I don't trust tongs to not scratch the coins (if made of metal) or be acetone-soluble (if coated with some kind of plastic or rubber).

Location: would seriously recommend not doing it in a regular basement, or anywhere else that's poorly ventilated. If you wouldn;t slosh gasoline around int he same space, don;t use acetone there. If you've got some kind of fume/dust extraction, or even just a good flow-through fan and plenty of open windows, it's not an issue. I always use the bathroom, with the ceiling ventilation switched on.
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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scopru's Avatar
United States
5029 Posts
 Posted 11/24/2025  07:16 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add scopru to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
small glass pinch bowl and fingers. I do my soaks in the garage. I do not usually soak more than a few minutes. If something needs a longer bath than I put a glass window pane over the dish to slow evaporation.
Edited by scopru
11/24/2025 07:18 am
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BStrauss3's Avatar
United States
4587 Posts
 Posted 11/24/2025  12:42 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add BStrauss3 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
I once had one of those painted ASEs.

I ended up using a Pampered Chef glass bowl with a lid and the marbles.

It took a year in acetone (changed it every couple of months and did some agitation) to finally get the last bits off.
-----Burton
50+ year / Life / Emeritus ANA member (joined 12/1/1973)
Life member: Numismatics International, CONECA
Member: TNA, FtWCC, NETCC, EveryCountry (online) coin club
Owned by three cats and a wife of 40+ years (joined 1983)

Author: 3rd Edition of the Sample Slabs book, https://www.sampleslabs.info/
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