Hi Gang,  While on the subject…

As a matter of personal taste I prefer:
·  Baby Oil
·  Silicone
·  Ethylene Glycol

Mineral Oil
I do not like Mineral oil because Mineral oil can stain cloth (cloths, table
cloths, etc.), leaving a permanent oil mark, it often sticky to the touch
since it does not superficially evaporate away, and as a strange sweet –
rancid smell after many years.  Additionally since it is a bit sticky it
collects dust and is hard to clean.

Mineral oil is susceptible to growth of certain marine microbes, i.e. – the
same class as those that are found naturally  and are hybridized to eat oil
slicks.  Apparently they can remain dormant for years out side of the ocean
and feed on mineral oil,  who know what this would do to the shell,
packaging and labeling.  (source: US Geology Petroleum Institute - late 1980
’s or early 1990’s paper)

Lighter Fluid
As for mixing it with lighter fluid, it is a solvent, highly flammable, the
fumes are toxic, and its effects on aragonite & calcium carbonate to my
knowledge have never been studied.

Paraffin Oil
Paraffin is wax, so paraffin oil would be a natural wax based oil.  Paraffin
is often derived from petroleum crude. I would suppose it would leave a waxy
coating an not be appropriate for textured and porous shells since it is
probably a translucent rather than transparent liquid.  I would also assume
it would take an additional bit of buffing for it to look right.

Baby Oil
Conversely, baby oil is a much lighter oil with a nice fragrance and will
superficially evaporate, leaving a base oil coating.  I have hear that it
can turn cloudy over time but have had no experience with it.  Large bottles
of baby oil can be bought for as low as $1.00 for non - Johnson & Johnson
brands.

Liquid Silicone
Liquid Silicone is costly but has no odor, it doesn’t break down over time
like oils and is not sticky.  It acts as a moisture barrier locking in the
moisture content of the shell.  The CS viscosity (Centre-quada Scope) of the
Silicone determine the permeability it will have on the shell. If it is too
thick it will not soak into the shell and be strictly superficial.  Silicon
does not have a safe solvent to tin it, an mixing of different CS’s does not
really thin it either.  It becomes a mixture of different size silicone
molecules.  It is like mixing two sizes of rocks together… the rocks do not
become one size.

Periostracum Preservation
To preserve the periostracum, and this is especially good for Fresh Water
Mussels, I use Ethylene Glycol.  It is one of the five Esters (Alcohols) and
is chemically half way between Ethanol & Glycerol.
·  Methanol
·  Isopropanol (Rubbing Alcohol)
·  Ethanol (Ethyl Alcohol)
·  Ethylene Glycol
·  Glycerol (Glycerin)

An effective solution to not having to purchase it specifically is to mix
50/50 Everclear (Ethanol) and Glycerin, shake well.  The solution will
penetrate deep into the shell and into the periostracum.  The superficial
evaporation of the Ethanol will in essence leave the Glycerol deep into the
periostracum and shell nacre.

Leslie