Gas attack

[Bigfly]

OK, now I need help....
My boat's fuel tank vapor guard was left open sitting in the camper.
It tipped over, and dripped onto TWO steelhead fly boxes! $200-300 in time,at least, let alone burning and dyeing and hooks......
I know steelies won't eat them that way.
Barring a re-tye, (although I need the practice) what do you knowledgeable guys think I can do to remove the smell/taste? I have a trip coming up...
I'm sure I'm not the first to do this, but hope I'm the last..........

By the way, my C&F box held up to fuel. The cheap plastic box did not....

Jim

 

[fyshstykr]

I think they're toast Jim. Time to get the razor blade out.

 

[littledavid123]

I would suggest trying Dawn dish washing detergent. If it will satisfactorily clean a duck or sea otter and send them on their way, it may work for your streamers.

Dave

 

[FrankB2]

Bummer! Try these links:
Remove Gasoline Stains: Easy Tips for the Stain and the Odor

Cleaning | Stain Removal from Clothes Tip: Remove Gasoline Odor From Clothing

The can of Coke and baking powder combo seems to be popular. What do you have to loose beside a couple bucks?

 

[diamond rush]

I'm speaking as a chemist here. This might be a long shot, but if you soaked the whole box in a volatile organic solvent, such as alkanes, chloroform, or acetone (fingernail polish remover), the gas should partition into the solvent, and the whole mixture can be rinsed off with more solvent. The volatile solvent should then harmlessly evaporate.

In his book, Trout, Roy Bergman describes this method for cleaning dry flies in conjunction with dissolved candle wax to help buoyancy. He goes on to posit that organic chemicals actually have been observed to attract trout in some cases. So even if you can't get your flies squeaky clean, they may still work just fine.

Some safety concerns: Never mix volatile solvents with heat, heating elements, or flame. Don't open containers in closed spaces, and always have proper ventilation. Don't inhale or ingest the chemicals. Also, the chemicals Bergman recommends in his book are carcinogenic and not easily obtainable to the public.

When working with solvents, be familiar with the publicly available MSDS safety information. Google those terms if you're not familiar with them

 

[milt spawn]

When I saw the title of this thread I had visions of the chuckwagon scene in Blazing Saddles. Plain kitty litter might work well, especially if they are still wet. milt.

 

[ddombos2]

I'm speaking as a chemist here. This might be a long shot, but if you soaked the whole box in a volatile organic solvent, such as alkanes, chloroform, or acetone (fingernail polish remover), the gas should partition into the solvent, and the whole mixture can be rinsed off with more solvent. The volatile solvent should then harmlessly evaporate.

In his book, Trout, Roy Bergman describes this method for cleaning dry flies in conjunction with dissolved candle wax to help buoyancy. He goes on to posit that organic chemicals actually have been observed to attract trout in some cases. So even if you can't get your flies squeaky clean, they may still work just fine.

Some safety concerns: Never mix volatile solvents with heat, heating elements, or flame. Don't open containers in closed spaces, and always have proper ventilation. Don't inhale or ingest the chemicals. Also, the chemicals Bergman recommends in his book are carcinogenic and not easily obtainable to the public.

When working with solvents, be familiar with the publicly available MSDS safety information. Google those terms if you're not familiar with them

I'd watch it with this approach, as a lot of these solvents will attack and dissolve the synthetic fibers in the flies themsleves.

You might be able to get away with Butane or some type of sscent-free lighter fluid. I want to say that Park Magic Sauce floatant is actually a wax emulsified in something akin to lighter fluid.

 

[Bigfly]

Thanks for all the immediate support, and pm's. This sort of thing is traumatic....
Dam near needed CPR. I realized you can't do that by yourself. (possible product idea?)
Fysh, so little faith! And is cutting up the best flies I've ever tyed, the insult, or the injury?
Mr. rush, your second paragraph helped, the third took all the fun out.
Catch cancer and/or get blown up....I've used up all my chloroform...
But I appreciated the info. I'm sure Mr. Bergman did his homework as well.
Thought by sharing, I might help prevent future catastrophes, even if it is embarrassing.
Besides, I can't be the first.....

 

[HuronRiverDan]

Big, try soaking them in reconstituted lemon juice; I use it to get the gas smell off my hands, can't hurt to try it...

Dan

 

[Bigfly]

Dan, do you think unreconstituted lemon will work? I have some of that, HA.
I'll try Dawn, with an astringent rinse.
Who knows, they might like a sour treat?
Maybe I should soak in fish oil (WD) to prevent against rust too....(Humor).

 

[littledavid123]

Jim, report back so we know if you got blown up and if anything worked...

PS: The deductible on a emergency room visit would cost more than replacing the streamers!!!

Dave

 

[JoJer]

Won't most of those solvents dissolve the head cement?

P.S. Acetone is nasty stuff. Flamable, spontaneously combusts, carcinogenic, difficult to find someone to take it from you if you dispose of it legally and it can really dry out the skin on your hands.

 

[pab1]

This might be a long shot but have you thought about using a scent eliminating spray like Primos Silver XP?

 

[kayo]

try soaking them in methanol (will not harm feathers or cement), then soak them in soap water with a splash of fish sauce or shrimp paste (chinese).

 

[diamond rush]

Won't most of those solvents dissolve the head cement?

P.S. Acetone is nasty stuff. Flamable, spontaneously combusts, carcinogenic, difficult to find someone to take it from you if you dispose of it legally and it can really dry out the skin on your hands.

Well, the original dowsing in gas had a good chance of dissolving the head cement also. But yes, any organic solvent will most likely dissolve the head cement.

Care should be exercised with any organic solvent, but acetone really isn't that bad. Its commercially available as fingernail polish remover, and is naturally produced by the body in normal metabolism in small amounts.

 

[Vans]

Ok, that really sucks. Sorry man.

On a higher note you get to go shopping for flies again?

 

[Ard]

Hi Jim and everyone else also,

I've never had this problem but would be inclined to go with David's Dawn wash with good warm tap water. I would let them soak a little while, stir, and then rinse several times. After all of this if the flies still seemed to be holding together I would let them air dry lined out on a towel for at least a day. If they still seemed good to go I would put them back in my box and forget that this had happened. To constantly think about this while fishing with the flies will not be a good confidence builder.

Remember you will be swinging these flies as a visual lure to the target species not fishing them dead on the bottom relying on the olfactory sense of the fish in question to locate and approve of them as a food or prey source. Also remember that we are talking about fish that will try to eat a Vibrex Blue Fox spinner or a Pixie Spoon......... :fishing:

 

[MoscaPescador]

When I saw the title of this thread I had visions of the chuckwagon scene in Blazing Saddles. Plain kitty litter might work well, especially if they are still wet. milt.

Dang it, Milt! You beat me to that!

 

[lancer09]

I second the acetone, We actually discussed this sort of thing in my organic chem class last semester. Separate a few and try some with the diff. techniques and see which works the best and go from there.

 

[Ard]

I would be very reluctant to go the chemical route with this. If they survived the gas attack that is because the gas is not such a corrosive compound. I know that some floss and other dyed materials will bleed with acstone. Some floss is made to emulsify when you put acetone on it, this is intended in the material.

Just say'n