[Mods: Apologies if this is in the wrong section, I couldn't find a more suitable one]

OK, I have a simple question for all UK Nexians...

WHERE, in this day and age can you get naphtha that is:

A) Light (i.e. heptane downwards, no octane or nonane), and preferably aliphatic;

B) NOT full of adulterants that are unsafe and unfit for use for spice extraction;

and most important of all...

C) Available on the high street?

I am well aware that hexane, heptane, xylene and all the trimmings are easily available online through ebay, etc, but IMO you've got to be mad to even consider ordering solvents off the internet for illicit purposes. I'm pretty sure your details get run through a police database as a legal requirement.. no thanks. I even saw one site selling hexane that included in the terms and conditions that by ordering from them you consent to having your premises searched. I don't believe all this hoo-hah applies to limonene, however. I've ordered that from ebay before but I don't want to go that route again because if I'm not mistaken the extraction is more involved and you need fumaric acid, etc which I don't have.

The most common approach in this country seems to be lighter fluid, but there are many warnings scattered over the web that certain brands are no good because they leave a residue, and even more confusingly conflicting reports of the same brand, perhaps due to different formulas being sold in different countries. Last time around I got Swan lighter fluid which actually says on the tin is "light aliphatic" and evaps clean. But this time I did the rounds of the newsagents etc, and both of the ones I tried said they didn't sell any lighter fluid at all? Has the law changed here or something? Very odd.

Coleman camping fuel is spoken highly of in some circles, but it contains "rust inhibitor", and AFAIK the only inhibitor that you should take with spice is the MAO-kind. White spirit is easily available, labelled C9-C12, which I believe is classed as heavy naphtha. I hear mixed reports about the efficacy of heavy naphtha, and am loathe to risk my bark experimenting when every tek presumably says to use light naphtha for a reason.

I've scoured the net but have come up empty so far. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Peace and good vibes,

alk

Panel Wipe is pure naphtha, very clean.
Used for cleaning car panels prior to spraying.

Motor factors or eBay.

Every pound shop sells lighter fluid.

Do you guys have Benzinum medicinale in your pharmacies? Benzinum medicinale = Petroleum ether.

http://www.haenseler.ch/...um-medicinale-23445.html

Some people use cigarette lighter fluid....

I'd heard about panel wipe before, but wasn't sure where to get it. Thanks.



Really?? Never knew that. Thanks again.



Was chatting to someone once who said they used petroleum ether, but I couldn't find anywhere that sold it. I'll check some pharmacies, thanks.

I use this:

http://www.diy.com/departments/bartoline-white-spirit-2l/259277_BQ.prd

It's useless for evapourating though so you will have to use freeze precipitation method.

I have also heard that 'Tetrosyl Panel Wipe' is really good. You can buy it on eBay...

Yeah I've seen that, been considering it as a last resort if I can't find any light naphtha. I was against the idea since in another thread someone with considerable chemistry expertise that that freeze precip would be impossible with heavy naphtha. But I've read multiple accounts now that it does in fact work.

Ronsonol and swan work just fine

Go to Wilkinsons they always have swan

Nigh swan.. I tried Morrison's and Tesco and neither stocked lighter fluid of any kind, which struck me as bizarre. I was unaware Wilkinson's even had a tobacco kiosk - my local Morrison's have got rid of theirs entirely which baffled me even further. I've heard mixed reports of Ronsonol - some say it's fine, others say it leaves a residue on evap. Is it ok for evap as well as freeze precip?