Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Where can I find Xekote???

This is topic Where can I find Xekote??? in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=009998

Posted by John B. Keathley (Member # 5205) on 07-21-2009, 08:32 AM:

My theatre shops on mycinemastore and I can not find Xekote on the website. I love using it to clean my dust traps and film gates. Anyone know where I can find it or know an alternative. [Confused]

Posted by Mike Olpin (Member # 1115) on 07-21-2009, 09:38 AM:

Film-Guard is a great alternative, click products on the left and check it out. Just put a little on a rag and clean away.

It's also significantly less toxic than Xekote.

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 07-21-2009, 10:20 AM:

Hadden gave up on Xecote during 2008. Apparently they can't or won't make it anymore.

We have steered all our customers over to Film-Guard as well. Cheaper and almost certainly better. Louis

Posted by John B. Keathley (Member # 5205) on 07-21-2009, 08:41 PM:

Thanks for the input guys!! [thumbsup]

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 07-21-2009, 09:21 PM:

Film-Guard also does not evaporate whilst sitting in the bottle like Xekote does. Go Film-Guard...

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 07-21-2009, 09:58 PM:

JacRoe's cleaner/lubricant is also pretty good...its lubricant is based on silicone rather than parafin like XeKote.

Steve

Posted by John Walsh (Member # 168) on 07-21-2009, 10:55 PM:

XeCote has chemicals considered environmentally unfriendly nowadays. In addition to getting hard to get the chemicals, less and less was being sold and UPS would sometimes (and sometimes not)classify it as; 'dangerous chemicals' and refuse to ship it.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 07-21-2009, 11:01 PM:

I never found any use for Xekote. Renovex, on the other hand, makes everything its bitch. It evaporates super fast and is super toxic as well, but nobody's perfect!

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 07-27-2009, 01:57 PM:

Super toxic isn't a bad thing. It means it's working. When you start growing the third eye in the middle of your forehead, you know your projectors are getting REALLY clean.

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 07-27-2009, 05:26 PM:

XeKote is/was embalming fluid. At least, it smelled like it. And would get you high like it, too.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 07-27-2009, 05:29 PM:

No, that is a myth. As my grandma's corpse can testify, Xekote does NOT work well as embalming fluid!

Posted by Jon P. Inghram (Member # 4125) on 07-27-2009, 06:39 PM:

1,1,1-Trichloroethane isn't particularly nasty (except to ozone) and paraffin wax is pretty much harmless, so it's not as bad as regular paint thinner or other more potent solvents.

Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 07-28-2009, 04:32 PM:

I used to use XeKote all the time and found it worked pretty well for cleaning the projectors, but as noted was not that good on the film itself.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 07-31-2009, 05:48 PM:

I still have two gallons of 1,1,1-Trichloroethane left, and HEY SIERA CLUB -- I STILL USE IT! In fact, I spray the damn stuff right into the air just to be a prick. Not really; in fact, years ago Marvel Comics used to offer an Ozone Generating Bulb that was supposed to purify the air and give you that fresh ozone scent like what you get "in a forest after a thunderstorm" -- evidently back then, ozone was good -- I used to sleep with the bulb on all the time, no one told my mom that it was a POISON.

Today, I am very environmentally astute; whenever I use the 1,1,1-Trichloroethane to clean the projectors, I turn on the ozone bulb. They are not going to accuse me of messing up the ozone layer.

Posted by John Hawkinson (Member # 1135) on 07-31-2009, 06:18 PM:

While I'm sure you're not serious, the problem with ozone has to do with location. Ozone at sea level is not helpful, releasing it down here won't make it up to the upper atmosphere where it is necessary. Ozone-depleting chemicals rise to the ozone layer and deplete it.

I also assume you're not actually cleaning projectors with 1,1,1-tricholorethane. It's fine to use to clean film, but using it on projectors seems a damn waste.

--jhawk

Posted by Bob Koch (Member # 1062) on 07-31-2009, 09:15 PM:

I don`t know if you can buy carbon tetrachoride[forgive the spelling] in the drugstore any more but when I was a kid, long long ago It was loaded in fire extinguisers as "PYRENE" I cant believe Xecoat is anything except the above mentioned.

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 07-31-2009, 09:32 PM:

Carbon tet was a common cleaner and solvent found in all good booths, but it was DEADLY.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 07-31-2009, 11:05 PM:

One theatre that I worked at had carbon tet glass extingusher bottles mounted on a frame with a spring loaded lead breakaway hammer along with gallons of the stuff to clean carpets with.

Carbon Tet was fantastic stuff to use: You drop a bearing that is loaded with old grease and oil in a container with this stuff, the grease and oil would literally dissolve and you would have the cleanest bearing in your hands

BUT, as long as you wore long sleeve, black lab style rubber gloves while dealing with the stuff, you were doing okey..and with plenty of ventilation.

It was deadly due to that it would absorb in the skin and destroy your liver...

-Monte

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 08-01-2009, 10:48 AM:

quote: John Hawkinson
I also assume you're not actually cleaning projectors with 1,1,1-tricholorethane. It's fine to use to clean film, but using it on projectors seems a damn waste.

What makes you say that John? I pour it in smaller squirt cans and use it to clean film, yes, but I also squirt some on a clean rag and spot clean the working side of the projectors all the time. It's effective, it's quick, it evaporates nicely....what else do you want in a general cleaner?

Posted by John Hawkinson (Member # 1135) on 08-01-2009, 12:35 PM:

My experience that less aggressive cleaners do a fine job on projectors themselves (unlike film), and given the really limited supplies of 1,1,1-trichloroethane, I wouldn't waste it. Just my two cents.

--jhawk