Whistle Mix: Sodium vs. Potassium Benzoate

[mabuse00]

Hi,

 

wich one do you prefer?

 

I've got a little batch of sodium benzoate from a friend.

Unfortunately it's very hygroscopic. Potassium Benzoate is hygroscopic too, but maybe less...?

 

Sodium benzoate is much cheaper.

[Gunzway]

Yeah, sodium benzoate is very much more hygroscopic than potassium benzoate. You're quite correct to say that sodium benzoate is cheaper. Personally I would prefer potassium benzoate as I don't make much whistles and I find hygroscopicity to be a problem with my whistles. I don't mind spending the extra money.

[inonickname]

I don't bother with stuff that's extremely hygroscopic if at all possible. You don't need water introduced which ends in slow comps, metathesis to stuff-you-don't-really-want, poor performance and fizzles. Unless the cost is a large constraint I wouldn't hesitate to use the potassium salt, which is usually much less hygroscopic than it's sodium counterpart.

[dagabu]

Interestingly enough, when using a phlegmatizer such as wax (dissolved) or mineral oil, the issue with hygroscopic damage seems to largely disappear. I made a dozen 1# whistles with others that wanted to see what this whistle thing was all about and my Na-Benzo fuel worked fine, didn't turn to mush or melt.

 

The heat was in the 90s and the dew point was in the lower 80s, don't get much more humid than that.

[Twotails]

I have always wonderd what was better(Not stricly personal prefrence) Is There any Data on Na Vs K whistle in strength, Pitch, Durability, % cato, ect. and possably sensitivity. Now truly to test the variables each would have to be made EXACTLY the same, chemicals, pressure during pressing, ect. Personaly(not having made whistle yet) I would lean towards the potassium salt(just for the fact of the sodium salt being more hydroscopic, although to each his own)

[mabuse00]

Yeah, sodium benzoate is very much more hygroscopic than potassium benzoate

Thanks. That's exactly the information i was loocking for:)

[dagabu]

I have always wonderd what was better(Not stricly personal prefrence) Is There any Data on Na Vs K whistle in strength, Pitch, Durability, % cato, ect. and possably sensitivity. Now truly to test the variables each would have to be made EXACTLY the same, chemicals, pressure during pressing, ect. Personaly(not having made whistle yet) I would lean towards the potassium salt(just for the fact of the sodium salt being more hydroscopic, although to each his own)

 

 

Yes, check out Danny Creagans web site, LINK. There is a lot of testing here and it may answer your questions.

[Twotails]

Thanks, that solves just about every question(even Uranium Oxide! wow!) well exept for sensitivity of each composition(bah, i'll probably buy both, and just use them and see what my personal prefrence is)