As a chemical engineer with 25 years experience in the petroleum refining business I can say that that petroleum products in general, at least excluding additives, are not a high cancer risk agent. Probably the most carginogenic substance commonly found in petroleum products is Benzene, but that appears in gasoline, which is a much lighter fraction of crude oil than that used to manufacture motor oil. Heavier aromatic compounds (in the same family as Benzene) might present a much smaller cancer risk, but these have always been removed from motor oil to improve its lubricating qualities. Motor oil is very similar chemically to peroleum jelly, which people apply directly to the skin, so any carcinogenic properties of motor oil would be solely due to additives.
If Frank Berto really is/was a petroleum engineer, he may not know what he is talking about. That is because in the industry, a Petroleum Engineer refers to an engineer who is involved in finding, drilling and producing crude oil and natural gas from the ground. Petroleum Engineers typically have very limited knowledge of finished petroluem products, as oil refineries are run by Chemical Engineers, with degrees in a different branch of engineering. If heavy aromatics is the concern, for example, many Petroleum Engineers would not know that these are removed from motor oil in the refining process.
I wouldn't use motor oil on a saddle, but only because I would be afraid of damaging the saddle, not out of any cancer concern. Used motor oil, on the other hand, is a completely different story, as it contains metals and all sorts of other contaminants.
Regards,
Jerry Moos Big Spring, TX
Mark Bulgier <Mark@bulgier.net> wrote:
Fred Rafael Rednor wrote:
> [snip] Lon Haldeman used 30 weight motor oil to
> condition and break in his saddles.
> Given the amazing number of replies that Harvey has included
> here, I'm curious if anyone on this list has actually used the
> motor oil treatment?
IIRC, we have been warned by petroleum engineers, Frank Berto among them I believe, to not use motor oil on saddles. I seem to remember the problem was carcinogens, specifically the additives, not the oil per se.
Used motor oil is a known (not just suspected) carcinogen, but I don't remember how bad new motor oil is. Probably varies from brand to brand. But given the aggregate history of the oil companies and the concern they've shown about our health over the years, I sure wouldn't trust the stuff.
Maybe the amount you'd get through padded shorts is small enough to be an acceptable risk to you. For me, just thinking about it would tend to spoil the ride. There are plenty of safer alternatives.
Mark Bulgier
Seattle WA USA