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Author Topic: Buying lye in NY  (Read 4983 times)

Offline Mark Zizzi

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Buying lye in NY
« on: January 14, 2014, 06:56:03 PM »
Ok fellow ny'ers...where do you get your lye? I was at Lowes and Tractor Supply today and those stores  told me they no longer can carry it. In fact the guy at Lowes said it is illegal to buy in NY now, because it's used in the manufacture of  methamphetamine. I walked out thinking that can't be right...I would  have read about that here. A quick check on ebay found lots for sale, with no caveats about shipping to NY.
What's the deal?  :-?
Anyway, I guess I'll go ahead and order online... is this a good choice? Thanks.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-lb-Food-Grade-Sodium-Hydroxide-Red-Hot-Devil-Lye-NaOH-/230504604178?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35ab252212
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Offline Cheryl Watson

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Re: Buying lye in NY
« Reply #1 on: January 14, 2014, 07:03:28 PM »
At the top of this board is this thread...


Where to Buy Lye and Other Supplies

With links and all... so you will know what it looks like.:)
Don't ask for lye....

Look in the drain cleaner section, and read the labels:
100% Sodium Hydroxide
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Offline Cheryl Watson

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Re: Buying lye in NY
« Reply #2 on: January 14, 2014, 07:04:15 PM »
PS... AAA Chemical will be a lot cheaper, most usually....
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Offline Mark Zizzi

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Re: Buying lye in NY
« Reply #3 on: January 14, 2014, 08:08:34 PM »
Hey Cheryl,
Yes I did read that before I left the house..thats why I went to straight to Lowes and then Tractor Supply. I don't have an Ace hardware or that other one near me. And if you follow the Lowes link, it says no longer available online...and wasn't available at the store either. Don't know if that's just in NY stores or not. The nearest Ace hardware says 1-7 days availability..which suggests it's not on the shelves, but you could order it maybe. Try it with my zip..13732 and you'll see what I mean.   So anyway, I don't need a huge amount right now..1 or 2 lbs should do it..just not sure where the best place to buy. Just noticed shipping on my ebay link above is 15.25...that would be over 20 bucks for 2 lbs....seems high.
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Offline Mark Zizzi

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Re: Buying lye in NY
« Reply #4 on: January 14, 2014, 08:28:15 PM »
Hmm...now that you mention it, I did ask for lye...not the specific brand name, like Rooto.  I'll go back and  check in the plumbing sections..instead of the cleaners section. Maybe they just didn't realize those products are the lye I needed...
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Offline Cheryl Watson

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Re: Buying lye in NY
« Reply #5 on: January 14, 2014, 09:34:06 PM »
Most store employeees do not know that SOME drain cleaners are lye.
The most important thing to know is that drain cleaners can contain lye and other things, other drain cleaners contain ACID which is very bad for CI.  That is why reading the labels is SO VERY important.

and must be crystals... liquid drain cleaners, IF they contain sodium hydroxide, are too watered down.....

I have educated my local Tractor Supply staff, and Lowe's staff, and ACE Hardware staff(some of the staff there did know what lye was, but only one or two of the folks)....
and my local Tractor supply staff has taught me a few things also during discussions of electrolysis, etc.   ;)
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Offline Mark Zizzi

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Re: Buying lye in NY
« Reply #6 on: January 14, 2014, 10:15:57 PM »
Yeah, I'm thinkin maybe both the store employee and the customer didn't know in this case.  ::) But I'm still wondering..what do you and others usually pay per pound for this stuff...not in bulk, but a pound or 2. Thanks.
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Offline Stuart Lowery

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Re: Buying lye in NY
« Reply #7 on: January 15, 2014, 01:30:07 AM »
Mark,
  here's the link to AAA Chemicals that Cheryl mentioned. You can buy 2 lbs, or more to save shpg. I compared shpg and seem to recall getting 8 lbs or more (it doesn't go bad). low shpg costs & good service with these guys, and they even have a sale now and then :)

http://www.aaa-chemicals.com/sodium-hydroxide-technical-grade.html
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Offline Cheryl Watson

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Re: Buying lye in NY
« Reply #8 on: January 15, 2014, 01:40:07 AM »
Mark, shipping can be pricey due to "hazardous" substance categorization, and it does weigh a bit.

I check the best deal from a supplier... per lb. price... gotta crunch the numbers... sometimes 12 lbs is cheaper per lb than 16 lbs... then I add to cart and get the shipping amount, and recalculate price per lb. 

Browsing current prices... looks like they have gone up.
I usually get coupons from AAA, haven't received any lately....


I still would be paying $2.96 per pound which includes shipping.
I usually order 32 lbs. at a time.  If I get a coupon, it would be less.
« Last Edit: January 15, 2014, 01:48:07 AM by lillyc »
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Offline Mark Zizzi

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Re: Buying lye in NY
« Reply #9 on: January 15, 2014, 07:08:02 AM »
Thanks Stuart and Cheryl, I'll check out that link.  :)
What's the dif between food grade and technical grade?
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Offline Cheryl Watson

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Re: Buying lye in NY
« Reply #10 on: January 15, 2014, 07:20:49 AM »
Food grade is considered a purer grade for use in food products.
I started out using Tech Grade, was usually cheaper.
Then I tried Food Grade, because it was cheaper.
Last spring I ordered Tech Grade from AAA (cheaper) and received Food Grade instead... go figure.
This made me UNHAPPY, as I had observed some issues with the Food Grade that I did not have with the Tech Grade. I wanted the TECH grade.

Food Grade works, and cleans the iron, but...
1.  I felt that the efficacy was less with Food Grade, and I had to add lye more often to bump it up

2.  I observed 'rusting in the lye bath' phenomena that I had not seen with the Tech grade.  Now, not serious 'bad' rust, it scrubs off.  Just caused a little more scrub time and effort.

I called AAA and the chemist was supposed to call me, never did.  Never got an explanation as to why I did not receive what I ordered... but the lady that answered the phone would really like me to send her a CI skillet!
Sniff... I'll send her a skillet when they return my call! ;D ;D ;D

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Offline Tom Neitzel

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Re: Buying lye in NY
« Reply #11 on: January 15, 2014, 08:14:08 AM »
Cheryl, I was just looking at Essential Depot and did find Technical Grade.  I had to scroll way down to the bottom of their listing.  $31.99 for 10 lbs, free shipping.  $35.99 for Food Grade.  (I did just find that they really don't sell Technical Grade even though they list it.)

Last year I decided to try Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) because it is the actual lye that was made from wood ashes in the past (only learned that when I was studying leavening agents.  Wood ashes made Pearl Ash (KOH) that was used to make an early leavening agent.   Costs more, $43.99.  Works great, maybe better since it cost more  :D.  Nice flakes, dissolves really easy.  Needs the same precautions as Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH).

Just noticed that NaOH is $33.32 for 32 lbs. food grade right now there (you have to pay shipping - about $40 to me, with their promotion.).

All their products are shipped in 2 lb container.  But that is sure a lot of lye to have around.  I don't think I would ever use that much.
« Last Edit: January 15, 2014, 08:30:48 AM by tomnn2000 »
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Offline Mark Zizzi

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Re: Buying lye in NY
« Reply #12 on: January 15, 2014, 10:05:44 AM »
Great info, thanks Cheryl   Heck..I'll call ya if that's all it takes to get a skillet  ;D

Just checked AAA and Essential. Couple bucks cheaper at essential until midnight Friday...shipping the same...15 and change to me.
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Offline Jim Glatthaar

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Re: Buying lye in NY
« Reply #13 on: January 16, 2014, 12:48:58 AM »
Mark, I have several True Value hardware stores in my area and they all sell sodium hydroxide.  In fact, they don't know what it is until I tell them lye, then they say "Oh, right in the plumbing section.  I've found them to be helpful if you have one near you.
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Offline Mark Zizzi

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Re: Buying lye in NY
« Reply #14 on: January 16, 2014, 11:28:50 AM »
Hi Jim, Yeah was all set to order some online yesterday and decided to call a few places first and ask they carried Rooto or Roebic instead of just asking for lye.  The first True Value store I called said they had Rooto. So on the way there I have to pass Tractor Supply..the same one that told me they didn't carry lye. I had to check. Sure enough, there in the plumbing section were several 2lb bottles of Roebic. The same woman was at the register. I showed her the label...100% pure lye. She goes "You're not really going to use that on your pots and pans are you?" She was horrified!  ;D  Went on about how I should just boil them in water like she does with her CI. I told her to google "cleaning cast iron with lye" when she gets home.
 Anyway, I mixed up a batch in a tub and put this crusty old #8 Erie skillet a friend gave me in there. This is my first time ever doing it..I can't believe what that water looks like today. It's working good, and now I can finally see that there are no numbers under the crud, which I guess means it is a 2nd series Erie. I can't wait to show it to my friend when I'm done! He went and bought a brand new one somewhere because he didn't want to clean this one.. and no, he isn't getting it back!  ;) ;D
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Offline Cheryl Watson

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Re: Buying lye in NY
« Reply #15 on: January 16, 2014, 11:39:12 AM »
Told ya so! ;D ;D ;) ;)
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Offline Mark Zizzi

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Re: Buying lye in NY
« Reply #16 on: January 16, 2014, 12:21:08 PM »
Yup you sure did! I bet Lowes has it too...after I was told it was illegal to buy lye in NY!
I feel stupid now for even starting this thread   ::)..but I did get some good information!  :D ;)
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Offline Scott Jarvis

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Re: Buying lye in NY
« Reply #17 on: January 16, 2014, 09:02:58 PM »
I checked for a Lowes in Apalachin and it showed the closest strore was in Vestal NY. Not sure how close it is but according to their web site that store caries Roebic brand drain cleaner. The packaging looks different but it is the same brand that I got from Lowes.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_486650-331-HD-CRY-DO_0__?productId=4751600&Ntt=roebic&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Droebic&facetInfo=
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Offline Cheryl Watson

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Re: Buying lye in NY
« Reply #18 on: January 16, 2014, 09:11:04 PM »
Aha... Roebic has changed their packaging!  Will update the links in the sticky thread! 

P.S.... The advice offered is because many of us were also told the same thing by store clerks, etc. when we first tried to buy our first bottle of Lye... the only stupid question is the one you never ask!  ;)

and now all the other newer folks cruising thru the forum just learned a little something also!  Thanks for asking the question!(s).
« Last Edit: January 16, 2014, 09:20:46 PM by lillyc »
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Offline Mark Zizzi

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Re: Buying lye in NY
« Reply #19 on: January 17, 2014, 08:10:46 AM »
Thanks Cheryl  8-)

Hi Scott, yes that's the Lowes store I was at. I should have asked where the drain cleaning supplies are. I was in the household cleaners area, didn't see it so asked a clerk if they sold lye. He didn't know so he picked up a phone..whoever he was talking to said they can't sell it anymore and it was illegal to buy or sell in NY. Can't wait to go back and show them a bottle of Roebic.  ;) ;D   By the way....it was couple bucks cheaper at Tractor Supply..13 bucks for 2 lb bottle.  Odd thing is, if you check the website for that location (Vestal) it says "out of stock". So I guess you just have to check for yourself. They had several bottles.
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