Pipe Dope: Longevity on the Shelf

[MattMotoWeldGarage]

Hi, buying some pipe dope. One one hand people seem to have their preferences but there's an overall sentiment that they all do pretty good.

My concern is longevity and being good to use after some time. I would use pipe dope sparingly for plumbing or pipe repairs. Want to be able to open it and it is of the same consistency as I bought it for a "reasonable" amount of time. Granted my last tube of pipe dope is from 15 years ago!

I see that Blue Monster claims to not separate. Any others? I do a pretty good mix of plumbing, pneumatic and natural gas/propane so something that works on all best.

Thank you!

 

[PCustoms]

If it separates, stir it and use it.

Beyond that, all dopes (including blue monster!) have a shelf life. For the average joe this should not be an issue

 

[housewolf]

I’m a plumber that retired in 2019. I’m using dope I bought right after I retired. Stir it up good before using it

I’ve never opened a can of dope & thought, this has gone bad. Cement, very often but never pipe dope

 

[isb cornbinder]

A 100 years.

 

[Hobby_Man22]

I’m a plumber that retired in 2019. I’m using dope I bought right after I retired. Stir it up good before using it

I’ve never opened a can of dope & thought, this has gone bad. Cement, very often but never pipe dope

I used a can of neverseize that separated into a brown syrup liquid at the top that leaked all Ober the floor as soon as I opened it. Must have been the copper or something. I don't see pipe dope going bad unless it's hard as a rock

 

[housewolf]

I used a can of neverseize that separated into a brown syrup liquid at the top that leaked all Ober the floor as soon as I opened it. Must have been the copper or something. I don't see pipe dope going bad unless it's hard as a rock

Good point. Store the stuff upright. I’ve made quite a mess with a can of Rectorseal #5 that was laid on its side for a couple of years probably. Hard to keep that stuff upright in a toolbox on a truck. On the other hand I’ve heard storing cement upside down will help preserve it. Haven’t tried that yet

 

[Fixr]

I've known way too many dopes whose shelf lives have been way too long.

Wait, what?

 

[Hobby_Man22]

Good point. Store the stuff upright. I’ve made quite a mess with a can of Rectorseal #5 that was laid on its side for a couple of years probably. Hard to keep that stuff upright in a toolbox on a truck. On the other hand I’ve heard storing cement upside down will help preserve it. Haven’t tried that yet

It was upright, honestly i'm not sure what happened other than the liquid part of it separated and nearly dripped this brown nastiness on my shoe. I think maybe I had it angled when I was trying to loosen the cap and didn't expect actual liquid to come out since it's supposed to be a thick paste. I just stirred up the rest of it and used it for whatever job I was doing like nothing happened. lol such is life

 

[twistedstang]

It will dry out before its ineffective. Ive also seen guys add some cutting oil to pipe dope thats drying out in a pinch. I have a can thats probably 10 years old at home and its fine.

 

[jubilee]

I use Teflon paste pipe dope. I have some that’s over 20 years old and use as needed. It’s in a gallon can that I spoon over to smaller containers.
I suppose 10-12 years ago, I had to mix a little virgin olive oil into the gallon because it was getting too dry.
I also mix olive oil in anti seize that’s drying out.
I remember about 25 years ago researching MSDS data sheets on the paste pipe dope and anti seize I was using, and virgin olive oil was the closest to the original oils added to products.

 

[finn]

A 100 years.

No. I grabbed some from my mom’s basement after she died. It was either left over from when my dad died in 1998, in which case he bought it at least ten years prior to that, so call it 1988, or when my grandfather passed in 1978, so call it ten years prior to that, 1968.

The oils had separated and the clay base clumped. I couldn’t reconstitute it / homogenize it.

So from that experience, it lasts somewhere between 25 years and fifty years before becoming unusable.

I do know that I used it somewhat successfully perhaps fifteen years ago.

The newer dopes have additional chemicals to improve sealing, so I suspect they will become useless and unuseable sooner.