OK I had to have a title to start this post. I have a question for those of you that build your own monoblocks. I have finished fitting mine and wondered how I get the smoke/soot out of the pores of the metal short of polishing which I have to do anyway. I will need to solder the barrels in and want a very clean surface to solder to. I have the block bored and threaded but they are really sooty. I used a kerosene lamp to smoke and other than having to clean the bench the overhead light and the wall of soot I have finished that stage. I am ready to move on.