Cleaning cosmoline out of a RC Kar98k stock - updated with pictures! pg 3

ArtyMan

ArtyMan

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Hey guys,

Yesterday I recieved my newest addition, a 1943 BYF Kar98k. The rifle is a Russian capture and displays all of the typical RC traits - most notably an excess of cosmoline. I have several refurb Mosins in my collection, but no stock has ever been "sticky to the touch" with cosmoline. Basically I want to clean the cosmoline off the rifle.

I completely dissassembled the rifle, and cleaned all metal up really nice with some rags and solvent. I then placed the stock in a garbage bag and let it sit in the sun all afternoon which helped to seep some of it out. After a wipe down with a rag the stock is much better, however there is still much to be desired. I tried the low, even heat with a hairdryer on the upper handguard which didnt do to much. Any other methods? I have read about using differnet chemicals and such, but of course "cleaning" a milsurp stock of any finish or originality is not what Im after.

I want to clean, not refinish! Any ideas?
 
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Also as a side note, the rifle does NOT have a shellacked finish as seen on the refurb 91/30s etc... Just feels really, really sticky with cosmoline.
 
If you have a few more days of hot weather I'd keep on doing the garbage bag trick. Wipe it down after every few hours. I've never had to do anything more so I'm out of advice lol.
 
ArtyMan said:
Hey guys,

Yesterday I recieved my newest addition, a 1943 BYF Kar98k. The rifle is a Russian capture and displays all of the typical RC traits - most notably an excess of cosmoline. I have several refurb Mosins in my collection, but no stock has ever been "sticky to the touch" with cosmoline. Basically I want to clean the cosmoline off the rifle.

I completely dissassembled the rifle, and cleaned all metal up really nice with some rags and solvent. I then placed the stock in a garbage bag and let it sit in the sun all afternoon which helped to seep some of it out. After a wipe down with a rag the stock is much better, however there is still much to be desired. I tried the low, even heat with a hairdryer on the upper handguard which didnt do to much. Any other methods? I have read about using differnet chemicals and such, but of course "cleaning" a milsurp stock of any finish or originality is not what Im after.

I want to clean, not refinish! Any ideas?
Click to expand...

Oven cleaner.. just use a wood mostirizer after because it drys the stock out
 
Not sure the hair dryer will do a thorough job.

My suggestion is to take the stock and hand guard and put it in a garbage bag (as already suggested) on a hot day.

Or take her to the range, fire some shots, and leave her in the sun to warm up and just wipe off what is left.

Honestly, what I did for one of my RCs, was run some really hot (not boiling) water on the stock, wipe it dry afterwards, and hand rub some oil on.
 
Get a box Trisodium Phosphate and clean the stock with a good strong mixture of TSP & hot water and a nylon brush fingernail brush. Don't saturate the wood, be sure to blot it dry as you go.
 
Seeing as the stock is cosmo soaked, a good furniture stripper will take it back to the original wood. Something with caustic soda as part of its make up will work well. Just be aware, the wood will be almost white and will also be feathered slightly.

I've used this process on stocks that were so oil soaked, they were deemed useless. I used the smooth side of a glass jar to wipe down the outside of the stocks so as not to remove any existing stamps or for that matter cause them to deteriorate in any manner.

I then use a product called Schaftol to reoil and if needed, stain back to original color. Schaftol comes in several different shades so it's easily blended to the color needed. It is made by the same people that make Balistol. Smells the same to. Anyway, it goes on with a nice even texture that isn't shiney. If you want a bit of shine in it, mix in a bit of raw or boiled Linseed Oil.
 
Stay away from the oven cleaner !!! It will also dissolve the glue that hold the laminated stock together and also dry the stock out. If you want to clean off the cosmoline you might want to take the stock and put it over a tub of hot water. The steam from the hot water will definitively soften the cosmoline, you can also use some kind of water base cleaner to help. You be surprised how much crud can fall off when you use a bit of elbow grease :p. Watch the iraqvetern8888 video of cleaning surplus stocks. Watch out after cleaning the stock can dry out a bit so a light oil might be inorder.

Remember to have fun Cheers
 
Easy Off Oven Cleaner will make the stock turn a Green Color.

Put the stock up on your roof and let the heat of the sun do the work for you as you wipe it down during the day.
 
haretrigger said:
Get a box Trisodium Phosphate and clean the stock with a good strong mixture of TSP & hot water and a nylon brush fingernail brush. Don't saturate the wood, be sure to blot it dry as you go.
Click to expand...

I've used TSP and water to clean old oxydized oil finishes from No.4 foreends. It cuts through any old crud and absolutely removes every drop or smudge of oil. Use this as a last resort when you need to STRIP not clean a stock.

I've found ordinary hot water and wiping clothes does a great job without leeching out the patina of 60yrs of history.
 
The Chinese SKS's I bought were soaked in cosmo. I put them in the oven at 150 degees and wiped off the oozing goo every ten minutes. They took over an hour till they wiped clean. I doubt a Mauser stock will fit in an oven. I saw a thread on the SKS site where a guy made a cosmo oven out of a piece of pvc pipe and lightbulbs. It was long enough to do full length stocks and he just put a drip pan under it and left it till it all oozed out. I found the thread.
http://www.sksboards.com/smf/index.php?topic=48424.0
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100_2176.jpg
 
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I've been thinking about this and I've decided to try it with a hot plate on the bottom instead of lightbulbs. Of course this will mean buying another rifle.
 
Well I decided to do a little bit of a few methods, using the bag in the sun trick, aswell as placing the stock above the bathtub while running hot water. I also used a gentle soap and some rags. The stock literally gooped and oozed out TONS of gunk and goo. Presumably cosmoline aswell as general dirt and grime. After this the wood was really, really dry and I noticed a small crack on the inside of the stock. I glued the small crack (which tightened up well!) like I did on my SVT, which is still holding well 600+ rounds later. I then gave the entire stock 2 coats of BLO, which from my understanding was what the Germans used circa WWII. The stock retained its original colour and blemishes (which I wanted) and now doesnt feel like a piece of rotting firewood. Originally the very dry stock shrunk it seemed, with loose metal in some areas. After the BLO all parts fit nice and tight and groupings seem to have tightened.

Some may consider this a bubba, but personally I feel it saved the stock from drying up and splintering or cracking. More like a preservative. I more or less see it the same as scrubbing off rust or cleaning gunk off of metal parts. Im sure many will disagree.

Pictures in a bit.
 
Believe it or not, smearing gasoline all over the stock and letting it stand for a week works reasonably well. The vasolene leeches out other oils and traps it (don't ask me how???)

When you wipe it off, the wood is less cosmolene soaked.

Wipe it down with a rag wetted with a little lighter fluid and then apply the oil of choice (I recommend raw linseed oil for K98 laminates).
 
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