removing cosmo?

[djmay71]

Ok, yea, I know the standard ways of removing cosmo from a firearm (solvents, brake cleaner, etc.), but after reading a bit, I read that by applying heat, and let sit in heat, would also work. (most likely known as the oven method to you guys)
Now for my next firearm, I am eyeing up the M14/305. My major con is dealing with that darn cosmo.

Now I don't have access to an oven, (Ok- correction I do, but neither my GF nor my mother will let me use their oven) but I do have access to a sauna. The sauna is a home sauna, btw.)
Anyways, how hot would the ambient temperature need to be to remove the cosmo?

EDIT: the sauna only goes to about 65 C, but its infarred heat, and it feels closer to 80 or 90 C at full temp.

 

[colin455]

Wouldn't heat just soften/partially liquify the cosmoline? Thereby making if messy?
I just read a passage in a book that extolled the virtues of white vinegar for cosmo removal. Haven't tried it yet so I have no results. I can confirm that aerosol CRC Brakekleen does an excellent job with little or no residue. Suspend over pail and wash/spray from top down. Let excess run off into catch pail.
I am interested in trying the vinegar, if nothing else just for research.

 

[Aaron92]

I am using one of those heat dishes that was purchased at costco awhile ago its working so far with my mosin and svt (using/doing right now)

 

[djmay71]

Seeing as I tend to be super cheap, I'm trying to not have to buy a $5 can of brake cleaner, but I suppose if I have to, I have to.

I am using one of those heat dishes that was purchased at costco awhile ago its working so far with my mosin and svt (using/doing right now)

Heat dishes?
Please elaborate.

I'm assuming a steamer might work too? IE: Like those ones you can rent?

 

[Airwolf]

Ok, yea, I know the standard ways of removing cosmo from a firearm (solvents, brake cleaner, etc.), but after reading a bit, I read that by applying heat, and let sit in heat, would also work. (most likely known as the oven method to you guys)
Now for my next firearm, I am eyeing up the M14/305. My major con is dealing with that darn cosmo.

Now I don't have access to an oven, (Ok- correction I do, but neither my GF nor my mother will let me use their oven) but I do have access to a sauna. The sauna is a home sauna, btw.)
Anyways, how hot would the ambient temperature need to be to remove the cosmo?

EDIT: the sauna only goes to about 65 C, but its infarred heat, and it feels closer to 80 or 90 C at full temp.

Chemicals, soaking, smell....Why bother?....Buy a small portable steam cleaner .....Strip it down and use the pressurized steam jet to melt the cosmoline away.....You can get into every nook and cranny, and since it heats the metal, it dries in no time....Far, far easier than other methods....And it has other uses as well....it works.....I cleaned a Garand that was caked in cosmoline in just 90 minutes, and I was taking my time....I did my SKS in even less time....You do have to re-fill the container several times, so just drink some beer while it heats up between fillings....Oh, and it`s best to use distilled water....It`s called the Steam Shark and you can buy one at Canadian Tire, about 70 bucks....

 

[TACTICAL111]

My major con is dealing with that darn cosmo

No con at all. Strip her naked and wipe her down clean with a microfibre towel. Clean the barrel and gas system with solvent as per usual. Lubricate and shoot.

There will most likely be crap flinging around for a few hundred rounds or the first few cleanings.

Will not hurt anything except flinging up on your safety goggles etc for a wee bit.

Go at it It'll be over before you know it.

the sauna

I miss those

 

[Chumlee Bumsnag]

Getting cosmo off metal is easy. Boiling water will remove it, Spray 9. whatever.
I have a large gas oven and prop the barrel and action of rifles up in it on an angle and catch the cosmo in an aluminum tray.
The wood is the hard part. Chinese SKS's are the worst I've encountered. You can clean these with brake cleaner or what have you and think you've got it beat. The first time the gun gets warm at the range you end up with spooge hands. I put the wood in the oven at 150 deg F and come back and wipe it with paper towel every 20 minutes. Each time the towels come out soaked in brown cosmo. It took 2 hours before they wiped dry.

 

[jessekf]

Boiling water works 100% of the time, is free and everyone has access to it. Simply pour boiling water over the rifle a few times, re-grease as needed and go to the bush.

 

[mwjones]

Anyone ever just throw the disassembled parts/reciever in a varsol bath and scrub with a brush? Maybe not the stocks :S

I put an old enfield bayonet in the oven one time...it was totally coated and the scabbard filled and the button all full of it and everything...i put it in the oven for about an hour and came back to about a half a teaspoon coming out onto the pie plate, and the rest becoming matte black baked on finish.... The mechanism was totally stuck and had to be freed up by soaking in eds red overnight and a few blows from the dead blow amazing idea...

 

[maple_leaf_eh]

Anyone ever just throw the disassembled parts/reciever in a varsol bath and scrub with a brush? Maybe not the stocks :S

I put an old enfield bayonet in the oven one time...it was totally coated and the scabbard filled and the button all full of it and everything...i put it in the oven for about an hour and came back to about a half a teaspoon coming out onto the pie plate, and the rest becoming matte black baked on finish.... The mechanism was totally stuck and had to be freed up by soaking in eds red overnight and a few blows from the dead blow amazing idea...

Ed's Red, been a while since anyone bragged about that here. Go ahead, share the knowledge ...

 

[mwjones]

I can't tell if you're serious (i swear i've seen some eds red threads...), so here's the recipe i made:

1L ATF
1L low odour Varsol
1L low odour kerosene
1L Mineral spirits (i know, you don't need the mineral spirits AND varsol, but i used both anyway)
1/2 L Acetone (cost as much as all the other ingredients)

Mixed in an old 1 gallon gas can. Poured back into the bottles. HDPE bottles, sitting for over a year, with no problems with the acetone eating through.

 

[Chumlee Bumsnag]

Anyone ever just throw the disassembled parts/reciever in a varsol bath and scrub with a brush? Maybe not the stocks :S

I put an old enfield bayonet in the oven one time...it was totally coated and the scabbard filled and the button all full of it and everything...i put it in the oven for about an hour and came back to about a half a teaspoon coming out onto the pie plate, and the rest becoming matte black baked on finish.... The mechanism was totally stuck and had to be freed up by soaking in eds red overnight and a few blows from the dead blow amazing idea...

How hot did you have the oven? If it baked on, you must have had it way too hot. I do it at 150f and it just runs right off. Considering it was an Enfield bayo, it might not have been cosmoline.

 

[mwjones]

How hot did you have the oven? If it baked on, you must have had it way too hot. I do it at 150f and it just runs right off. Considering it was an Enfield bayo, it might not have been cosmoline.

I had the oven set as low as it would go. It certainly looked like cosmoline (goupy, amber coloured vaseline like substance). I'm thinking that any other kind of grease would have melted out as well, but who knows? The eds red and a nylon brush did the trick.

 

[Turret Monster]

Now for my next firearm, I am eyeing up the M14/305. My major con is dealing with that darn cosmo.

I bought a new Norinco M14S in Feb. No cosmoline, just a coat of oil. You may be worrying about nothing.

TM

 

[Mauser GDog]

I spent 1.5 hours this afternoon taking the cosmo off, cleaning, oiling, reassembling and dropping my latest Marstar M305b into another stock.

Brake cleaner sprayed over everything dripping into a bucket, with loose parts in the bottom soaking in the extra cleaner. Scrub all nooks and crannies with toothbrush, and let it all dry. Painted a coat of oil over all metal I know won't be getting grease with a soft paintbrush.

I could have done it faster but I wasn't in a rush, very satifsying process actually.

 

[Davie Sprocket]

Not saying I am in any way an expert, only have done it once.

Used mineral spirits, completely disassembled everything. Unlike some firearms I cleaned a mosin 91/30 that was literally dipped in comsoline, so I had to take it all apart.

I built a tray out of plastic rain gutter, cut it to 5 feet long and then capped the ends, added screws but i didn't even use the silicone I bought for the end they have a rubber seal.

Layed everything in the tray, poured the spirits over it all and then used a brush to clean the parts, the level of spirits was over the barrel left it to soak over night.

Pretty much done, cleaned up the parts oiled em with gun oil and back together.

I haven't got the stock clean yet, just wiped it down but it already is leaching cosmoline, so I am going to try and wrap it in news paper and then wrap that in card board and put the whole thing in front of my one base board heater. The guys in the souther states simply wrap them and put em out in the sun, I think an oven would be to hot, even on low.

The tray is the biggest part I recommend as it is nice to just have everything sitting layed out and not have to hang anything and it works pretty good.

Hope this helps.

 

[liberal-hater]

Wouldn't heat just soften/partially liquify the cosmoline? Thereby making if messy?
I just read a passage in a book that extolled the virtues of white vinegar for cosmo removal. Haven't tried it yet so I have no results. I can confirm that aerosol CRC Brakekleen does an excellent job with little or no residue. Suspend over pail and wash/spray from top down. Let excess run off into catch pail.
I am interested in trying the vinegar, if nothing else just for research.

Applying water, with acid in it yet, to a steel gun. Sounds like a very bad idea.

What's more is that grease and oil are not soluble in water, or water with acid (vinegar).

To me, nothing beats a Varsol bath to quickly, safely, and cheaply remove cosmoline.

 

[liberal-hater]

Deleted.

 

[Skullboy]

I usually use Simple Green...........

 

[gnmontey]

A 4 hour bath in gasoline, with a paint brush work over once an hour did the trick for me (M305 and a really polluted SKS). As for a Chu wood stock, a trip or two thru the dish washer (some one elses if U can manage it) pots and pan cycle does wonders.

M