Removing cosmoline
- Thread starter Papaclaude
- Start date
Add some Q-tips for those tight hard to reach spots and you have a good combo on your hands.
Brake cleaner is for brakes,I've tried it and don't like the result. A little part of me died inside when all the metal turned Ghost White
I'd stick to petroleum based solvents,they're a bit messier but don't remove the oils from inside the metal. Besides,brake cleaner is really harsh sh1t. Not mammal friendly....I know..I know,neither is varsol,but one is the lesser of two evils IMO
I'd stick to petroleum based solvents,they're a bit messier but don't remove the oils from inside the metal. Besides,brake cleaner is really harsh sh1t. Not mammal friendly....I know..I know,neither is varsol,but one is the lesser of two evils IMO- Location
- Tucson, Arizona
Reminded me of the time we had to uncrate some M1 carbines. Opened the crate and it was a SOLID BLOCK of cosmoline. We used the steam hose behind the messhall!
Mineral spirits will work
Mineral spirits will work
has anyone tried wax remover? My daughter works in a health spa, and she says they often use it to remove oil-based skin products from equipment and so on. I have a bottle of it for skis laying around, so I might give it a try, just for gits and shiggles.
Getting the cosmo off the metal is easy. Boiling water will work. Getting it out of the wood is another story. I cleaned my stock with oil soap and thought I had it beat. Everytime I handled it, the heat from my hands would make the cosmo start to ooze out. I stripped it down and put the stock in the oven at 150 degrees. I came back every 15-20 minutes and wiped off the cosmo. It took 2 hours before it wiped clean. I couldn't believe how much had soaked into the wood.
It was a Norinco SKS by the way.
It was a Norinco SKS by the way.
I find the best way to get it out of the wood without damaging anything is to wrap it in plastic (black) garbage bags lined with newspaper and stick the whole thing in the rear window of your car and park it in the sunlight on a hot day. Remove once or twice through the day to wipe off the ooze and repeat.
That could take a few months out here on the wet coast. Good idea though.
I'm having deja-vu, or you and I have posted these exact thoughts before.
I'm a little surprised no one has suggested ruining your gun and dishwasher by putting the gun in the dishwasher.
I had an SKS years ago, and one day at the range we put about 200 rounds through it as fast as we could. The upper HG started to smoke and drip cosmo! I guess that is one way to get it out
I had an SKS years ago, and one day at the range we put about 200 rounds through it as fast as we could. The upper HG started to smoke and drip cosmo! I guess that is one way to get it out
The dishwasher method does work, but it takes ALL of the oil out of the stock, so you would need to refinish, and you would likely loose any impressions and stamps in the wood. Also some dishwashers have too high heat in the dry setting and you can get warpage.
Some people swear by the dishwasher, others swear at it. Some advocate running the whole cycle, others say take it out before the dry and air dry the stock, spray water displacing oil on the metal parts.
Myself, I find the dunk it in varsol and brush method works as well as anything else initially for both wood and metal. Followed by Claven's method for the wood, (you don't need to use your car, direct sunlight will work almost as well). You can also try a household steamer like the Steamshark, or just keep pouring boiling water over it.
No matter what you do, there is no "easy" way, it will be messy, messy, work.
I do find that once you have got most of it off the metal, Hoppe's Elite works amazingly well, especially on small parts, and that dried mud looking residue of dust and dried cosmo that hides in the nooks and crannies.
Some people swear by the dishwasher, others swear at it. Some advocate running the whole cycle, others say take it out before the dry and air dry the stock, spray water displacing oil on the metal parts.
Myself, I find the dunk it in varsol and brush method works as well as anything else initially for both wood and metal. Followed by Claven's method for the wood, (you don't need to use your car, direct sunlight will work almost as well). You can also try a household steamer like the Steamshark, or just keep pouring boiling water over it.
No matter what you do, there is no "easy" way, it will be messy, messy, work.
I do find that once you have got most of it off the metal, Hoppe's Elite works amazingly well, especially on small parts, and that dried mud looking residue of dust and dried cosmo that hides in the nooks and crannies.
