Its chemical composition consists primarily of a homogenous mixture of oil-based, non-polar hydrocarbons. All content Copyright 1998-2018 Rifleshooter.com, FTC disclosure: some links on this site are monetized, Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP Air Rifle Review- Initial Impressions, Project Guns- Gunsmithing articles and posts, Ruger Precision Rifle Suppressed Load Development: Hornady 147 ELD-Match and H4350 with THUNDER CHICKEN, Wilson Combats Tactical Rail Interface, Modular (T.R.I.M.) WD40 is actually mostly kerosene along with something like floor polish that remains when the paraffin has evaporated. Before using the Kroil, take an old rag and lightly wipe off any heavy concentrations of cosmoline. Review, Shortening a shotgun stock and fitting a recoil pad, Rogers Single Point M4 Rifle Harness Review, Howa 1500 v Winchester 70 action comparsion, Muzzle Brake Installation on a Precision Rifle: Timing and Installing an OPS R3E2C, 223 Remington/5.56mm NATO Barrel length versus Velocity- Short Barrels- 6 to 14 inches, Building a custom 7mm Rem Mag Hunting Rifle-PART 1, Customizing the 1911: machining a golf ball pattern slide, Installing a muzzle brake between centers, 1911 Rear Sight Installation (Novak style cut). Pick any other cleaning option! Cosmoline Removal: Step-by-Step. Clean and repeat until it stops weeping. We have purchased closed to 20, mostly Chinese SKS"s, all of which were coated with cosmoline. The old surface grease and grime can be removed with a good cleaning. However, after three days in salt water, the metal strip was completely rusted, except the top. Just wipe it down with a soft cloth to remove things, maybe a gentle toothbrush for the hard to get stuff. Works great. Make sure. Over time, Cosmoline may have seeped into nooks, crevices, and gaps in the metal but it is actually fairly simple to remove. The surfaces will almost dry up instantly With the hot metal you end up with after removing from the boiling water. This post is brought to you in collaboration with Old Steel Historical Firearms, located in Littleton, Colorado. If you do it right, however, removing cosmoline preservatives can be easier than expected. Cosmoline is a petroleum-based, grease-like rust inhibitor, that is typically used on firearms that are going into long term storage. Amazon.com: Cosmoline Remover 1-48 of 129 results for "cosmoline remover" RESULTS Price and other details may vary based on product size and color. gear. Enter your email address to subscribe and receive notifications of new posts by email. You can also use a heat gun or an older oven to help melt the Cosmoline. towards your level. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. WD40 works well enough and wont hurt a thing. Worked great. I got a pvc pipe filled it with mineral spirts and soaked the metal. Depending on how much hardened build-up youve got, itll probably take you a few cans of brake cleaner to get everything loosened up. From there, we like to take all of the small components and run them through a nice sonic cleaner bath to free up some of the hardened gunk thats worked its way into small spaces. At this point you can check up on your sonic cleaner parts and see how theyre doing. Before you start cleaning, here is a list of things you will need: Some things you should avoid when trying to remove Cosmoline: A note on why you shouldnt use gasoline: using gasoline to clean a firearm just isnt practical, especially in the quantity you would need to clean a typical C&R firearm. A heat gun on the low setting or a hairdryer both work great for this task. Remove all metal from stock you are comfortable removing. For metal, Boil water and combine with CONCENTRATED Simple Green in a disposable pan and wash all the metal. Title: Original Cosmoline This has worked well for me and has turned out to be the least labor intensive of the methods I have tried for cleaning off cosmoline. Stripping the finish is a big no-no for some. Ive tried dozens of methods over the years until I stumbled upon a suggestion to use Goo Gone. I tried Hoppes #9 (gun cleaner) on a small section and was surprised at how easy it took it off. Cosmoline can be dipped or brushed onto the firearm at temperatures between 140 and 160 degrees F. While it can be dipped into hotter melts it's not necessary and is done, generally, to allow more firearms to be dipped without cooling the liquid. Once youve got all of the surface cosmoline more or less handled, youll want to really start tackling the goo in all of the nooks and crannies of the receiver. It worked great. We used our same bore brush to ram out the gas tube as well and while its not as critical to get this part as sparkling clean as the barrel, you obviously dont want any obstructions in the cavity that your piston sits within. Those who have dealt with firearms for a long time most certainly have experienced the dilemmas of cosmoline. Cosmoline & WD40 Removal I used WD40 to cut the cosmoline on some Yugo Mags. You can also use another heat source to melt the cosmoline to its liquid condition, such as a heat gun or an oven. Simple, cheap, efficient, but time consuming to remove all the cosmoline before shooting. The diesel fuel with get thick as you wring out the microfiber towel repeatedly in the diesel. For the trigger group, I soaked it in some Hoppe's #9 for a few hours and it seemed to have gotten most of the cosmoline out of it. (cross-posted at mAss Backwards) After trying the old fashioned method of removing the cosmoline from the SKS by repeatedly spraying each piece with degreaser and/or WD-40 and wiping dry with a shop rag, I decided I'm going to give the "low-heat method" a try, and build my own version of the "Easy Bake Garbage Can", as illustrated there at www.surplusrifle.com. Ken 1942 GPW Never miss a post! Is either of these acceptable? There are a ton of ways to do it and most work great. Thats why it is important to clean and remove it in your rifle to keep your firearm operating at its best performance. Removing all of that cosmoline is the first chore to accomplish. WD-40 does a good job cleaning up wood stocks without removing the underlying finish. They are the go-to gun shop for collectors and shooters alike. The greasy substance is used to prevent their military surplus rifles from rusting. Spray part again and set aside to air dry. Nothing else like it. You only have power over people so long as you do not take everything away from them. It worked so well that I took pictures and video of the last small cosmoline section of metal I had to clean. two weeks ago I used wd-40 to clean off cosmoline off a SAR-80 parts kit, I used it on the plastic stock and metal it worked real well and does not harm the bluing or crackle paint on the receiver stubs. That is why it is called CitriStrip. 16 Jun June 16, 2022. cosmoline removal wd40. Wipe stock every 15 minutes until rags are clean enough for you (also make sure to suspend stock on the other end every once in a while so the heat can reach that end as well). Dissembling can make the process somewhat easier but it isnt absolutely necessary. Its the mess, gross and slimy petroleum that appears to be wrapped in every surface of firearms. I disassembled the rifle and scraped/wiped off as much goo as I could. Start using a degreaser such as mineral spirits or turpentine to break down the cosmoline. Kerosene is petroleum-based and will not hurt the metal or metal finish. Took days of cleaning for all the original proofs and markings to become visible. The protective layer was thick, tough and not easy to remove. WD-40 does a good job of removing Cosmoline and is an excellent cleaner especially on plastics. All ultrasonic cleaners are made in the same factory in the PRC. You'll now receive newsletters of our best articles on techniques, Breaks down (dissolves) all forms of Cosmoline in seconds with very little effort. That means it will come off with kerosene or mineral spirit, and could even just wipe away with rubbing alcohol. Although most greases will burn, cosmolines are rarely considered a fire threat. Before you start the process of removing the cosmoline, you need to disassemble the firearm fully. StingRay parts washers use a non-flammable alkaline cleaning detergent such as Power Kleen V or Power Kleen IIIL. Now what's the best way to clean the residual WD40 off so I won't have primers getting compromised? There's two main types of cosmoline: RP- 342 and RP- 344 I belive. This restriction only affects the following Southern California counties: Orange, Riverside, Los Angeles and San Bernardino. Be that as it may, your general overall approach to de-gunking your gun is going to be pretty similar no matter how much shit is built up within it. My method is to clean with g96 aerosol for light cosmoline junk or if the problem is serious WD40. If you use these links, it helps me continue to put out free content for viewers. Originally, it was sold as a home disinfectant and veterinary anti-swelling treatment in the late 1800s. There is no way I would boil a stock! Yes, cosmoline is toxic because it is a petroleum-based grease. Will brake cleaner remove cosmoline? Ok, what method is easier. Theres no study that cosmoline has a bad effect on rubber. All Rights Reserved. By . . After his military service, he attended the Colorado School of Trades(CST) in Lakewood, CO for gunsmithing. Throw on a podcast or something youre likely going to be here for a bit. The process is very dirty. Cosmoline is usually very good under a car going up against salt, water, heavy splashing/traffic spots, but sitting water I guess is just too much to ask. It is frequently used in indoor and outdoor applications and does a great job for long-term storage. Be sure to re oil the parts. The decision to either remove or not remove cosmoline from the rifle is based on each individual situation. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Bolt assembly and small parts steam on top off kettle with rack and follow same process for clean and lube for reassemble .had to deal with this stuff with stored engine cylinder heads and guns a lot steam and compressed air. Set the temp to 130 degrees, bake for a while. There are a few rare examples where you shouldnt remove it. We wound up using about ~3 cans of cleaner total per rifle, using a general spray vigorously and begin wiping down method. If you have some cosmoline removal in your future, you may want to pick up a bottle of this stuff. This process is simple but very messy and should be done in a well-ventilated area. It won't get it sparkling clean but the heat and pressure will remove a large amount. Author: Marie Sonder Cosmoline is petroleum-based rust and corrosion-inhibiting grease. Once cosmoline has been exposed to air for a few years, it will solidify and become a wax consistency. Soak the bolt and small parts in mineral spirits. 2023, Schafco Packaging Company. After peeling, they leave a greasy film for continued corrosion protection. METHOD #1: Wipe with Cloth, Rag or Paper Towel, METHOD #2: Soak Parts in Cosmoline Remover. 0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic. In fact, this exact scenario is what probably led you to this article. Those of you with any amount of experience dealing with milsurp guns have probably also encountered the enigma of cosmoline. At this point, disassembling the gun or sections of it, such as bolt assembly, and being soaked in mineral spirits may be more beneficial. Cosmoline melts at temperatures ranging from 115 to 125 degrees Fahrenheit. But its a background process that you can mostly leave alone outside of hitting the timer again once its finished a round of cleaning. As a general rule, cosmoline can be removed with heat, kroil, WD-40, or Kerosene. Gently remove parts and wipe off Cosmoline or move parts back and forth in bath and Cosmoline will start coming off. As the cold war came and went, many of these countries started to liquidate their warehouses, selling these surplus arms to importers and exporters in the United States. Seems to take off anything, including paint spatters without harming the finish at all. It only has penetrative properties when wet. Common internet gun wisdom is that youre going to want non-chlorinated brake cleaner, as a byproduct of chlorinated brake cleaner heating up is phosgene gas. As it drives out moisture, it does little to oil a surface but sits on top of the surface to protect it. The water will melt the Cosmoline off the bolt, and the Cosmoline will rise to the surface. I read a funny (?) We believe our Cosmoline Remover is the most effective solution offered anywhere. Each car would come with a small bottle of "Cosmoline Remover" that you`d basically add to water and soak the car with. purchase helps support my work in bringing you more awesome gun and gear articles. Work in small areas and lightly spray the stock with WD-40. Fighting socialism one republocrat at a time. Boil and reoil the smaller metal parts. It shines like John Boehners nose now. Using a rag, wipe the stock off. ?>. The Fastest, Easiest & Safest Way to Remove Cosmoline (Easy Cosmoline Removal in Seconds)Removing Cosmoline has given people grief since 1939. Place the bolt assembly into the boiling water. Ive even seen Mosin Nagants that the lock time could be measured in whole seconds due to this. If youve lucked out and scored a surplus rifle with some relatively light cosmo packing, you can probably jump ahead to cleaning the individual components, but for us, step 1 was wiping away what external grease was easily accessible with some basic shop rags. The aerosol cans work best for this application. Mind you ,I keep a close watch on this. Yes, cosmoline is toxic because it is a petroleum-based grease. I've used this method on all four of my rifles and it worked very well. For the unfamiliar, cosmoline is sort of the genericized term for a family of petroleum-based greases with remarkably high viscosity with inherent rust and corrosion protective properties, a signature waxy brown visage, and unmistakable industrial smell. Then I laid the parts out in the blazing Texas sun. Once youve got your barrel and receiver assembly cleaned up, you can check on your sweaty wood bois and see where theyre at. 4. I have used slow heat and mineral spirits with a brush on several stocks with good results. You probably took it home and couldnt focus on anything until you tore it apart and cleaned that goo off to see what was underneath it. I last did this with an SMLE stock from 1944, and it was wicked completely dry of every spec of cosmoline, and the oil absorbing compound was almost black. This can cause hang fires or, worse yet, negligent discharges. Cosmoline found in the chamber area can cause failures to extract. Good or bad idea? Should be good to go after that. Even if your item only has a light coating of older Cosmoline, you might have questions as to how best to remove old coatings. AK-47 Tips/Tricks, Links, Content and Buyer Guides. how to pronounce often in australia; daniel ricciardo hoodie 3 ric; family nurse practitioner near me; linux diff show only differences; We walk-through an SKS example with plenty of pics and video. (not optimized for mobile browsing), Copyright 2023 COSMOLINE DIRECT, LLC. Just avoid gasoline as your cleaning solvent as its not advisable to use. Militaries worldwide immediately embraced cosmoline as a means of chemically embalming small weapons, armored vehicles, and other items for long-term depot or transatlantic transport. Not really. Please avoid producing WW1-era invisible poisons in your shed. I'll do better next time. The protective layer was thick, tough and not easy to remove. I just finished cleaning up a Yugoslavian SKS that was thoroughly coated with cosmoline.I used some shop towels and WD-40. The metal gets put through hot boing water and simple green. I think some that were around it a lot had long term health problems from exposure, so they probably had to change the make up of it or something. Brake cleaner and acetone will dissolve nearly anything but often they evaporate before you can get the gunk off and you are back where you started. Make sure to get into all the internals. Treat surface with your favorite lube or set up for hot blueing. With the Type 56, we broke the guns down into their main field-strippable components: rifle stock, barreled action, bolt carrier, assembly, trigger assembly, magazine, op rod, etc. 2. There are other considerations that you think about if tackling this task. Rem oil would fit the bill although it . Use coupon code KTG10 to get 10% off your order of $150 or more at Brownells. It's also called "dry chemical". We finally discovered the quickest way to remove the cosmoline was to fill up a teapot with water, bring to boil, then slowly pour the boiling water onto the SKS. No finish injured, wood stocks like-new (it cooks Cosmoline out of the wood grain), and IT'S CHEAP! If you are like me, you were hooked the first time you picked up a cosmoline-covered surplus rifle or handgun. Its important to extract as many residues and greases out of the gun as possible to avoid the risk of disassembling the gun in the future to uncover a hidden chunk of the rust-preventive gunk. Harsh chemical solvents that could strip paint, finishes, or other aesthetic/functional coatings from the guns surface. Try simple green first. They have an impressive inventory of nearly 1,500 historical firearms and an outstanding selection of uniforms, bayonets, and odd ammunition. The cleaning process begins with removing as much of the Cosmoline as possible. Here's one of the several main versions of cosmoline in an aerosol. If the firearm is left to accumulate for too long, it may clog, resulting in a firing failure or the need for repairs. hey thanks for this information. METHOD #2: Soak Parts in Cosmoline Remover. WD40 is a good cleaner for surfaces that you have good access to wipe down, but when it comes to cleaning small parts such as springs, sears, hammers, and other hard to reach places, I find that mineral spirits does a better job. Reassemble the gun, perform a functions test to make sure that everything feels right and is operating correctly, and youre basically done! For Cosmoline removal, I get a gallon of K1 kerosene, then put it in a tub. Refinish the wood with boiled linseed oil or Dansk oil. */ There are other ways to achieve this same effect, however. From there if youre working on a rifle with wooden components, nows the time to separate them and toss them in a trash bag. Apply some to a cleaning patch and run it through the bore. I just go to the car wash and hit it with the degreaser setting then rinse setting. 5. If you go to fast or too aggressive you can strip out the moisture and mess up the stock. Cosmoline hardens over time when exposed to oxygen and not sealed properly, so some might be very gooy while others are hardened balls of crud. I have used before on other parts kits with paper towels or old cotton rags Works great. Cosmoline is a pain to remove though I found a heat lamp to work well to remove most of it without much effort. Needed tools: Cosmoline soaked weapon; rags or paper towels; screw driver and tools for disassembly of firearm; bore brush; chamber brush; bore pull-through or cleaning rod; a good non-polar solvent (mineral spirits being one of the most preferred . Took me less than an hour. The lubricating fluid in most lubricating greases is petroleum-derived minerals. The consistency of cosmoline varies widely but is mostly found as grease or wax. The stories of miss steps with gas are legion. Blow the gun parts off using an air compressor until dry. And as if that were not enough it came from a heaver smokers home seemingly as everything, cosmoline, dirt, and grime were shellacked with thick coating of nicotine. These crates were packed full of rifles and cosmoline. If youve got some super-secret method that you swear by, go ahead and yell about it in the comment section below. Just throw the parts in hot water. Protect tools, dies, and other parts during shipping and storage with these durable, removable coatings. Youll want to move, rotate, and flex parts to exercise hidden bits of Cosmoline. For rifles like the SKS with a free-floating firing pin, its a critical place to make sure you got REALLY clean. All that being said I usually buy cotton cloths from a big box store ringspun or recycled and I just wipe. Once you have removed as much of the Cosmoline as you can, it's time to move on to the next step. Next, wash the firearm with soap and hot water. Despite being virtually entirely made up of hydrocarbons, the composition varies depending on the crude oil source. Once youve accomplished this, you can move on to the next step. I strongly urge people to avoid the use of water (at any temperature) on wood. In general, their toxicity to humans is minimal, although there are exceptions. The password should contain at least 8 characters with at least one number or special character. All good tips, and this is how I clean the metal parts for the most part. Select what level shooter you are! I've been researching some products that can remove the yellowish cosmoline thats baked onto the bay and have found some good reviews on Zymol Strik. This product hasn't received any reviews yet. Cosmoline is a general term for a group of petroleum-based greases with high viscosity, intrinsic rust and corrosion protection, a waxy brown appearance, and a distinct industrial odor. If you have chunks of cosmo, remove them out first.. carefully remove the "deep" stuff. After that, dry thoroughly, degrease, then apply oil and a film of liquid silicone. When cosmoline is exposed to heat and pressure like this, it will essentially bake on the metal surface. I used WD40 to cut the cosmoline on some Yugo Mags. Brake cleaner does a good job but is very harsh on the skin and can eat some plastics and brake cleaner will remove painted on finishes on some firearms so test first. You will need to use fresh diesel as it gets to thick and sticky with all the cosmoline. Depending on the gun youre working on, this may or may not be a concern. I cleaned a heavily soiled 37 bSw last week, I use Krud Kutter. Buy an 8" piece of HVAC round duct pipe, a blow dryer, and paper towels. 1 Place a part in a solvent compatible container and spray down with brake cleaner. Gently rub area to maximize contact between cleaner and surface. [1]. 2 When all the parts have been cleaned they must be treated with oil to prevent corrosion. The car was washed and dried, then taken back to the detail shop where the paint was buffed out, and a protective coating placed on all of the brightwork. Also, older cosmoline tends to solidify when exposed to air for a long time, making it hard to remove. Collectors of C&R (Curio & Relic) firearms often find old firearms that were built around WWI or WWII and then put in storage. Now what's the best way to clean the residual WD40 off so I won't have primers getting compromised? Suspend stock in pipe using a wire coat hanger, rest blow dryer on either the top or cut a hole in the bottom then set to low heat high fan setting (Don't let the heat in the pipe get over ~165 Fahrenheit due to shellac having a low melting point). Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. A little spark/open flame & gas vapors can be a recipe for personal disaster, even outside. Brake cleaner is pretty nasty even its not in chlorinated form though, so make sure youve got gloves and a well-ventilated area to work in. I've restored a couple cosmoline soaked rifles using different techniques. Then reassemble and enjoy boom. For tight areas, I used some Q-tips. Heat gun saved a lot of solvent. This is how to remove cosmoline in the most effective and efficient manner from your newly-acquired Moist Nugget or other military surplus firearm. These two things will help eliminate the last residues out of your gun. Cosmoline is helpful because it offers long-term rust prevention, but if youre a Curios & Relics (C&R) Firearms collector or have ever purchased a gun, you may have what looks to be a mess on your hands. (Just like the tutorial on surplusrifle.com) boiling or extremely warm water is THE BEST way to get cosmo off metal parts with little or no effort and is completely safe to the components. /* Originally developed in the late 1800s and marketed as a home disinfectant and veterinary anti-swelling agent, presumably by the same turn of the century physicians inclined to prescribe you cocaine for a staph infection or whatever. This solvent-based formula is safe to use on any painted surface and is ideal for preparing new vehicles for sale. Almost boiling water works pretty well to clean cosmoline off of metal. Hosting, Website & SEO services provided by EZMarketing. Cosmoline was quickly adopted by militaries the world over as a way to chemically embalm small arms, artillery pieces, armored vehicles, and so on for either long term storage or trips across the Atlantic. Let the bolt assembly soak for awhile to make sure all the Cosmoline is boiled out. Air dry with compressor or hang dry then oil all parts. In addition, dish soap and water can remove the excess residues in your weapon too. WD40 is designed to evaporate of surfaces. But there is a kind of cosmoline that is used for vehicles. Following a wash-rinse cycle will help coax Cosmoline out from all the crevices and grooves, so repeat the process until your water runs clear and you can handle each part without it feeling greasy or oily. He is a firm believer in the freedom of exercising constitutional rights, and that includes the right of every law-abiding citizen to own and carry a gun. I've used mineral spirits, gasoline, heat, soapy water, etc. WD-40 is a mediocre lubricant and an OK rust preventative. With repeated heatings and wipe downs you can remove the Cosmoline without damaging the wood. Take this time to look over and inspect all of the parts for cracks and excessive wear. We'll only use the information provided according to our privacy policy. 3. Make sure you get all of the Cosmolene off of the gun! machine guns to get them ready for action. Which is just fine if your gonna leave her as it with the finish. guns & Just be sure to oil thoroughly as soon as possible because it'll be bone dry when you're done. I took mine in a hot shower, shoots like a dream. Shopping Cart Software by BigCommerce.