If you are into guns, tools, or guns and tools, youve undoubtedly run into problems removing cosmoline. Throw on a podcast or something youre likely going to be here for a bit. We personally used a Lyman sonic cleaner and Lyman solvent, which worked pretty well and got us most of the way there, with only a tiny bit of extraneous scrubbing required afterwords. Forget the other 'dangerous processes'boil with water, and you're good-as-new! Very fast and efficient. Deisel, mineral spirits, gasoline, lacquer thinner, etc are almost ineffective. Best clean-up for shipping grease? | NC Woodworker If youve got some super-secret method that you swear by, go ahead and yell about it in the comment section below. This process is simple but very messy and should be done in a well-ventilated area. Although the fine, colorless sprays coating was dry after a week of freshwater sprays, the panel had no rust. Worked really well. While really bad cosmoline build-up might require a few steps further than a field stripping for whatever rifle youre working on. [Complete Guide] Cosmoline Removal: SKS Example - Pew Pew Tactical How to Properly Remove Cosmoline from Military Surplus Firearms Depending on the container or the size of the firearm, soaking guns in mineral spirits can be done in a huge container. Use it if you don't happen to have kerosene. You can now use, and regularly clean. CitriStrip on the wood parts. I've done all my cosmo cleanups with mineral spirits, junk toothbrushes, and a heat gun. Ive even seen Mosin Nagants that the lock time could be measured in whole seconds due to this. cosmoline removal wd40excuses to get out of annual training. General - Archive | Removing Cosmoline - Practical Machinist Note: Most of the links in this article earn me a small commission at no cost to you. Use soap and water to remove cosmoline: 1. This restriction only affects the following Southern California counties: Orange, Riverside, Los Angeles and San Bernardino. However, this one was never opened, making it extremely rare. Cosmoline is a greenish man-butter stuff that most car manufacturers spray on engines/undercarriages of cars to protect during transport. Cosmoline removal (pistol, rifle, make, sight) - City-Data It was great stuff. Cosmoline Removal: Step-by-Step. machine guns to get them ready for action. The standard minimal coating of a light grease or oil seen now days is easily wiped off with a clean rag or paper towel. Cosmoline melts at temperatures ranging from 115 to 125 degrees Fahrenheit. Once youve uh unslimed your wood, return to your sonic cleaner components and use brake cleaner as needed to grab any chunks that might be left with your Q-tips. A lot of people swear by mineral spirits as a primary solvent to remove Cosmoline, and you can either apply it with a rag or submerge/dip your gun into it. anything extra and your Cosmoline can cause the pin to get stuck in the forward position and lead to slam fires and a runaway rifle. Which makes it susceptible to environments that also kill small children and pets when they get locked inside minivans which well simulate by stuffing it in that trash bag and letting the angry heat orb outside do its thing. In the Marine Corps, more than once did we have to 'un-Cosmoline' weapons, gear or other 'NOS stuff'and without fail, the answer was always the same: 'Disassemble the device (if required) to field strip position, place the Cosmolined-item into the BOILING WATER TANK, and allow to soak for 4-5 minutes, as needed'. Grease will burn when exposed to temperatures, but it will not catch fire. Shopping Cart Software by BigCommerce. Type your email address and well send It doesnt take a lot to complete this process. Subscribe to Pew Pew Tactical's sales and deals email. 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. Works great. For Cosmoline removal, I get a gallon of K1 kerosene, then put it in a tub. Very fast and efficient. All good tips, and this is how I clean the metal parts for the most part. Cosmoline Remover - Nothing Removes Cosmoline Better! | Cosmoline Direct Gather The Things You'll Need The first step you need to do is to gather the things you'll need for this cosmoline removal. These two things will help eliminate the last residues out of your gun. All petroleum-based products are chemical mixtures that are highly complex. Cosmoline removal questions | VW Vortex - Volkswagen Forum the metal is hot enough from the water that when removed, it's warm enough to evaporate all moisture from itself. These crates were packed full of rifles and cosmoline. You can proceed to the real cleaning whenever youre satisfied. The catchall phrase Stoddard Solvent is no longer adequate to tell the proper story. Thats two decades of expertly upholding the Texan gun culture. Try simple green first. Best Way To Remove Cosmoline And The Easiest way To Clean - YouTube We already have an account registered for email address Nylon brush. You are using an out of date browser. Cosmoline - in my experience - is stronger, but the cost per can . He grew up in Elk County, Pennsylvania, where he became obsessed with the world of firearms. If you do it right, however, removing cosmoline preservatives can be easier than expected. To clean your gun, you can apply heat. A sealed PVC tube or large container are both good for soaking guns in mineral spirits, depending on the size of the firearm and container. It worked great. In general, their toxicity to humans is minimal, although there are exceptions. I may earn a small part of the sale from links to any products or services on this site. It's also called "dry chemical". In the fire control area, cosmoline will slow the operation of the components, such as the firing pin and trigger. How would a different solvent such as naphtha fare against the cosmoline? Using a rag, wipe the stock off. 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. The metal gets put through hot boing water and simple green. Get Our Top Shooting Drills and Zeroing Targets ($47 value - but FREE for a limited time). 5. The spray and handy tube make it easy to get into grooves and slots, as well as bolt holes. Primarily when found in the bore and fire control area. Apply some to a rag and patch and wipe down the cosmoline-soaked parts. Ok, what method is easier. Removing the cosmoline off of this rifle would greatly reduce its value. Not only does WD-40 dissolve the Cosmoline, it does it better and faster than acetone. Cosmoline removal 91/30 - Russian Mosin Nagant Forum Oven cleaner works well.have used it a number of times. Upon removing the parts, the hot water will evaporate and you will have totally degreased and cosmoline free parts. When I began removing the cosmoline from my new Precision Matthews PM-1440GT lathe, it was a little daunting. In between cleanings use mineral spirits to wipe the surface. And stay in touch with newsletters of our best articles on techniques, guns, & gear. Before I go full bore on this, has anyone used this? 5 Steps in Removing Cosmoline 1. Author: Marie Sonder IMMEDIATELY hit it with penetrating oil (NOT WD-40but a real petroleum-based penetrating oil), and wipe down with a soft cloth. Its worth noting that we didnt go SUPER deep with our cleanup job on the two in-house Type 56s as theyre already pretty thoroughly trashed. Cosmoline Removal If you want to check this out in a video, take a look! Almost boiling water works pretty well to clean cosmoline off of metal. Both my SKS's I cleaned by first taking off as much cosmoline as possible with paper towels, then soaking everything in WD-40. They cost around $20 if you want something cheap. Collectors of C&R (Curio & Relic) firearms often find old firearms that were built around WWI or WWII and then put in storage. Which is just fine if your gonna leave her as it with the finish. There you go. Stripping the finish is a big no-no for some. Cosmoline does an excellent job of preventing corrosion and preserving metal parts. Safety is a good tool for tyrants; no one can be against safety. gear. Cosmolines melting point is pretty low, between 113 and 125 degrees Fahrenheit. . We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe. Avoid that by making sure its very clean! The process is very dirty. If you need suggestions, try one of our favorite YouTube channels. Youll finally remove the majority of the cosmoline from the gun after hours of scrubbingbut basically, you cant stop there. This worked good for me since I did it in the winter. . Only used it to finish wiping off the light residue. Fighting socialism one republocrat at a time. There are other considerations that you think about if tackling this task. You may find the cosmoline caked on the stock, gumming up the receiver and bolt carrier, plugging up the bore, and covering the internal parts of the firearm. Mix denatured alcohol and boiled linseed oil 50/50 and scrub a stock with it using 0000 steel wool. Good or bad idea? Take this time to look over and inspect all of the parts for cracks and excessive wear. You must log in or register to reply here. In addition, dish soap and water can remove the excess residues in your weapon too. Buying Milsurp: Removing Cosmoline from the SKS 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. I really like the fact that it doesn't dry out, but sits there and works on softening up the Cosmoline. 2. Contact Us 24/7 Customer Service Phone: (866) 802-2906 Fax: (866) 607-5965 Sales@CosmolineDirect.com Really, you'd have to soak ammo in WD40 to have a chance of it seeping in and killing the primer. You n00b! WD-40 and a rag take it off easily enough. I got a pvc pipe filled it with mineral spirts and soaked the metal. 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. 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. but I'm definitely open to suggestions as well. Not really. Q-tips for cleaning the other metal sections of the gun You worry too much. You can accomplish this by wiping your handgun, placing it in a black trash bag, and leaving it out under the hot sun. Ive tried dozens of methods over the years until I stumbled upon a suggestion to use Goo Gone. The U.S. military soon discovered its advantages when applied to military equipment. If you go to fast or too aggressive you can strip out the moisture and mess up the stock. It is brown in color and usually engulfs those beautiful surplus rifles at the local gun show. For extra protection of the piece, youll need to add lubricant and stain (for wood stock), especially to the bolt assembly. You only have power over people so long as you do not take everything away from them. 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. Next, wash the firearm with soap and hot water. Now its one of the best toys in the box. Make sure you get all of the Cosmolene off of the gun! Good or bad idea? How to Remove Cosmoline | Tennessee Gun This isn't good as you will likely be causing your gun to overheat when shooting. I've used this method on all four of my rifles and it worked very well. Jump to Latest Follow 1 - 15 of 15 Posts. When I started cleaning it I used a heat gun after tearing it completely down. Remove all metal parts, use a spray can of break cleaner to strip cosmoline. Was thinking of boiling in dish detergent water. The greasy substance is used to prevent their military surplus rifles from rusting. Back in the day, ethyl or "high test" gasoline was good stuff. Simple Green has never worked that well for me. Once youve got your barrel and receiver assembly cleaned up, you can check on your sweaty wood bois and see where theyre at. There are other ways to achieve this same effect, however. At this stage, you may benefit more from dissembling the entire gun or parts of it, like the bolt assembly of a rifle, and letting it soak in mineral spirits. I used a heat gun for metal and wood. Posted: 7/20/2014 7:07:20 AM EST [#2] Is either of these acceptable? There are few procedures that you can use to remove and clean cosmoline from your military surplus guns. Thanks Here's how I did it. All that being said I usually buy cotton cloths from a big box store ringspun or recycled and I just wipe. If the rifle will spend the rest of its life in a safe, it might be better to leave it on. I've restored a couple cosmoline soaked rifles using different techniques. WD40 is designed to evaporate of surfaces. I've used mineral spirits, gasoline, heat, soapy water, etc. It will melt off the Cosmoline then wipe and oil everything down. The main difference between Rust Veto and cosmoline is that Rust Veto has a slightly higher melting point of 140-170 degrees Fahrenheit. These were pretty bad. Stock in a trash bag on a hot day Or mineral spirits scrub down? Before using the Kroil, take an old rag and lightly wipe off any heavy concentrations of cosmoline. It worked so well that I took pictures and video of the last small cosmoline section of metal I had to clean. You may find that some firearms have been brushed . For metal, Boil water and combine with CONCENTRATED Simple Green in a disposable pan and wash all the metal. Weve got a dedicated section for the AR-15 here. Just be sure to oil thoroughly as soon as possible because it'll be bone dry when you're done. A lot of people swear by mineral spirits as a primary solvent to remove Cosmoline, and you can either apply it with a rag or submerge/dip your gun into it. Cosmoline can create a dangerous situation with your firearm. Place the parts on some cardboard and the cleanup is minimal. 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. hey thanks for this information. Cosmoline RP-342 "Heavy" Rust Preventative Spray (Military-Grade) 1-Can https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MRRYF6N/?tag=wranglerorg-20 This product hasn't received any reviews yet. Because of the general porous nature of wood, chances are pretty decent that a good amount of grease has managed to penetrate the wood fiber itself, even if it retained its original finish. 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. Remove all metal from stock you are comfortable removing. Halogen lamps do the trick or me. A Quick and Inexpensive Way to Remove Cosmoline From a Rifle Stock From there if youre working on a rifle with wooden components, nows the time to separate them and toss them in a trash bag. 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. 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. Then reassemble and enjoy boom. cosmoline removal wd40 - ycdo.org.pk If you'd like to consider an effective Cosmoline Remover in aerosol, please see our SS-245 product option. Funny, as long as no one got set on fire and the machine guns made it to the front on time. WD40 pwnz cosmoline. If you search "ultrasonic cleaner" on Amazon you can find one identical to the Lyman for $30-$40 cheaper. Old Steel is dedicated to finding historical and collectible items and making them available to the customer. Pour the boiling water into the grease, then repeat the process until your water runs clear and you can handle each part without feeling oily. If planning to shoot your surplus firearms, leaving cosmoline in the bore can ruin your firearm or, worse yet, cause injury to the shooter. Be the first to review this product! This is obviously going to be one of the more critical parts of your cosmoline cleaning voyage, as any residue buildup you dont address is going to negatively affect the accuracy of the rifle once you get it out to the range. Want the best cosmoline removal methods for cleaning up your milsurp gun? These two things together will help dislodge and remove the remaining traces of Cosmoline, along with a fair amount of elbow grease. We personally found Q-tips to be useful if a bit tedious. But its a background process that you can mostly leave alone outside of hitting the timer again once its finished a round of cleaning. It may not display this or other websites correctly. It's much cheaper than WD40 or other chemicals and works great. Ok, what method is easier. Cosmoline doesn't penetrate the wood like most stock finishes unless its areas where its flaking. Breaks down (dissolves) all forms of Cosmoline in seconds with very little effort. Clean and repeat until it stops weeping. Following graduation, he accepted a job at C. Sharps Arms in Montana, where he still works full time as a stockmaker and gunsmith. I've tried various methods in the past, none of which seemed to work particularly well. Use a hair dryer on the stock and wipe it down until clean. However, it might not be necessary if you have no intentions of shooting it. Once cosmoline has been exposed to air for a few years, it will solidify and become a wax consistency. Took days of cleaning for all the original proofs and markings to become visible. Then I laid the parts out in the blazing Texas sun. Today, you can find literally hundreds of recipes, formulas, tips, trick and strategies online for removing our favorite rust preventative coatingbe careful though, some of these "solutions" are more credible than others. How to clean cosmoline off your Mosin Nagant 91/30, SKS or any other surplus gun using Mineral Spirits and hot water. 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. Its chemical composition consists primarily of a homogenous mixture of oil-based, non-polar hydrocarbons. This can cause hang fires or, worse yet, negligent discharges. WOOD: Heat guns are like very hot hair dryers. This is one of the few times I will recommend WD-40 for working on guns. We believe our Cosmoline Remover is the most effective solution offered anywhere. Yes, cosmoline is toxic because it is a petroleum-based grease. I paid $4 for a spray bottle. WD40 is actually mostly kerosene along with something like floor polish that remains when the paraffin has evaporated. Cosmoline & WD40 Removal : r/ak47 - reddit.com [1]. Removing old cosmoline from a lathe | The Hobby-Machinist 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. Gently remove parts and wipe off Cosmoline or move parts back and forth in bath and Cosmoline will start coming off. I tried Hoppes #9 (gun cleaner) on a small section and was surprised at how easy it took it off. Cosmoline is not a new invention and was originally used as a pharmaceutical product in the late 1800s. Thanks, John. There are lots of options and choices you can make, but what we used were: Specifically, weve got 3 surplus Type 56 carbines that we picked up from Palmetto State Armory which are essentially Chinese domestic clones of the Soviet SKS with a few minor tweaks here and there. Initially delving into the world of guns in his teens through a passion for history, John has been hobby and desert shooting with friends for years. Select what level shooter you are! It is frequently used in indoor and outdoor applications and does a great job for long-term storage. Note that if you are going to paint the part, use the brake parts cleaner which evaporates nearly completely and instantly (and skip the WD-40) and then paint immediately to prevent rust from starting. removing cosmoline - G503 Military Vehicle Message Forums The protective layer was thick, tough and not easy to remove. Thank you for the support! Thats why it is important to clean and remove it in your rifle to keep your firearm operating at its best performance. When applied to a surface, the compound solidifies as it . But on the wood I wipe the excess then use a hair dryer and wipe as it sweats. Cosmoline Removal | /k/ - Weapons Wiki | Fandom Your go to for cosmoline removal A coat of Goo Gone, a brief soak in period and follow up with paper towels cleaned the material down to the bare metal. Cosmoline Removal Wd40 ; Conclusion ; What Removes Cosmoline? Use an air gun to blow the cleaning fluid off after you finish, then apply lube as needed. There are a ton of ways to do it and most work great. Works great. Usually requiring a full detail stripping and cleaning of the rifle before its remotely capable of being operated safely. 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 . The Best Accessories for Your Gunsmithing Bench for Under $11. remove all the metal parts, wash it with the hottest water you can tolerate then spray all surfaces with wd40 to prevent rust. This give us a headstart on polishing those bad boys up or if left long enough, cleans them totally with almost no extra work on your end. JavaScript is disabled. A sealed PVC tube or large container are both good for soaking guns in mineral spirits, depending on the size of the firearm and container. Strips the finish and removes the cosmoline really, really well. 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. Before I do anything I'll regret, can anyone give me a definitive ruling on the best way to clean cosmoline off metal/wood? I remember when a "Yugo" was a piece of crap car. Water and wood are NOT compatible. The gooy, gross, petroleum preservative that is seemingly locked within every porous surface and crevice possible. Corrosion-Resistant ReusablePeel-Away Coatings for Metal. Repeat this until the patches come out relatively clean. It will dry everything out so you can't use it on rubber, plastics or wood and don't get it on your skin either. Safe to use on firearms, military weaponry, automobiles, machinery, heavy equipment, gears, lathes, dies, molds, and anything else coated with Cosmoline. You can opt to disassemble your firearm before you start this process or keep your gun intact throughout the cleaning process. Next, you need to clean your gun. cosmoline removal wd40; cosmoline removal wd40. Youll have to put them all together inside a box or small storage, together with the thing you want to cosmo be removed and leave under the sunlight for a few days. A couple of hours in the hot seat predictably allowed a ton of cosmoline that had been locked inside of the wood fibers the opportunity to seep out to the surface. no crazy cleaners, no toxic chemicals, no complicated setups. Cosmoline Removal Help! No wiping needed with mineral spirits. Cosmoline Removal - Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association Let soak for at least 30 seconds. I do this on bare stocks after stripping them. Refinish the wood with boiled linseed oil or Dansk oil. Remove the stock, get a few tooth brushes and start dousing and scrubbing the metal. The cleaning process starts by removing as much of the cosmolines as possible. I took mine in a hot shower, shoots like a dream. Hosting, Website & SEO services provided by EZMarketing. 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 had to pull it out of the plastic to verify numbers. If you have chunks of cosmo, remove them out first.. carefully remove the "deep" stuff. Another tip for faster drying without any extra work is to place it in a well-ventilated area so that the wind or air can travel smoothly around the area. It practically dissolves any Cosmoline product in seconds with very little effort. But when you have robbed a man of everything, he is no longer in your power he is free again. Also, older cosmoline tends to solidify when exposed to air for a long time, making it hard to remove. Saturate a clean cloth with Cosmoline Remover. But its worth noting that every cosmolined gun is going to be a little bit different in terms of uh grease severity. Cosmo just rolls off. Cosmoline is our stuff, product of a first world economy, the commies used grease, cheap grease, much easier to remove. Start using a degreaser such as mineral spirits or turpentine to break down the cosmoline. 5-Gallon Pail ($265.00) << Special Price, Best Value! Cosmoline Removal for a P38 | Walther Forums As expected, once we actually got them out to the desert, they had just a tiny bit more grease to leak out from weird places as the process of shooting warms up places not easily accessed by brush or rag, but so it goes!