The cosmoline coated bumpers and trim was given an extra dose of solvent, then a high temperature pressure washer (yeah, a steam cleaner) was used to remove the cosmoline. This rifle had not been disassembled in MANY moons and had dried cosmoline in all the tight areas. I had to pull it out of the plastic to verify numbers. You would tie an old shoelace to a receiver, a gear, a bolt assembly, whateverdrop it in a pre-prepared tank of boiling water, watch the clock, and remove. comments sorted by Best Top New Controversial Q&A Add a Comment Dexter-the-Cat There are other ways to achieve this same effect, however. We'll send you the latest guides and training tips geared Yes, cosmoline is toxic because it is a petroleum-based grease. Something to pay final attention to when doing the last pass on all of your small internal parts is the firing pin channel. Before I go full bore on this, has anyone used this? There are few procedures that you can use to remove and clean cosmoline from your military surplus guns. Ive tried dozens of methods over the years until I stumbled upon a suggestion to use Goo Gone. The gooy, gross, petroleum preservative that is seemingly locked within every porous surface and crevice possible. Just be careful if using a heat gun, keep it on low, and make sure to keep the heat moving and even. It worked great. If you use these links, it helps me continue to put out free content for viewers. You can also use a heat gun or an older oven to help melt the Cosmoline. For future cosmo removal, try mineral spirits. I read a funny (?) the metal is hot enough from the water that when removed, it's warm enough to evaporate all moisture from itself. WD40 is actually mostly kerosene along with something like floor polish that remains when the paraffin has evaporated. Trip83 . Those materials are classified as combustible rather than flammable. 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. Again, if youve ever dealt with military surplus guns before, you might have some experience with the somewhat laborious process of removing the infamous goop from them. I bake all the stocks in a long homemade oven I made. All that being said I usually buy cotton cloths from a big box store ringspun or recycled and I just wipe. Air compressor. 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 will speed up the process. Your email address will not be published. There are a ton of ways to do it and most work great. You only have power over people so long as you do not take everything away from them. 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. . Pick any other cleaning option! (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. It is safe to work with, cheaper than most products and works extremely well. That will do the cleaning with no damage to the wood or original oil finish. Gently remove parts and wipe off Cosmoline or move parts back and forth in bath and Cosmoline will start coming off. Hmm, so it's like packing grease. Like this kind of content? Immediately spray everything down with WD-40 to displace any remaining water. In our case, the two Type-56s we received directly were definitely in the latter category of goo-boundedness, with lots of solvent-resistant hardened grease nuggets tucked away throughout the entire firearm. jumpscare links to send to friends; elliptical orbit simulator; babolat ambassador program. Mineral spirits are known as a major solvent for removing cosmoline, and you can apply it with a rag. Contact Us 24/7 Customer Service Phone: (866) 802-2906 Fax: (866) 607-5965 Sales@CosmolineDirect.com Thanks After eight days, only the very top was showing . I've restored a couple cosmoline soaked rifles using different techniques. Author: Marie Sonder Born and raised in Austin TX, Alfred has been shooting guns since he was 18. 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. If the metal is removed from the stock, it shouldn't make much of a difference. Thats why it is important to clean and remove it in your rifle to keep your firearm operating at its best performance. The other reason being is a nice coating of oil keeps your parts moving smoothly and protects guns in storage. Weve built dozens of ARs and well cover all the best AR-15 upgrades such as handguards, triggers, BCGs, gas blocks, and more. Just be sure to oil thoroughly as soon as possible because it'll be bone dry when you're done. The greasy substance is used to prevent their military surplus rifles from rusting. After peeling, they leave a greasy film for continued corrosion protection. Also, this is perfect to use in the bore and chamber area as it will not attack metal. Wd40 on the metal parts that you can't soak. used kompact kamp mini mate for sale. Repeat this until the patches come out relatively clean. Before I do anything I'll regret, can anyone give me a definitive ruling on the best way to clean cosmoline off metal/wood? 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. Worked great. I've read that I should use mineral oil or WD40. At this point, disassembling the gun or sections of it, such as bolt assembly, and being soaked in mineral spirits may be more beneficial. Let me show you how I safely remove cosmoline. I've used mineral spirits, gasoline, heat, soapy water, etc. Protect tools, dies, and other parts during shipping and storage with these durable, removable coatings. no crazy cleaners, no toxic chemicals, no complicated setups. I generally disassemble the gun into it's primary components first. Type your new password and hit button below to confirm it. The protective layer was thick, tough and not easy to remove. But on the wood I wipe the excess then use a hair dryer and wipe as it sweats. Acetone, mineral spirits, or kerosene (but avoid the latter when possible, or when your firearm has been painted or blued). Done. We wound up using about ~3 cans of cleaner total per rifle, using a general spray vigorously and begin wiping down method. Ehhhh, was my first try with Cosmo. machine guns to get them ready for action. Here are the stuff you'll need: Mineral spirits or acetone and kerosene Water and soap Shop rags A toothbrush or a smaller paintbrush. This restriction only affects the following Southern California counties: Orange, Riverside, Los Angeles and San Bernardino. So just wiping it off the surface is all that is required. WD40 worked well, but was basically a waste when the spirits did the same thing. Let it sit for a couple of minutes, then run a few dry patches through. I stripped the whole gun down and used mineral spirits on the metal parts and Murphy's wood soap on the stock. The spray and handy tube make it easy to get into grooves and slots, as well as bolt holes. If the firearm is left to accumulate for too long, it may clog, resulting in a firing failure or the need for repairs. Also, older cosmoline tends to solidify when exposed to air for a long time, making it hard to remove. So if you need to store your firearms long-term and protect them from moisture and corrosion, multiple options are available. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. METHOD #1: Wipe with Cloth, Rag or Paper Towel, METHOD #2: Soak Parts in Cosmoline Remover. Clean and repeat until it stops weeping. It might just be the hardest challenge to returning the gun to a useable state. Was thinking of boiling in dish detergent water. 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. 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. Good or bad idea? 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. Even if your item only has a light coating of older Cosmoline, you might have questions as to how best to remove old coatings. (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. The honest-to-goodness proper way to remove Cosmoline from anything, really, is through working at it. Here are the stuff youll need: Avoid using gasoline and harsh chemical solvents as your cleaner because that can strip paint and other coatings from the guns surface. Brownells sells Rust Veto, a cosmoline equivalent optimized for long-term firearm storage. Sorry for the "ums." and "ahh." guys. As a general rule, cosmoline can be removed with heat, kroil, WD-40, or Kerosene. (Demonstration video coming soon). ?>. Fact: Over the past few decades, the name Stoddard Solvent was synonymous with all mineral spirits. 4. Cosmoline - in my experience - is stronger, but the cost per can . Change the paper towel and put back at a slightly higher temp every cycle. Really, you'd have to soak ammo in WD40 to have a chance of it seeping in and killing the primer. Just avoid gasoline as your cleaning solvent as its not advisable to use. These two things will help eliminate the last residues out of your gun. Almost boiling water works pretty well to clean cosmoline off of metal. WD40 is designed to evaporate of surfaces. Wipe it off with a combination of shop rags for the surface grease, as well as goof-off to grab any of the sticky residues that are going to be left behind. Are you aware that cosmoline and shellac are, in fact, two different substances? A & L Cosmoline Remover will quickly and easily remove petroleum-based transit coatings and cosmoline from vehicles. Wrap in paper towels and aluminum foil. Always handy to have around for frozen pipes, freezer defrost, melting ice on front steps (or from gutter downspouts) after an ice storm, etc. Take this time to look over and inspect all of the parts for cracks and excessive wear. Toothbrush or smaller paintbrush for cleaning small, hard to reach spots in metal. 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'. All ultrasonic cleaners are made in the same factory in the PRC. Cosmoline found in the chamber area can cause failures to extract. There are a few methods you can use in order to clean Cosmoline off in this state: WD-40 If you spray WD-40 . 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. For hand protection I would recommend nitrile gloves. Heat is an extremely effective way of removing cosmoline. I'll do better next time. Like CitriStrip because you won't lose any proof marks in the wood. For the stocks, I generally do the dish washer routine (of course, I wait for my wife to be gone for the day first!lol). Cosmoline Removal Wd40 ; Conclusion ; What Removes Cosmoline? He grew up in Elk County, Pennsylvania, where he became obsessed with the world of firearms. The wood I used Citristrip, it worked really well. I bought a bunch of those Yugo SKS rifles when cases of them started showing up at the gun shows. You can use the oven and even the heat from the sun to melt the cosmos. Next, you need to clean your gun. Soaking, washing, rinsing, and scrubbing will take hours to complete before you can handle your parts or firearm without the greasy residue covering your hands. 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. Cosmoline is a pain to remove though I found a heat lamp to work well to remove most of it without much effort. If youve got some super-secret method that you swear by, go ahead and yell about it in the comment section below. I found some PD680 from a chemical company, but it must be neutured or something because it doesn't smell the same and doesn't work anywhere near what the older stuff did back in the '90's. Cosmoline continues to be made today and is still a great option for long-term rust prevention. Used a brass brush to help clear the heel lettering. Cosmoline melts at temperatures ranging from 115 to 125 degrees Fahrenheit. AK-47 Tips/Tricks, Links, Content and Buyer Guides. Although, today, there are many rust-preventative oils and greases that are cleaner and will do an as good, if not better, job. I took mine in a hot shower, shoots like a dream. Then I laid the parts out in the blazing Texas sun. Safety is a good tool for tyrants; no one can be against safety. Depending on the container or the size of the firearm, soaking guns in mineral spirits can be done in a huge container. Gently rub area to maximize contact between cleaner and surface. AtLunde Studio, our primary goal is to provide a dedicated resource for all gun enthusiasts from all walks of life. All good tips, and this is how I clean the metal parts for the most part. It depends on the matter of your desire. The stuff will bubble up as a wonderfully aromatic orange oil like layer on the water. Theres no study that cosmoline has a bad effect on rubber. And stay in touch with newsletters of our best articles on techniques, guns, & gear. 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. Grease will burn when exposed to temperatures, but it will not catch fire. Wipe off the WD40. Remove all metal parts, use a spray can of break cleaner to strip cosmoline. Remove all metal from stock you are comfortable removing. Kroil can be found here at Brownells.com. Blow the gun parts off using an air compressor until dry. For extra protection of the piece, youll need to add lubricant and stain (for wood stock), especially to the bolt assembly. Now its one of the best toys in the box. There's two main types of cosmoline: RP- 342 and RP- 344 I belive. Sealing them in a greasy tomb of cosmo guards against the corrosive nature of maritime environments. This is most likely how you will encounter it on a surplus firearm or bayonet. I really like the fact that it doesn't dry out, but sits there and works on softening up the Cosmoline. You can also use another heat source to melt the cosmoline to its liquid condition, such as a heat gun or an oven. Remove the stock, get a few tooth brushes and start dousing and scrubbing the metal. Attempting to remove the rust-preventive after allowing the cosmoline to warm up can result in an oilier finish. You can now use, and regularly clean. My method is to clean with g96 aerosol for light cosmoline junk or if the problem is serious WD40. Video shows my process start to finish so you can see all stages. Not so sure about current unleaded bio-fuel with all the additives. Here's how I did it. . 0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic. Review SDS for complete safety precautions. I do this on bare stocks after stripping them. Now what's the best way to clean the residual WD40 off so I won't have primers getting compromised? However, it gives you the opportunity to get to know the inner workings of your firearm on another level. All Rights Reserved. Removing all of the Cosmoline will take significant work regardless, so it comes down to a matter of preference. 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. A dry film of it on the mags isn't going to hurt anything. A reminder on why you shouldnt use gasoline to clean a firearm: its simply not practicable to clean a firearm, especially in the quantities required to clean a standard C&R pistol. We believe our Cosmoline Remover is the most effective solution offered anywhere. Dissembling can make the process somewhat easier but it isnt absolutely necessary. Removing Cosmoline has given people grief since 1939. Cosmoline is a Vaseline-type preservative that was used to preserve firearms. Wipe off the sections or metal parts of the gun that you disassembled using shop rags. I've done all my cosmo cleanups with mineral spirits, junk toothbrushes, and a heat gun. This is one of the few times I will recommend WD-40 for working on guns. /* A little spark/open flame & gas vapors can be a recipe for personal disaster, even outside. Nearly as ubiquitous as duct tape, WD-40 claims to protect against rust and corrosion. The main difference between Rust Veto and cosmoline is that Rust Veto has a slightly higher melting point of 140-170 degrees Fahrenheit. For rifles like the SKS with a free-floating firing pin, its a critical place to make sure you got REALLY clean. As a general rule, cosmoline can be removed with heat, kroil, WD-40, or Kerosene. The U.S. military soon discovered its advantages when applied to military equipment. Its the mess, gross and slimy petroleum that appears to be wrapped in every surface of firearms. It doesnt cut the oil. 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. Lastly, there are many other ways to remove cosmoline, but these are methods that I have used with excellent results. Its very important that you get as much of the Cosmoline out of the gun as possible if only to eliminate the risk of having to disassemble the gun to find a hidden chunk of the rust-preventive gunking it up. Not really. I've discovered recently that WD40 works good. Soak the bolt and small parts in mineral spirits. This method works exceptionally well. guns & If you want to spay, you could put it in a garden type sprayer. I have used before on other parts kits with paper towels or old cotton rags This is how to remove cosmoline in the most effective and efficient manner from your newly-acquired Moist Nugget or other military surplus firearm. WD40 works well enough and wont hurt a thing. anything extra and your It's also called "dry chemical". Basically this was the in thing to do prior to the plastic wrapping OEM`s use now. Follow them on Instagram: @oldsteelguns. Military surplus firearms are typically very easy to fully disassemble with minimal tools, making it a pretty painless job. Take a microfiber towel and a small bucket of diesel fuel and begin taking off the cosmoline. Funny, as long as no one got set on fire and the machine guns made it to the front on time. To help you get rid of this slimy substance, our team spent 48 hours researching the easiest steps in removing cosmoline from your firearms. If you'd like to consider an effective Cosmoline Remover in aerosol, please see our SS-245 product option. Just throw the parts in hot water. Then rinse in hot water and blow dry any areas that did not dried up. remove all the metal parts, wash it with the hottest water you can tolerate then spray all surfaces with wd40 to prevent rust. By that, you can also grab the tiny residues that were left in the firearm. However, it might not be necessary if you have no intentions of shooting it. Cosmoline is our stuff, product of a first world economy, the commies used grease, cheap grease, much easier to remove. Cosmoline can cause the pin to get stuck in the forward position and lead to slam fires and a runaway rifle. Cosmoline is petroleum-based rust and corrosion-inhibiting grease. Cosmoline Removal. A heat gun on the low setting or a hairdryer both work great for this task. However, I do not recommend doing it indoors; outside or in a garage is best. A kitty litter can also remove cosmo in your guns. It dissolves dried grease and will work its way into openings as small as one-millionth of an inch. The aerosol cans work best for this application. Brownells Retro Rifle XBRNM16E1 Review: Initial Impressions. PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:Cosmoline Remover is a solvent-based industrial cleaner specifically formulated to quickly & effectively remove all types of Cosmoline and other petroleum-based transportation and storage coatings. towards your level. Spray part again and set aside to air dry. Once youre satisfied, you can move on to the actual cleaning. 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. Be sure to use a decent gun oil on any moving parts when you reassemble. It melts at 113-125 so hot soapy water or steam cleaning works. No finish injured, wood stocks like-new (it cooks Cosmoline out of the wood grain), and IT'S CHEAP! 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.