Ed's Red went cloudy!

F

flintlock.50

New member
I mixed up a batch of Ed's Red, using the original formula, about 18 months ago. Now, I see that the stuff has gone cloudy and I can see some precipitate in it. It still seems to clean well and it does dry to am "oily" film, so I presume the lanolin or ATF is still doing its thing.

Anyone else ever seen this?

Thanks
 
flintlock I have a batch that has been around longer than that and it still looks fine. I add a little acetone to it a few months ago because even in a fairly gas-tight container that stuff can evaporate over time.

Great stuff!
 
What was it stored in? If it was in some kinds of plastic they might have been attacked by the acetone, causing the cloudiness.
 
I've been storing my Ed's Red in a metal can that mineral spirits came in. A small amount was in a glass jar. The bulk of it was in my garage where temperatures do get cold in winter (solubility issue maybe?) but the stuff in the glass jar (kept indoors) also has a precipitate.

The precipitate is definitely not water, though I can't absolutely say the general cloudiness isn't from water. The solids are a gelatinous material. Could it be the lanolin?

The stuff still seems to work. I'm just very surprised it has turned cloudy and has a precipitate.
 
I have a can of Ed's red around somewhere. I would hate to see the MSDS sheet for Ed's Red. I would dispose of it if I had any idea how to safely. There are alternatives with a lot less negatives.
A glass jar makes me think mason jar. Modern mason jars often have some sort of plastic/rubber sealant on the inside of the cap. Metal cans are also often coated with polymers to stop corrosion. Could be either of those things.
 
I have a can of Ed's red around somewhere. I would hate to see the MSDS sheet for Ed's Red. I would dispose of it if I had any idea how to safely. There are alternatives with a lot less negatives.
Click to expand...
Indeed.

I usually bite my tongue when Ed's Red comes up for discussion. I don't think it's a good option for firearms.
It's bad for wood. It's not good for metal. And half of the ingredients are hygroscopic (essentially attracting moisture to your firearms).

To top things off.... Automotive and chemical engineers roar with laughter when they hear that gun owners think ATF and acetone make an ideal cleaning agent, preservative, and lubricant for firearms.

To them, the concept is about like using chicken eggs and baked beans to lubricate and preserve your car's transmission. :rolleyes:
 
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