I know this must get asked all the time, but I did a search first, with no luck. I just received my first C&R rifle, a Yugoslavian M48 in 8mm and it is packed with cosmoline, of whatever they used at the time. I don't have time to attack it until this weekend, so I was hoping some people could tell me their tricks for cleaning this type of goo.Thanks
How to clean off cosmoline?
- Thread starter jnsn
- Start date
VictorLouis
New member
I used paper towels to mop up the better part of it. Then, I finished with my MPro7, patches, pipe cleaners, and toothbrush. I admit, the hot soapy water treatment in the bathtub would have made shorter work of it!
Roadrunner
New member
If you don't want to mess with those chemicals, pick-up a bottle of 91% ethyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) from your local market. Cleaned up my surplus rifles with very little mess. Refinished the stocks and they look like new.
Danger Dave
New member
Hot water - from a pressurized hose if possible. Take the stock off, get the shower as hot as possible (turn up the hot water heater if you have to), get some good elbow-length rubber gloves and a brush and go to it. Be sure to let the steel stay in the water long enough to heat it completely. When you're done, set it in sunlight (if possible) & put a fan on it to help it dry quickly or set in front of the fireplace in winter - but don't set it on a towel or anything that will hold moisture next to it (I stretch mine between a couple of antique irons in the cold months). When dry, oil it quickly.
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by jnsn:
I know this must get asked all the time, but I did a search first, with no luck. I just received my first C&R rifle, a Yugoslavian M48 in 8mm and it is packed with cosmoline, of whatever they used at the time. I don't have time to attack it until this weekend, so I was hoping some people could tell me their tricks for cleaning this type of goo.Thanks[/quote]
Boil 2 to 4 gallons of water, and add Spic & Span until no more will dissolve.
Then pour over the gun (put the gun in a trough or something, I used an cement mixing tub) and scrub with a stiff bristle brush. A toilet brush works well.
CAUTION! Wear gloves, long sleeves, and apron if you have it, and face protection!
This stuff will do a number on you if you get it on you, but it does a REALLY fast number on the cosmoline.
I know this must get asked all the time, but I did a search first, with no luck. I just received my first C&R rifle, a Yugoslavian M48 in 8mm and it is packed with cosmoline, of whatever they used at the time. I don't have time to attack it until this weekend, so I was hoping some people could tell me their tricks for cleaning this type of goo.Thanks[/quote]
Boil 2 to 4 gallons of water, and add Spic & Span until no more will dissolve.
Then pour over the gun (put the gun in a trough or something, I used an cement mixing tub) and scrub with a stiff bristle brush. A toilet brush works well.
CAUTION! Wear gloves, long sleeves, and apron if you have it, and face protection!
This stuff will do a number on you if you get it on you, but it does a REALLY fast number on the cosmoline.
Having done this many, many times over the years, I have hit on the easiest, cheapest, and least messy way of doing the de-Cosmolining.
Use ODORLESS MINERAL SPIRITS,(it is very cheap, and easy to get at the hardware store, paint store, whatever)
A stiff paint brush or parts brush, a long trough (like a plastic hot water tank used in bluing works best) but a bucket will do if you are going to do it outdoors.
I have even lined a trench dug in the ground with black plastic sheeting, filled it with Mineral Spirits and used that. Worked great.
You could also make a long, shallow box of wood, and line that with plastic sheeting.
Soak all of it that you can easily disassemble overnight, then go after it with the brush. You can use a plastic spatula to scrape off the really heavy deposits before you begin soaking/scrubbing.
Do not soak the stock.
I often use a plastic Tupperware type collander to hold small parts while soaking and brushing.
Discard the gooey mineral spirits/Cosmoline slop, and go over it again with clean stuff. Do the bore with an old brush and the Mineral Spirits. Use a toothbrush on little nooks and crannies. The type with opaque handles work better than the ones with clear handles, as the opaque handles are more chemical resistant polypropylene or nylon as opposed to the styrene used in the clear ones.
Mineral spirits won't hurt the stock, and can be used to wipe it down as well.
After this all dries, there may be a bit of white residue on the gun, but regular cleaning with Hoppe's or Shooters Choice will easily remove that and finish the cleaning process properly.
After it is all clean, be sure to oil it down well with a good quality corrosion inhibitor. I use the Shooters Choice FP-10 for almost everything, but Break Free works well too.
I also recommend wearing eye protection, as the splatters of chemical can be very irritating if they get in the eyes. Use good ventilation, and keep the chemicals away from heat and flame sources like hot water heaters, etc.
The used chemicals can be disposed of wherever you take your car oil for recycling.
Just mix them with the used oil before you take it in. Safe and enviro friendly.
you can aslo recycle it by using the Cosmoline/Spirits to coat other outdoor stuff that you want to protect against rust.
If you want straight cosmoline, let the Spirits evaporate after straining it all through a T-shirt lined funnel to remove grit and grime from the fluid.
Use ODORLESS MINERAL SPIRITS,(it is very cheap, and easy to get at the hardware store, paint store, whatever)
A stiff paint brush or parts brush, a long trough (like a plastic hot water tank used in bluing works best) but a bucket will do if you are going to do it outdoors.
I have even lined a trench dug in the ground with black plastic sheeting, filled it with Mineral Spirits and used that. Worked great.
You could also make a long, shallow box of wood, and line that with plastic sheeting.
Soak all of it that you can easily disassemble overnight, then go after it with the brush. You can use a plastic spatula to scrape off the really heavy deposits before you begin soaking/scrubbing.
Do not soak the stock.
I often use a plastic Tupperware type collander to hold small parts while soaking and brushing.
Discard the gooey mineral spirits/Cosmoline slop, and go over it again with clean stuff. Do the bore with an old brush and the Mineral Spirits. Use a toothbrush on little nooks and crannies. The type with opaque handles work better than the ones with clear handles, as the opaque handles are more chemical resistant polypropylene or nylon as opposed to the styrene used in the clear ones.
Mineral spirits won't hurt the stock, and can be used to wipe it down as well.
After this all dries, there may be a bit of white residue on the gun, but regular cleaning with Hoppe's or Shooters Choice will easily remove that and finish the cleaning process properly.
After it is all clean, be sure to oil it down well with a good quality corrosion inhibitor. I use the Shooters Choice FP-10 for almost everything, but Break Free works well too.
I also recommend wearing eye protection, as the splatters of chemical can be very irritating if they get in the eyes. Use good ventilation, and keep the chemicals away from heat and flame sources like hot water heaters, etc.
The used chemicals can be disposed of wherever you take your car oil for recycling.
Just mix them with the used oil before you take it in. Safe and enviro friendly.
you can aslo recycle it by using the Cosmoline/Spirits to coat other outdoor stuff that you want to protect against rust.
If you want straight cosmoline, let the Spirits evaporate after straining it all through a T-shirt lined funnel to remove grit and grime from the fluid.
sharpsrifle
New member
I'm amazed that no one has mentioned "Easy Off" oven cleaner and a garden hose.
Don't laugh. It works just fine.
ONLY ON THE WOOD !!!!!
IT WILL RUST STEEL AND DISSOLVE ALUMINUM
Spay it on, wait 15-20 minutes, hose it off.
Dry immediately.
MADDOG,
Your system is a superb idea!
Recovering the cosomoline to reuse is not only economical, but very sound ecologically.
From now on, that is just how I will do it.
------------------
Regards, Sharps.
Don't laugh. It works just fine.
ONLY ON THE WOOD !!!!!
IT WILL RUST STEEL AND DISSOLVE ALUMINUM
Spay it on, wait 15-20 minutes, hose it off.
Dry immediately.
MADDOG,
Your system is a superb idea!
Recovering the cosomoline to reuse is not only economical, but very sound ecologically.
From now on, that is just how I will do it.
------------------
Regards, Sharps.