favorite recipies for removing cosmoline

7mmag6 · 11-19-2003, 08:15 PM

I finally got the sks that ups lost over a week ago and Ive never seen a gooyer greasier mess than this its like honey, I cant even get this crap of my hands, does anyone have a good recipie for removing it?

11-19-2003, 08:38 PM

I've been told diesel fuel or gasoline dilutes cosmoline quickly

PAPA G · 11-19-2003, 08:42 PM

i use a bucket of gasoline, and a stiff brush. stick one end in the bucket and scrub away. then strip it down tossing all the small parts in the bucket, and scrubbing the big pieces again. after all the gunk is cleaned off. i hose it all off with carb cleaner an lay on carboard to dry. then i hose them with WD-40 and reassemble.

works for me, and everyone hates my technique

NRAJOE · 11-19-2003, 09:21 PM

I used a crap load of HOPPES on the exterior on mine, never have tackled the inside yet!

jerry · 11-19-2003, 09:25 PM

Everyone has a favorite. This worked well for me recently. Best done outdoors. Remove stock, do not get cleaner on wood. Get a can or two of carb cleaner (cheap stuff is good) Spray down action/barrell, trigger group, metal parts with carb cleaner. Scrub with tooth brush, wipe with rags. Follow up with wd-40, the carb cleaner takes out the "good" lube too. clean the bore with gun solvent as well as the parts you'd normally clean with solvent. Oil moving parts with good quality gun lube. Wipe the stock down with a clean cloth with a bit of wd-40 on it. the wd dosen't seem to bother the wood. As in anything, test a small part first before proceeding. Shoot the heck out of the gun, take it back a part and get the spots ya missed.

jerry · 11-19-2003, 09:26 PM

OK Joe, your turn :right:

NRAJOE · 11-19-2003, 09:30 PM

Crap, I hate that stuff (cosmo)...I was gonna be lazy and take it in to be cleaned...guy wanted $50 bucks! Screw that, I'll tackle it myself soon...Its gonna be a long winter!

Snakebite · 11-19-2003, 10:03 PM

Brake cleaner. The stuff dissolves cosmo instantly

Oxford · 11-19-2003, 10:20 PM

We all know how much danger using gasoline could be. Best to use an alternative. Carb cleaner, WD-40, kerosene and gunk solvent would be a whole lot safer.

At least, take the project outside because of the fumes and fire danger.

Dale · 11-19-2003, 10:31 PM

I've used boiling water, kerosene (high tech diesel), carb cleaner and brake cleaner.

Although boiling water doesn't take it off as easily as chemicals it does leave behind a managable cosmo film and leaves the good oils like Jerry referred to.

Of the chemicals I think brake cleaner works the best as Snakebite says.

But once again, like Jerry said, make sure you put back the 'good' oil whether its on metal or wood.

But, I'm here to tell ya that, unless you use a LOT of chemical on the stock, you'll never get it all out and I'm not sure you'd want to anyway.

I worked and worked on my Steyr M95 so much that I essentially took so much of the oil out that the grain separated......bummer.

whirlwind · 11-19-2003, 11:33 PM

well thanks to the EPA ya cant get the stuff that worked best on it anymore. BENZENE! when i was in service we used to take baths in the stuff! now they say it causes cancer...what the heck doesnt cause cancer these days?

Doglips · 11-20-2003, 05:54 AM

I use carb cleaner and acsatone.....after I remove the action from the stock.....once clean then use hopps and gun oil to finish up. For the stock to get cosmolin off without messing it up (any more than the cosmo did) put the stock on an old towel and put in the back seat of my car...florida heat melts it off the stock.....if refinishing the stock...the Easy Off Oven cleaner gets the stuff off real well.

11-19-2003, 08:15 PM	#1
7mmag6 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 6,052	favorite recipies for removing cosmoline I finally got the sks that ups lost over a week ago and Ive never seen a gooyer greasier mess than this its like honey, I cant even get this crap of my hands, does anyone have a good recipie for removing it? __________________ This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine

11-19-2003, 09:21 PM	#4
NRAJOE Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Toledo,OH Posts: 19,881 Blog Entries: 1	I used a crap load of HOPPES on the exterior on mine, never have tackled the inside yet! __________________ U.S. Army 1976-1979 237th Combat Engineers Heilbronn, Germany

11-19-2003, 09:30 PM	#7
NRAJOE Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Toledo,OH Posts: 19,881 Blog Entries: 1	Crap, I hate that stuff (cosmo)...I was gonna be lazy and take it in to be cleaned...guy wanted $50 bucks! Screw that, I'll tackle it myself soon...Its gonna be a long winter! __________________ U.S. Army 1976-1979 237th Combat Engineers Heilbronn, Germany

11-19-2003, 10:20 PM	#9
Oxford Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Gladstone, Missouri Posts: 14,293 Blog Entries: 4	We all know how much danger using gasoline could be. Best to use an alternative. Carb cleaner, WD-40, kerosene and gunk solvent would be a whole lot safer. At least, take the project outside because of the fumes and fire danger. __________________ "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right".

11-19-2003, 10:31 PM	#10
Dale Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Too Dang Hot, Arizona Posts: 4,288	I've used boiling water, kerosene (high tech diesel), carb cleaner and brake cleaner. Although boiling water doesn't take it off as easily as chemicals it does leave behind a managable cosmo film and leaves the good oils like Jerry referred to. Of the chemicals I think brake cleaner works the best as Snakebite says. But once again, like Jerry said, make sure you put back the 'good' oil whether its on metal or wood. But, I'm here to tell ya that, unless you use a LOT of chemical on the stock, you'll never get it all out and I'm not sure you'd want to anyway. I worked and worked on my Steyr M95 so much that I essentially took so much of the oil out that the grain separated......bummer. __________________ "It confuses me how some people can vigorously go against the 2nd. Amendment and still call themselves patriotic"-me

11-19-2003, 08:38 PM	#2
Logansdad Guest Posts: n/a	I've been told diesel fuel or gasoline dilutes cosmoline quickly

11-19-2003, 08:42 PM	#3
PAPA G Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Somerset, Guntucky Posts: 9,603	i use a bucket of gasoline, and a stiff brush. stick one end in the bucket and scrub away. then strip it down tossing all the small parts in the bucket, and scrubbing the big pieces again. after all the gunk is cleaned off. i hose it all off with carb cleaner an lay on carboard to dry. then i hose them with WD-40 and reassemble. works for me, and everyone hates my technique

11-19-2003, 09:25 PM	#5
jerry Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 13,763 Blog Entries: 1	Everyone has a favorite. This worked well for me recently. Best done outdoors. Remove stock, do not get cleaner on wood. Get a can or two of carb cleaner (cheap stuff is good) Spray down action/barrell, trigger group, metal parts with carb cleaner. Scrub with tooth brush, wipe with rags. Follow up with wd-40, the carb cleaner takes out the "good" lube too. clean the bore with gun solvent as well as the parts you'd normally clean with solvent. Oil moving parts with good quality gun lube. Wipe the stock down with a clean cloth with a bit of wd-40 on it. the wd dosen't seem to bother the wood. As in anything, test a small part first before proceeding. Shoot the heck out of the gun, take it back a part and get the spots ya missed.

11-19-2003, 09:26 PM	#6
jerry Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 13,763 Blog Entries: 1	OK Joe, your turn :right:

11-19-2003, 10:03 PM	#8
Snakebite Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tucson, Mexico Posts: 1,853	Brake cleaner. The stuff dissolves cosmo instantly

11-19-2003, 11:33 PM	#11
whirlwind Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: oklahoma Posts: 3,776	well thanks to the EPA ya cant get the stuff that worked best on it anymore. BENZENE! when i was in service we used to take baths in the stuff! now they say it causes cancer...what the heck doesnt cause cancer these days? __________________ De oppresso liber !

11-20-2003, 05:54 AM	#12
Doglips Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Cocoa Florida Posts: 9,082	I use carb cleaner and acsatone.....after I remove the action from the stock.....once clean then use hopps and gun oil to finish up. For the stock to get cosmolin off without messing it up (any more than the cosmo did) put the stock on an old towel and put in the back seat of my car...florida heat melts it off the stock.....if refinishing the stock...the Easy Off Oven cleaner gets the stuff off real well.