Really old gun oil
 

My most recent acquisition was obviously put away well oiled. But that was long enough ago that it was now like dried shellac. Everything was either very stiff or stuck, Including the grips to the frame. 90 minutes with some solvent and a toothbrush cleaned everything nicely, and some fresh oil has it working beautifully. Not a speck of rust so I guess it worked. It wasn't thick or greasy enough to be cosmoline.

Question...Any guesses on how long it was in storage for the oil to get that dried/stiff? (assuming it was in the house in proper temperature and humidity)
The gun has light holster wear, but did not come in or with a holster

This isn't a quiz ...I don't have an answer...But I know many of you have so much collector experience in your lifetime, that perhaps you would a hazard a guesstimate...?

Curious....Scott

I would say it depends on the type of oil used. My old gunsmith swore by Singer sewing machine oil. My buds at Noveske Rifleworks use Mobile One on everything. I use Break Free Collector for my stuff. Some must gum up over time. I would imagine a colder temperature would cause oil to become more dense and "gum up".

G2

Swag:
Many years, perhaps decades!

I'd say you're right. I have seen some guns with old oil or grease that looked like brown, sun dried pine sap, while others (like my Roth-Steyr) have had perfectly good factory grease in them. I'm not sure how long it would take for "bad" lubricants to harden, but I have seen it in many guns from as late as the '70s.

If your Luger was sprayed generously with WD40 and put away, it really doesn't take decades for it to turn to GLUE......been there, done that!!! Never again!! :banghead:

Whale oil?

Scottrt,


For long-term storage, I suggest a thorough inside and outside dousing of Ballistol and a Bore Stores storage sleeve.

I've stored my Mauser rifle collection, with this combination, sometimes for decades, with no problems whatsoever.

Respectfully,


Sieger

Hi,

I've never had the problem that many have with WD-40 but certainly have with R.I.G.!

Respectfully,


Sieger

I was just about to say the same thing, I've been using BALLISTOL for decades and left on safe queens without issues.

I'm more of a rifle shooter, but the combination of old oil and powder residue can cause lots of problems. I've had to use "Easy Off" oven cleaner on some of the cruddier stuff, and much of the crud that I thought was rust turned out to be old oil that had turned to varnish, however...it's a good idea to do it outside.

In my experience, all "old school"petroleum based lubricants tend to evaporate over time, with the more volatile components going first. Modern petroleum lube oils are "polarized" (origin unknown- maybe Outers) to prevent this. Now, non petroleum oils are common and I have not heard of them evaporating.

I have a small bottle of whale oil, usually used in clock works and watches. It's prized for its lack of evaporation over long periods of time. Check to see if its viscosity is correct before using on a Luger, just to make sure, but I'd think it would work great!