Clenzoil--Instrumentality of evil?

I know many of you swear by Clenzoil, and you may well be correct in doing so. However, I just bought a bottle and am a little worried about two issues:


1. Clenzoil has a petroleum distillate base. I have heard that you have to be very careful using petroleum distillate based products around plastic grips because it can soften the plastic. If some Clenzoil leached under the grips of my black widow and remained there for several months, would the grips be damaged? I note that the bottle exclaims how wonderful it is on wood, metal, and leather, but it is strangely silent about plastic. I have asked Clenzoil about this but have not received a response.


2. I have tested Clenzoil on raw wood (like the kind you may find on some M1895 Nagant grips) and it soaks in and discolors it just like oil would. While it is possible that Clenzoil may not actually damage the wood like prolonged exposure to oil may, is it not still a bad thing originality-wise to have discolored grips, regardless of the cause?


Any thoughts on these weighty issues would be appreciated.

I remove the grips, strip the gun down and slop Clenzoil all over the pistol.

Then I wait a little while and then I wipe off nearly all the clenzoil.

I then reassemble the pistol and put it up. There should not be excess clenzoil on the pistol to disolve or discolor the grips.


For shooters I went back to CLP or other lubricants.

Clenzoil failed my "stuck toilet handle test" so I use Clenzoil only for firearms that are rarely or never shot.

Clenzoil is wonderful as a preservative/cleaner/light lubricant for collector grade firearms.


Mike

[Thor]

I keep Clenzoil of the wood as much as possible. Dont know about plastics, but you might have something there! ~Thor~

[G.T.]

that's the problem, sometimes its the vehicle in the can that is used as a propellent for the spray, or as a reducer or thinner, for the oil that causes a problem with plastics.....I would start with squeeze bottles and use trial & err from there! till...later...G.T.

[stymie]

Have you guys tried EEZOX as a CLP? I was turned on to it by Larry Seecamp several years ago & now, it's all that I ever use. 1st off... it will NOT damage ANY finish including wood & plastics! It has an extreme temperature range & is not flammable. It will not gum up or kill primers. EEZOX dries to a light film and is an excellent rust inhibitor. I'll be getting a mint '42 Mauser Banner Eagle Luger from Ralph Shattuck this week... & I can hardly wait to get my hands on it. Love the forum!

[Marvin]

Mike,


I have been using Clenzoil for 7 years now and have found that it is the best ruswt preventative I have found except for RIG, which I use on long term storage pistols.


As to the use on wood, I try to keep it off as much as possible as it is an oil. To the question on plastic; I normally coat the pistol with Clenzoil and let the carrier dry before replaceing the plastic grips. I don't know if it will harm them in any way if they were soaked in it, but I have never seen any detrimental effects in 7 years.


I hope you will post the information from Clenzoil when they return your question, I am very curious to hear their answer too.


Marvin