Removing old dried cosmoline

siegersallee · 05-06-2015, 05:03 PM

Hi all,

I have removed old dried cosmoline from Mosin-Nagants with good results using mineral spirits.

I have literally put each metal part that needed colsmoline exorcism into a tray of mineral spirits and let it soak for 24 hours.

I then remove from the tray, lightly rinse with warm water, and immediately dry with cotton rags. After that, I get more clean cotton rags and Q-Tips to get anything still left.

However, for WWI lugers, I am unsure of the best way other than using thousands of Q-Tips and Hopps 9 Cleaner and 2-3 hours tedious cleaning.

Though the mineral spirits does not seem to harm the finish on Mosin-Nagants, I am hesitant to use the same technique on rare lugers with significantly more value.

Is there a better (faster) way than going over all the innards with Q-Tips to remove the old, dried, black, and very dirty cosmoline?

I do completely disassemble and clean all lugers that come my way. But it is really time consuming.

Thanks,
Richard

ithacaartist · 05-06-2015, 06:12 PM

There is a "Blaster" product in aerosol cans, which can help with hard-to-reach places, and it will not harm the finish. It would be similar to using a pressure washer on a car, which does fairly well. Nonetheless, there is no substitute for a gentle hand wash, nor at least a final going-over with Q-tips!

George Anderson · 05-06-2015, 06:12 PM

Soak it in Kroil but not the grips.

Sieger · 05-07-2015, 03:17 AM

Hi,

I use WD-40 and an old tooth brush.

I has worked fine for me since the early 1960s.

Sieger

rhuff · 05-07-2015, 06:58 PM

Mineral spirits or Hoppe #9 are two of what I have had success with. I just remove the grips, and have at it. If it is really crusted, it gets a soak in my parts cleaner tub(filled with mineral spirits). No harm has been done to the finishes.

DonVoigt · 05-07-2015, 10:00 PM

Mineral spirits will not affect the metal or finish, so go ahead; but
do take the grips off!

CAP Black · 05-07-2015, 10:42 PM

I do believe Ballistol would work very well as it is mineral spirits with steroids.
Jack

ithacaartist · 05-08-2015, 03:27 AM

Richard, I'll bet you didn't expect all this! You now have lots of systems, fluids, and techniques from which to choose... Your finish will be safe if you avoid acidic or corrosive chemicals. Hydrocarbon chemicals cannot interact with the finish, so any oil, kerosene, acetone, spirits, paint stripper, etc. will do just fine. Soak as long and as often as desired/necessary, without anxiety! Non-marring, non-abrasive implements.

I agree that wood grips have their own caveats and should be treated separately.

Curly1 · 05-08-2015, 09:42 AM

I have had good results with Keroseane.

Sergio Natali · 05-08-2015, 10:02 AM

I've always used WD40 BALLISTOL an old tothbrush and a lot of patience, but it works.

Sergio

siegersallee · 05-08-2015, 10:36 AM

Hi all,

I have certainly gotten a lot of feedback and some very interesting ways to clean. I will try a couple three to see which will work for me.

I was hoping someone had figured out how to clean "auto-magically" so I would not have to expend time and effort. You know like leaving a tooth under your pillow and it magically becomes money.

Yep, Lifer, lots of methods. Lots of good choices.

jamese · 05-12-2015, 09:14 AM

Put the gun in a metal can and leave in the hot sun for a few hours, most of the cosmoline will melt off and collect in the bottom of the can.

If you don't live in an area with lots of sun like Florida, I guess you could put the can in an oven at a low temp.

I used to use a metal garbage can for long guns.

This will get about 80 to 90% of the stuff off, then a good cleaning with solvent works

danielsand · 05-12-2015, 09:59 AM

Here in the sunny SoCal, we wrap the weapon in paper towels, place it in the black garbage bag, and leave it on the patio/window sill exposed to the sun for few hours. Cosmo melts, soaks into the paper towel, and the weapon is cleaned in the normal fashion afterward. Works for the wood too.
In the case of rifles, the barreled action is removed from the stock, and both are treated this way in separate "packages".
It works.

05-06-2015, 05:03 PM	#1
siegersallee User Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 293 Thanks: 112 Thanked 58 Times in 35 Posts	Removing old dried cosmoline Hi all, I have removed old dried cosmoline from Mosin-Nagants with good results using mineral spirits. I have literally put each metal part that needed colsmoline exorcism into a tray of mineral spirits and let it soak for 24 hours. I then remove from the tray, lightly rinse with warm water, and immediately dry with cotton rags. After that, I get more clean cotton rags and Q-Tips to get anything still left. However, for WWI lugers, I am unsure of the best way other than using thousands of Q-Tips and Hopps 9 Cleaner and 2-3 hours tedious cleaning. Though the mineral spirits does not seem to harm the finish on Mosin-Nagants, I am hesitant to use the same technique on rare lugers with significantly more value. Is there a better (faster) way than going over all the innards with Q-Tips to remove the old, dried, black, and very dirty cosmoline? I do completely disassemble and clean all lugers that come my way. But it is really time consuming. Thanks, Richard __________________ "Für Gott, Kaiser, und Vaterland" -seeking: Erfrut Mag 1229 (no script)

05-06-2015, 06:12 PM	#2
ithacaartist Twice a Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Atop the highest hill in Schuyler County NY Posts: 3,401 Thanks: 7,560 Thanked 2,643 Times in 1,393 Posts	There is a "Blaster" product in aerosol cans, which can help with hard-to-reach places, and it will not harm the finish. It would be similar to using a pressure washer on a car, which does fairly well. Nonetheless, there is no substitute for a gentle hand wash, nor at least a final going-over with Q-tips! __________________ "... Liberty is the seed and soil, the air and light, the dew and rain of progress, love and joy."-- Robert Greene Ingersoll 1894

05-07-2015, 03:17 AM	#4
Sieger User Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: New York, NY Posts: 1,579 Thanks: 2,154 Thanked 402 Times in 251 Posts	Hi, I use WD-40 and an old tooth brush. I has worked fine for me since the early 1960s. Sieger Last edited by Sieger; 05-07-2015 at 11:47 PM.

05-08-2015, 03:27 AM	#8
ithacaartist Twice a Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Atop the highest hill in Schuyler County NY Posts: 3,401 Thanks: 7,560 Thanked 2,643 Times in 1,393 Posts	Richard, I'll bet you didn't expect all this! You now have lots of systems, fluids, and techniques from which to choose... Your finish will be safe if you avoid acidic or corrosive chemicals. Hydrocarbon chemicals cannot interact with the finish, so any oil, kerosene, acetone, spirits, paint stripper, etc. will do just fine. Soak as long and as often as desired/necessary, without anxiety! Non-marring, non-abrasive implements. I agree that wood grips have their own caveats and should be treated separately. __________________ "... Liberty is the seed and soil, the air and light, the dew and rain of progress, love and joy."-- Robert Greene Ingersoll 1894

05-08-2015, 10:02 AM	#10
Sergio Natali User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Somewhere in Northern Italy Posts: 2,646 Thanks: 1,087 Thanked 1,783 Times in 1,007 Posts	I've always used WD40 BALLISTOL an old tothbrush and a lot of patience, but it works. Sergio __________________ "Originality can't be restored and should be at the top of any collector's priority list.

05-06-2015, 06:12 PM	#3
George Anderson Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: VA Posts: 3,592 Thanks: 1,773 Thanked 2,531 Times in 788 Posts	Soak it in Kroil but not the grips.

05-07-2015, 06:58 PM	#5
rhuff Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Az. Posts: 2,315 Thanks: 2,748 Thanked 998 Times in 733 Posts	Mineral spirits or Hoppe #9 are two of what I have had success with. I just remove the grips, and have at it. If it is really crusted, it gets a soak in my parts cleaner tub(filled with mineral spirits). No harm has been done to the finishes.

05-07-2015, 10:00 PM	#6
DonVoigt User Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: near Charlotte NC Posts: 4,681 Thanks: 1,443 Thanked 4,356 Times in 2,041 Posts	Mineral spirits will not affect the metal or finish, so go ahead; but do take the grips off!

05-07-2015, 10:42 PM	#7
CAP Black User Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Fairmont, WV Right here in Mountaineer country and God's country Posts: 767 Thanks: 100 Thanked 174 Times in 96 Posts	I do believe Ballistol would work very well as it is mineral spirits with steroids. Jack

05-08-2015, 09:42 AM	#9
Curly1 User Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Upstate New York Posts: 1,255 Thanks: 126 Thanked 717 Times in 374 Posts	I have had good results with Keroseane. __________________ Laugh hard and often. Gary

05-08-2015, 10:36 AM	#11
siegersallee User Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 293 Thanks: 112 Thanked 58 Times in 35 Posts	Hi all, I have certainly gotten a lot of feedback and some very interesting ways to clean. I will try a couple three to see which will work for me. I was hoping someone had figured out how to clean "auto-magically" so I would not have to expend time and effort. You know like leaving a tooth under your pillow and it magically becomes money. Yep, Lifer, lots of methods. Lots of good choices. __________________ "Für Gott, Kaiser, und Vaterland" -seeking: Erfrut Mag 1229 (no script)

05-12-2015, 09:14 AM	#12
jamese User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: South Florida Posts: 792 Thanks: 0 Thanked 86 Times in 36 Posts	Put the gun in a metal can and leave in the hot sun for a few hours, most of the cosmoline will melt off and collect in the bottom of the can. If you don't live in an area with lots of sun like Florida, I guess you could put the can in an oven at a low temp. I used to use a metal garbage can for long guns. This will get about 80 to 90% of the stuff off, then a good cleaning with solvent works __________________ The "truth" is a matter of Perception

05-12-2015, 09:59 AM	#13
danielsand User Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: SoCal Posts: 137 Thanks: 52 Thanked 100 Times in 43 Posts	Here in the sunny SoCal, we wrap the weapon in paper towels, place it in the black garbage bag, and leave it on the patio/window sill exposed to the sun for few hours. Cosmo melts, soaks into the paper towel, and the weapon is cleaned in the normal fashion afterward. Works for the wood too. In the case of rifles, the barreled action is removed from the stock, and both are treated this way in separate "packages". It works.