air tight or vented

lboos · 01-10-2010, 01:59 PM

I took my luger out of the safe to clean it today as i do every 2-3 mo's. it is an airtight small safe that i have been using for about 5 year's now. i've allways cleaned the gun and left it un-wrap'ed. the gun dosen't look as nice as it did a year ago, i have been using WD 40 and 3 in1 oil.
Is being kept in an airtight safe a bad idea? or should it be vented where air can cir. around it.
Thank's for any advice.

Edward Tinker · 01-10-2010, 02:37 PM

Well, not to be a pain, but unless it sucks the air out, it isn't air tight.

In addition, WD40 is not a good oil; as it stands for water displacing; and 3 in 1 oil is good for sewing machines and the like.

I would think that using specific gun oils like hoppes or breakfree or the like might be a better idea.

Letting it have air circulating around it in Georgia sounds like a bad idea to me....

Ed

alvin · 01-10-2010, 02:37 PM

Air tight has one advantage -- you won't worry mice could live inside

Small safe can try this:

Link: Dehumidifier

Applying light oil for storage is not a good idea. Light oil flows, and could stain the wood grip panels.

Renaissance Wax works well.

Link: What is R Wax?

Ron Smith · 01-10-2010, 06:48 PM

WD 40 will gradually damage the finish. As Ed says, it's a water displacer, not an oil or lubricant.

lboos · 01-10-2010, 08:44 PM

Thank you all for your advice, i think i will go with breakfree as Ed suggest.

suum cuique · 01-10-2010, 11:57 PM

how about that stuff you can find in shoe boxes, plastic medicine bottles, etc. (Sometimes little bags, sometimes plastic capsules).
How about putting this stuff together with a gun in an air tight container to absorb the rest moisture?

Vlim · 01-11-2010, 08:30 AM

Andy,

Should work. Mauser used them in their post war Parabellum boxes as well:

alvin · 01-11-2010, 08:53 AM

Silicon bag absorbs moisture, but you need a rechargable one. This thing saturates after absorbing certain amount of moisture. In long term gun storage context, there are two options: (1) you drives the moisture out of them; or (2) you throw it away and put a new bag in.

Rechargable means option (1). You put saturated silicon package into oven of 350F for a few hours and silicon will be dry again and its moisture absorbing function is restored. Regular silicon bag is not chargable because the bag is paper made.

Silicon in paper bag is an excellent choice for manufacturer of shoes, self-assembly furniture box, etc. Low cost, one time usage, good enough.

The above dehumidifier.com products are nothing more than silicon. Silicon color changes from blue (dry) to pink (wet) so you know when it's saturated. The ones hold in aluminum container is rechargable. There are at least two packaging forms.

I still run against BreakFree (tm). It does not effect gun blue, but that's only part of the story. No effective way to prevent it flowing to the wood grip panels. It's liquid, what would you expect. For gun cleaning, it's an excellent choice, but for gun storage, I reserve my concerns.

jamese · 01-11-2010, 08:55 AM

I belive the stuff is called Silica Gel you can order it at the following link:
http://www.silicagel.net/index.html

Jim

fred p · 01-11-2010, 09:43 AM

I use a product like this.
http://www.gunsafes.com/Browning-Eve...umidifier.html

lboos · 01-11-2010, 02:26 PM

Just for info.....i went to wallmart this morn. to buy some breakfree, it is now called "Winchester" breakfree CLP.. same stuff, same name and address on the can. same price, just a diff. color black and gray. i guess winchester bought them out?

Vlim · 01-11-2010, 02:31 PM

I think that, like the Winchester brand, it was probably bought by the Herstal / FN group.

Judging from their websites, Breakfree is owned by Safariland.

suum cuique · 01-11-2010, 03:12 PM

Thank you all!

Drachenstein · 01-12-2010, 11:00 AM

Remington makes a rechargeable dehumidifier designed for safes. This past year we added a sunroom to our lower floor, and put a hot tub in it. Unfortunately my safe is on the lower floor. Rust has become a major issue as the hot tub makes a salt-water mist. I caught what was going on with the handtools in my work room

as well as a suit of armor I was working on. Until I could rectify the problem I got the remington gun safe dehumidifier as a short term fix,,,

,,, it worked really well. I do use breekfree, I do clean monthly, and I only open the safe to get what I need. I recharge it weekly by just plugging it in the wall for six hours or so and then back in the safe it goes. When the crystals go pink it's time to recharge. At the cost of 25 dollars or so it's a cheap fix considering the cost of what it's protecting. It's taking care of a 42 gun safe which is pretty good size. I imagine a smaller safe without a hot tub close by would last much longer,,,, but it's rechargeable so who cares?

I finally did resolve the mist issue, but that's another story.

01-10-2010, 01:59 PM	#1
lboos User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ga. Posts: 69 Thanks: 4 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	air tight or vented I took my luger out of the safe to clean it today as i do every 2-3 mo's. it is an airtight small safe that i have been using for about 5 year's now. i've allways cleaned the gun and left it un-wrap'ed. the gun dosen't look as nice as it did a year ago, i have been using WD 40 and 3 in1 oil. Is being kept in an airtight safe a bad idea? or should it be vented where air can cir. around it. Thank's for any advice.

01-10-2010, 02:37 PM	#2
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,966 Thanks: 2,066 Thanked 4,595 Times in 2,116 Posts	Well, not to be a pain, but unless it sucks the air out, it isn't air tight. In addition, WD40 is not a good oil; as it stands for water displacing; and 3 in 1 oil is good for sewing machines and the like. I would think that using specific gun oils like hoppes or breakfree or the like might be a better idea. Letting it have air circulating around it in Georgia sounds like a bad idea to me.... Ed __________________ Edward Tinker ************ Co-Author of Police Lugers - Co-Author of Simson Lugers Author of Veteran Bring Backs Vol I, Vol II, Vol III and Vol IV

01-10-2010, 06:48 PM	#4
Ron Smith User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Orygun Posts: 4,243 Thanks: 118 Thanked 245 Times in 150 Posts	WD 40 will gradually damage the finish. As Ed says, it's a water displacer, not an oil or lubricant. __________________ I Still Need DWM side plate #49... if anyone runs across a nice one. What ~Rudyard Kipling~ said...

01-10-2010, 11:57 PM	#6
suum cuique User Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: MD / Currently about 9000 klicks east of the Potomac Posts: 497 Thanks: 108 Thanked 47 Times in 35 Posts	air tight storage how about that stuff you can find in shoe boxes, plastic medicine bottles, etc. (Sometimes little bags, sometimes plastic capsules). How about putting this stuff together with a gun in an air tight container to absorb the rest moisture? __________________ Regards, Andy There's No Place Like Home (Wizard Of Oz)

01-11-2010, 08:30 AM	#7
Vlim Moderator Lifetime LugerForum Patron Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Europe Posts: 5,053 Thanks: 1,036 Thanked 3,990 Times in 1,205 Posts	Andy, Should work. Mauser used them in their post war Parabellum boxes as well: Attached Images

01-10-2010, 02:37 PM	#3
alvin User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: US Posts: 3,843 Thanks: 132 Thanked 729 Times in 438 Posts	Air tight has one advantage -- you won't worry mice could live inside Small safe can try this: Link: Dehumidifier Applying light oil for storage is not a good idea. Light oil flows, and could stain the wood grip panels. Renaissance Wax works well. Link: What is R Wax?

01-10-2010, 08:44 PM	#5
lboos User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ga. Posts: 69 Thanks: 4 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thank you all for your advice, i think i will go with breakfree as Ed suggest.

01-11-2010, 08:53 AM	#8
alvin User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: US Posts: 3,843 Thanks: 132 Thanked 729 Times in 438 Posts	Silicon bag absorbs moisture, but you need a rechargable one. This thing saturates after absorbing certain amount of moisture. In long term gun storage context, there are two options: (1) you drives the moisture out of them; or (2) you throw it away and put a new bag in. Rechargable means option (1). You put saturated silicon package into oven of 350F for a few hours and silicon will be dry again and its moisture absorbing function is restored. Regular silicon bag is not chargable because the bag is paper made. Silicon in paper bag is an excellent choice for manufacturer of shoes, self-assembly furniture box, etc. Low cost, one time usage, good enough. The above dehumidifier.com products are nothing more than silicon. Silicon color changes from blue (dry) to pink (wet) so you know when it's saturated. The ones hold in aluminum container is rechargable. There are at least two packaging forms. I still run against BreakFree (tm). It does not effect gun blue, but that's only part of the story. No effective way to prevent it flowing to the wood grip panels. It's liquid, what would you expect. For gun cleaning, it's an excellent choice, but for gun storage, I reserve my concerns.

01-11-2010, 08:55 AM	#9
jamese User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: South Florida Posts: 792 Thanks: 0 Thanked 86 Times in 36 Posts	I belive the stuff is called Silica Gel you can order it at the following link: http://www.silicagel.net/index.html Jim __________________ The "truth" is a matter of Perception

01-11-2010, 09:43 AM	#10
fred p User Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: N.C. usa Posts: 86 Thanks: 10 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	I use a product like this. http://www.gunsafes.com/Browning-Eve...umidifier.html __________________ if it's broke I'll either fix it or I'll fix it so no one else can fix it.

01-11-2010, 02:26 PM	#11
lboos User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ga. Posts: 69 Thanks: 4 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Just for info.....i went to wallmart this morn. to buy some breakfree, it is now called "Winchester" breakfree CLP.. same stuff, same name and address on the can. same price, just a diff. color black and gray. i guess winchester bought them out?

01-11-2010, 02:31 PM	#12
Vlim Moderator Lifetime LugerForum Patron Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Europe Posts: 5,053 Thanks: 1,036 Thanked 3,990 Times in 1,205 Posts	I think that, like the Winchester brand, it was probably bought by the Herstal / FN group. Judging from their websites, Breakfree is owned by Safariland.

01-11-2010, 03:12 PM	#13
suum cuique User Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: MD / Currently about 9000 klicks east of the Potomac Posts: 497 Thanks: 108 Thanked 47 Times in 35 Posts	Thank you! Thank you all! __________________ Regards, Andy There's No Place Like Home (Wizard Of Oz)

01-12-2010, 11:00 AM	#14
Drachenstein User Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Elizabethtown, KY Posts: 78 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Remington makes a rechargeable dehumidifier designed for safes. This past year we added a sunroom to our lower floor, and put a hot tub in it. Unfortunately my safe is on the lower floor. Rust has become a major issue as the hot tub makes a salt-water mist. I caught what was going on with the handtools in my work room as well as a suit of armor I was working on. Until I could rectify the problem I got the remington gun safe dehumidifier as a short term fix,,,,,, it worked really well. I do use breekfree, I do clean monthly, and I only open the safe to get what I need. I recharge it weekly by just plugging it in the wall for six hours or so and then back in the safe it goes. When the crystals go pink it's time to recharge. At the cost of 25 dollars or so it's a cheap fix considering the cost of what it's protecting. It's taking care of a 42 gun safe which is pretty good size. I imagine a smaller safe without a hot tub close by would last much longer,,,, but it's rechargeable so who cares? I finally did resolve the mist issue, but that's another story.