Anyone Know how to get Cosmoline off?

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MrBigStuff

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I just bought a Yugoslavian SKS. Beautiful gun to add to my SKS collection. However, I didn't know that Cosmoline would be this incredibly hard to remove. The entire gun is bathed in it both inside and out. What do I have to do? Any help is appreciated and thank you.


Edit: Wasn't sure whether or not (C)cosmoline was a name brand or a generic term- so I capitalized the word. This edit is for the non-contributing babies with the annoying "jokes".
 
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Field strip it and set the parts out in the sun and let them get warm, you could also put some of the smaller parts in a 150 degree oven. After a good wipe down then use Ed's Red. The acetone in ER cuts through the cosmoline with little effort.
 
Mineral spirits and kerosene also cut cosmoline very well.

I would not use these on the stock unless you are going to refinish it, but the metal parts will not be harmed at all.

These are flammable liquids - you know that, and I apologise for mentioning it, but no harm in reminding you to handle them safely - no insult intended!
 
Two ways, neither of them pleasant. First is to disassemble outside and wash with a paint brush and a basin of gasoline. The second is the way the army cleaned new Garands and carbines packed in cosmoline, and that is to boil them in 55 gal cans(less wood stock) witn an immersion heaters. TCE works grat also if you have access to it. Be warned however that it is a known carcinogen and is illegal to dispose of in a sanitary sewer system or storm drain. P.S. Lighter fluid(Naphtha) works great also but you will net many cans of it. Don't use the bath tub like I did the first time, they're harder to clean then the rifle! LOL
 
I just bought 2 of those Yugo's.

I used kerosene in an open top oil drain pan, and one of those disposable paint brushes, on all the metal parts. Comes right off, no effort and just a few minutes time.

I put the wood in the oven at 150* (I used an infared heat gun to make sure), the heat melts the cosmo, just take it out every 10-15 minutes and wipe it off.
 
For the metal, hot water and Simple Green cleaner will get most of it. For the nooks & crannies, I use a spray can of brake cleaner. Brake cleaner removes all oil, so I grease it when I'm done. The metal is the easy part.

Wood is a major pain. Heat helps, but there will always be cosmoline in the wood, unless you have one of the varnished stocks, like a Russian gun.

A coat of shellac will help seal in the grease, then proceed with whatever finish you want, I usually use Tung oil.

Regards.
 
I use gasoline but you have to be VERY VERY careful of sparks. Use a plastic trash can or bucket and non metallic brushes. My wifes plastic sink brush works good--but don't tell her. Do not breathe the fumes. The gasoline will remove all the oil in the metal so be ready to reapply a coat. I use Ether(starting fluid) to finish cleaning off the dirty gasoline. It takes the oil out of your skin also so rubber gloves will help. There is a warning that skin exposure is dangerous so please do not use unprotected hands. Btw-good selection on the rifle. A real fun shooter.
 
Eleven Mike

Hopefully your joking...judging by your Location listed in your profile ( which says " Right Behind You") you sound like the kind of guy who uses Cosmoline for something other than firearm protection:D !
 
Take the box that AIM sent it in :) and use tape and a knife to turn it into a gun-sized tub. Line with a single piece of extra-heavy-duty aluminum foil. Put the rifle in the tub, pour lots of kerosene in, wait a while. Come back now and then to swish kerosene around, brush globs of loosened cosmo off of parts, disassemble parts that are no longer glued together, and generally marvel at just how incredibly sticky and nasty cosmoline is and how tolerant your wife is to let you do this within a mile of your house.

When removing a part from the kerosene bath for the last time, use some Ed's Red to get that last bit of stickiness off. For parts that have cosmoline in places where the sun don't shine, use non-chloronated brake cleaner, but be careful of the paint on the grenade sight. Brake cleaner will take it right off. Learned that the hard way. Always immediately follow the brake cleaner with Ed's Red or some other oily substance, for a degreased part will rust in the blink of an eye. Learned that the hard way, too.
 
GOOP hand cleaner works the best. Takes the cosmoline off right away, does not damage the wood or metal parts at all, and you don't have to wear gloves if you don't want to.
 
HEAT ! Somewhere on the internet is a design for an oven made from garbage cans and the heat source some 100 watt light bulbs. All you need is 150F which will melt off most of the cosmoline . Then you can use solvents for the remaining.
 
I'll second hot water for the metal parts. I've done three rifles in the bathtub that way. Just make sure you get the hotest water you can manage. I used dish soap, but I will probably use Simple Green or something similar next time. Dow Bathroom Cleaner (the scrubbing bubbles) or the Wal-Mart generic will clean the tub easily.

As for the stock, I've tried the oven method, but my oven is too small. I just recently got a handheld steam cleaner and I'm using that on a Yugo M-48A's stock which was really saturated. It's going to take several treatments, with time for the stock to dry in between, but it seems to be working very well. I may try the steam cleaner on the metal as well next time I get a new rifle (I'm looking for a good M-44 right now).
 
Q:Anyone know how to get Cosmoline off?


A:Yes. Take her out for dinner, buy her a couple drinks and tell her you love her.The rest should come easily.

Busdog
 
Please, for God's sake, NEVER use gasoline as solvent!!!!!!

Every year in the U.S. a couple dozen people die or are burned so badly they wish they had died by using gasoline for cleaning solvent.

No matter how well ventilated or careful you are this is just about the most dangerous thing a person can do. It's truly insane, it's so risky.

PLEASE don't ever use gasoline as solvent.

In the 1960s 54 men died in a fire started by using kerosene as solvent at a miliatry base in Arkansas. I would never use kerosene for solvent and gasoline is 10 times worse. These are fuels meant to be easily ignited. They are not to be used as cleaning solvent.

I never use any solvent when removing cosmoline from military guns, anyway. Like someone already suggested most of it will run out from being placed in the sun on a hot day. I just hang the gun pointing barrel down in a tree in the backyard and in a couple hours all it needs is to be wiped down. Put a pan under to catch the grease.

No gas, please.
 
The answer involves kitty litter, the sun and a sealed garbage bag.

oh, you want to know how to remove the goo on rifles. I'm sorry I misunderstood.
 
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