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Cosmoline removal. WD40?

C

clangolf

Member
Before I do anything I'll regret, can anyone give me a definitive ruling on the best way to clean cosmoline off metal/wood? I've read that I should use mineral oil or WD40. Is either of these acceptable?

Looks like there are a couple of old posts on the site that discuss mineral oil but if one method is better than the other, I would like to use the least aggressive method. My rifle has a thin coat of dried cosmoline on all of the metal.

Thanks,
Charlie
 
If the metal is removed from the stock, it shouldn't make much of a difference. I've used mineral spirits, gasoline, heat, soapy water, etc. Just wipe it down with a soft cloth to remove things, maybe a gentle toothbrush for the hard to get stuff.
 
The absolute best stuff I had ever had was military PD680, the older stuff. It's also called "dry chemical". Nothing else like it. It will dry everything out so you can't use it on rubber, plastics or wood and don't get it on your skin either. I found some PD680 from a chemical company, but it must be neutured or something because it doesn't smell the same and doesn't work anywhere near what the older stuff did back in the '90's. It wouldn't damage the metal bluing either. It was great stuff. I think some that were around it a lot had long term health problems from exposure, so they probably had to change the make up of it or something.
 
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two weeks ago I used wd-40 to clean off cosmoline off a SAR-80 parts kit, I used it on the plastic stock and metal it worked real well and does not harm the bluing or crackle paint on the receiver stubs. I have used before on other parts kits with paper towels or old cotton rags

for wood in the past I used that orange citrus stuff the box stores sell with a old cotton towel
 
I cleaned a heavily soiled 37 bSw last week, I use Krud Kutter. Seems to take off anything, including paint spatters without harming the finish at all. Tends to dry the wood surface but I apply a light oil after I clean as a default measure anyway. This rifle had not been disassembled in MANY moons and had dried cosmoline in all the tight areas. And as if that were not enough it came from a heaver smokers home seemingly as everything, cosmoline, dirt, and grime were shellacked with thick coating of nicotine. Took days of cleaning for all the original proofs and markings to become visible. It shines like John Boehners nose now.
 
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