Help with cosmoline on wood!

So I got this new Romanian AK-47. First attempts of getting the cosmoline out of it went medioker. So I just got two large cans of Gun Scrubber. Hopefully that will do the job on the metal parts. BUT...

How about the wooden parts??? They look and feel all sticky, wet and dirty with cosmoline!!! How do I get this crap out? BTW, I did consider just getting new wooder stock, grip, and other two parts.

BTW, I also got 1,000 rounds of 7.62x39 WOLF FMJ for $200 bucks. Not as good as online store, but no shipping charges and no wait :D

AP

http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting/cosmoline/index.asp

Cosmo melts at 125*F, steam or hot water will take most of it off.

I used kerosene on the metal and heated the wood in the oven on my first one. Since I found out about the steamer that's all I use now. Followed by my normal clean and lube.

You can put the wood parts in the oven at its lowest setting( I used 170 degrees). Put some foil on the the bottom to catch the cosmoline. I baked my yugo stock for about an hour and fifteen minutes. I would take the pieces out about every 15 minutes wipe off the cosmo with paper towels then put the pieces back in. When I was done I wiped down the wood with mineral spirits then gave the wood a couple of coats of tung oil finish. Mark

As Railroader said, in the oven, no more than 200 degrees (TOPS) and wipe every 15. WATCH the drips as I started a minor (smokey) fire on my last go at this. Worked very well with smaller metal parts also prior to mineral spirit bath.

my method

1.tear whole gun completely down
(www.surplusrifle.com)
2. very hot damp rags for intial wipe down of wood.
3. wood in oven as said above.. low heat 2hrs or so.. wipe ever 15mins.. foil
4. wd40 and tooth brush all parts
5. boil parts that cant be cleaned well with tooth brush.. remove with pliers
5. couple beers, tv and some hours to kill (clp, paper towels, and 1 million qtips on everything)

ready to go.. but im anal

I've used a heat gun lightly to draw out the cosmoline and paper towels to soak it up.

Bake it at a low temp and wipe every so often with alcohol or mineral spirits as stated already. worked like a charm

i'd go with the oven, as it's a bit more hands off. however, i have also had success with a hairdryer, on the hot setting of course. the hairdryer works for all parts, you just have to sit there and keep wiping it, as it melts off steel, or bleeds out of the wood.

For non-C&R type stocks I use the dish washer method usin the pot scrubber setting, but no drying. Works great.

For older stocks with stamp markings that are original, the tried and true heat method works with mineral spirit wipe downs without destroying the original patina. Then replying BLO.

I just got a hand steamer, and it works GREAT on melting the cosmo off of the metal. $20 at menards.

If you can find a heat gun that r/c airplane modellers use to apply the "skin" to the airframe, use one of those. They get hotter than a hair dryer, thusly working faster, but also run the risk of burning the wood if you hold it in one place too long. That, and you don't have to explain to certain... upset individuals why their hair dryer has dark greasy globs all over it. :o

I tried the hand steamer, and it also works okay. I was trying (unsuccessfully) to raise the dings in my M48 stock, but I had to keep wiping off all the cosmo that "wasn't there a second ago..." :scrutiny:

I've also heard of putting it in the dishwasher, but I'm too worried of cosmo all over the inside and on the racks to even consider trying. Knowing my luck, it'd end in horrible disaster. :uhoh:

Heat works well. Wrap it tight with paper towels, wrap with foil and leave in the oven at no more than 200 for at least an hour. Replace paper and repeat if necessary. When appears to have it well cleaned out, wash the surface(outside) with mineral spirits to clean the surface.

Or you can get a wallpaper tray and put the stock/forend/handguard in it, add mineral spirits. Brush it all over(use gloves) and let it soak a few minutes, repeat. It'll get a lot out.

You can also use water and ammonia. Use one part ammonia to three parts water, in a bucket or the sink. Just start brushing it all over and keep it working, it does a pretty good job of cutting the stuff out of the wood.

And I don't believe there is no one answer. Have used heat, plastic trash bags, whiting etc. What works best is persistence. It's eleven degrees today and I have a Turk in a plastic bag suspended over the ol woodstove. I just can't bring Myself to using oven cleaner. Some how it's going to clean up, but nomater what it's going to take time and effort..........ssex