Carbon removal

[kestak]

Greetings,

What product do you use to remove the carbon on the cylinder of your stainless revolvers?

I use Break Free and Hoppes #9 but it does need some brass brush brushing and elbow grease. Also, the dark ring in the face of the cylinder does not go away with those products.

Thank you

 

[Brian040]

Birchwood Casey Lead Remover Cloth works great on the carbon buildup on the cylinder face and around the forcing cone. Just don't use it on any of your blued guns unless you want to have them re-finished

 

[CraigC]

Nothing. If it doesn't come off with #9 or an oil-damp rag, it belongs there. It is not residue, it is carbon scoring. It does not affect function in any way and you will do more harm than good trying to remove it. ANYTHING you may use to remove the carbon scoring will be an abrasive and will remove metal over time. Despite marketing claims, LeadAway and similar cloths WILL remove metal.

 

[Walkalong]

Carbon Killer. It really works.

 

[Long Tom Coffin]

two metal polishes work perfectly: Flitz and Mother's Mag. I too used Break Free and #9, but it wouldn't completely remove the blast rings around the cylinder or the carbon deposits on the sides of the cylinders. Flitz works magnificently to remove those, doesn't even require any "elbow grease". Just put a small amount on a rag and wipe, and off it comes.

 

[41magsnub]

+1 on the lead remover cloth. I would never do that as part of routine cleaning, but it was great when I was cleaning up a SS revolver I was putting up for sale.

 

[Tallinar]

Nothing. If it doesn't come off with #9 or an oil-damp rag, it belongs there.

I tend to side with this line of thought.

 

[harmonic]

Do not use flitz or mother's on any gun you plan to keep as these products, over time, will actually remove steel from the face of the cylinder thus increasing the cylinder to barrel gap.

If you must use anything, use a lead remover cloth. It removes the black via chemicals and not abrasives.

Personally, I like the discoloration. It makes it look like the gun has been used, something I do too little of.

 

[Kernel]

I little J-B Bore Cleaning Paste and an old tooth brush will take it right off.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=1160/Product/J_B_reg__NON_EMBEDDING_BORE_CLEANING_COMPOUND

 

[CraigC]

If you must use anything, use a lead remover cloth. It removes the black via chemicals and not abrasives.

That's what they say, but it is not true. After having this discussion numerous times with folks who did not believe that these products would do any harm to their expensive sixgun, I ordered some. I took a half inch stick of 6061-T6 aluminum rod, chucked it in my lathe, masked it off and put a 400grit brushed finish on it to simulate your average factory stainless finish. I then masked it off again and put the lead remover cloth to it. Remember, this is at its lowest speed setting of no more than 500rpm. I knew I had my answer as soon as I put the cloth to the metal and it turned black but continued for two minutes. I used only a fraction of the cloth. In only two minutes, this is the result. A mirror bright finish with the scariest part being how it rounded off the edges at the end. Now imagine several years of using one of these once a week to clean your dirty sixgun after every range session. This is why if I'm examining a used stainless sixgun that has obviously been fired, but has a squeaky clean cylinder face, I politely hand it back and walk away. My sixguns will NEVER see a lead removal cloth.

 

[Eb1]

You can use Remington Bore cleaner. Just put some on the outside. Let it sit for a minute or two, and then wipe it away with any cotton cloth. What is left is left, but you can repeat. I don't see how this could hurt your cylinder. Maybe someone could chime in as to how it would.

 

[montess85]

I have used dish washing soap and water......I know everyone is going to chime in not to get there guns wet...It fine if you dry in really good and oil it after....

 

[Dr.Rob]

Tiny scrap of Nevr-Dull magic wadding takes that right off.

 

[Publius1688]

My vote--give it a good scrub down with hoppes & elbow grease and leave it alone. All my revolvers have discoloration on the cylinder, but they're clean.

 

[Uncle Mike]

Slip 2000 Carbon Cutter...If this won't take it off, forget about it!

Harmless to your firearm and the environment. Non abrasive, non etching!

 

[Walkalong]

Tiny scrap of Nevr-Dull magic wadding

I have some of that, but it never occurred to me to try it for removing carbon on a gun. I will certainly give it a try.

For routine cleaning I do not worry about the discoloration on the face of the cylinder, but occasionally I want to get one really clean.

 

[akadave]

I wouldnt get to crazy trying to remove the carbon ring on the front of the cylinder. I used Flitz to clean that off of my Freedom Arms 454 and when asked, Freedon informed me that it removes metal, makes the cylinder face non-uniform and will affect accuracy. I wound up sending my gun in and they re-surfaced the cylinder. Thank god the gap in FA guns is ridiculously small.

 

[harmonic]

That's what they say, but it is not true.

You're saying that the mere chemicals in a lead away cloth are sufficient to remove metal?

 

[kenno]

I've used a bronze bore brush chucked in a highseepd drill with Hoppes #9, worked great, and no it will not remove metal unless you use it like a grinding wheel!

 

[dagger dog]

Next time I'm going to try carb cleaner, I'll test it out in an inconspicuious spot, to see if it removes blueing.
But if it works as well as it does on automotive applications it should do the trick on those rings.

 

[CraigC]

You're saying that the mere chemicals in a lead away cloth are sufficient to remove metal?

I'm saying it's abrasive. Look at the picture above. You can't go from a brushed to a bright polished finish without removing metal and that is exactly what the lead removal cloth did.

 

[Boxhead]

Can you measure a delta in diameter given that it is aluminum and any place on the rod has been "polished" 1000 times? Be interesting to see what would happen with a stick of 4140?

 

[RonBernert]

Gunslick FYI

I spent $20.00?? I think for a 12 oz can of this, USED IT EXACTLY AS THE DIRECTIONS SAID- twice! it did not work as well as I would have expected, or that the ads in the magazines showed. I cleaned 9 guns, all at once (including my Ruger 22/45...) and it just did not cut the mustard like good 'ol gun solvent does.. I gave the rest of the can away... Save your money.

 

[CraigC]

Can you measure a delta in diameter given that it is aluminum and any place on the rod has been "polished" 1000 times? Be interesting to see what would happen with a stick of 4140?

I doubt my $20 calipers would be sufficient for such testing. Yes, it is aluminum and yes it is softer than steel. The point remains, the stuff is advertised as being non-abrasive yet it clearly is abrasive. If it will polish aluminum it will polish steel, albeit at a slower pace. Scrub the face of your cylinder with it once a week until it is clean and it won't take long to alter dimensions, round off edges. All for what, to satisfy a compulsion??? My little test sufficiently satisfied my curiosity. I see no need to do any further to satisfy every possible doubt.

 

[Kingofthehill]

Go to the autoparts store and get some stuff called "Sea Foam"

for Carbon removal its top notch and i have found nothing better!...