Sapper771
Member
We used carb cleaner on our M2 50 cal machineguns, it worked very well. I dont clean other firearms with it though.
carburetor cleaner use on guns?
- Thread starter Big Bill
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I used carb cleaner to remove the hardened cosmoline from the lockworks of a Victory Pistol
It worked great, removed all the grease.
Had a side effect. The thin nitrile gloves I was wearing, the right hand glove tore. Got lots of carb cleaner on my right hand, particularly on the knuckles.
The skin peeled. Continued peeling for about a year.
That stuff gets into the skin, down into the skin.
http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-152637.html
It worked great, removed all the grease.
Had a side effect. The thin nitrile gloves I was wearing, the right hand glove tore. Got lots of carb cleaner on my right hand, particularly on the knuckles.
The skin peeled. Continued peeling for about a year.
That stuff gets into the skin, down into the skin.
http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-152637.html
B-12 Chemtool. Great stuff. It has never peeled my skin off either.
BCRider
Member
The very first time I ever used carb cleaner was to actually clean carbs 
I didn't know what it was but I was wearing safety glasses and thicker nitrile gloves. I was getting really into it and it was splashing up onto the safety glasses. I didn't think much about it until I tried to wipe off the glasses. The solvent had pitted the plastic lens.
I still use carb cleaner here and there when nothing else does the job but I use it with a LOT of respect. Slamfire, your story about your peeling knuckle just reinforces this.
Any solvent at any time should always be used with protective gloves. I've given myself temporary eczema on a couple of occasions back before I realized this and solvents sucked the oils out of my skin. As Slamfire noted and as I'm sure many of you have found the thin medical disposables are pretty much useless when handling tools and gun parts let alone bigger and more damaging work. I heartily recomend getting the thicker versions from safety supply outlets. The sets I've got have lasted for years. And if you get the right ones they can be had with a cloth inner lining for easy slipping on and off. These thicker versions are pretty close to or slightly thicker than dish washing gloves.
Also many solvents are hell on the kidney or other internal organs and they happlily will enter the blood stream via the skin once they've stripped away or mixed with the skin oils. Over time this damage is accumulative and if we want to live to enjoy our grandkids and pensions it's worth the extra time to don the safety gear.
I didn't know what it was but I was wearing safety glasses and thicker nitrile gloves. I was getting really into it and it was splashing up onto the safety glasses. I didn't think much about it until I tried to wipe off the glasses. The solvent had pitted the plastic lens.
I still use carb cleaner here and there when nothing else does the job but I use it with a LOT of respect. Slamfire, your story about your peeling knuckle just reinforces this.
Any solvent at any time should always be used with protective gloves. I've given myself temporary eczema on a couple of occasions back before I realized this and solvents sucked the oils out of my skin. As Slamfire noted and as I'm sure many of you have found the thin medical disposables are pretty much useless when handling tools and gun parts let alone bigger and more damaging work. I heartily recomend getting the thicker versions from safety supply outlets. The sets I've got have lasted for years. And if you get the right ones they can be had with a cloth inner lining for easy slipping on and off. These thicker versions are pretty close to or slightly thicker than dish washing gloves.
Also many solvents are hell on the kidney or other internal organs and they happlily will enter the blood stream via the skin once they've stripped away or mixed with the skin oils. Over time this damage is accumulative and if we want to live to enjoy our grandkids and pensions it's worth the extra time to don the safety gear.
Mad Magyar
Member
Well said......Wear some good, thin, but effective gloves. Box at $10.00 at any medical supply store...After your 1st use, you'll think why I waited so long!
Deltaboy1984
Member
Yes but be careful no need to act like a moron with it.
jbauch357
Member
some people are going to be more sensitive to skin irritants than others. I'm one of the guys that can be covered in carb cleaner, brake cleaner, solvent, etc and it never really bothers me nor does it do damage to my skin that washing and a little lotion can't take care of.Big Bill said:
RonellCooper
Member
Carb cleaner will ruin a wood finish. Be very careful.
BCRider
Member
Sorry Big Bill but this is one time where "getting away with it once was OK so it must be OK all the time" doesn't cut it. Solvents of any sort cut through the fatty oils in our skin and penetrate to the fatty deposits in the lower skin during more than extremely momentary exposure. And having it "all over your hands" is hardly momentary exposure. Each time a little more leaches into your system through the skin and for many of them it accumulates in organs where it can't flow past. Over a few years of using such solvents on even a semi consistent basis this will lead to problems. Some are more tolerant than others but either way you're playing Russian Roulette with your body's health for later on. It's just not worth it.
On some folks that are more sensitive to it the results come earlier. A buddy's son got into the auto mechanic trade. The first 5 years of exposure to oils, greases and cleaning solvents of all sorts was a no big deal. Then his system said "that's enough" and over a few months he developed a serious allergy to oil, grease and solvent exposure. Within a few hours following contact the skin would break out in serious eczema (the split, crusty dry skin with bleeding or weeping fissures) that would take around a month to go away even with help from doctor prescribed creams. He tried various barrier creams but nothing really did it. He tried heavier duty nitril gloves but then he didn't have the manual dexterity needed. The thin "doctor's" gloves just tore too easily and he was back to the creams. He finally gave up and went back to school to train for a new career.
Another co worker I knew got the exact same thing right away from trying to use a "playdo" epoxy putty where you massage the two parts together. The skin of both hands was in terrible shape for almost two months. I saw that one happen myself.
A buddy that worked in the autobody trade mentioned that a lot of the old guys didn't live long following retirement and many suffered before going from kidney shutdown or liver issues. The autobody trade is known for liberal use of prep solvents and washing stuff down to clean it and all manner of solvent exposure other than just breathing the fumes. He stuck it out for around 15 years but then got out of it when his doctor saw some problems in his blood tests that indicated trouble.
YMMV but the issues of solvent to skin contact is real.
On some folks that are more sensitive to it the results come earlier. A buddy's son got into the auto mechanic trade. The first 5 years of exposure to oils, greases and cleaning solvents of all sorts was a no big deal. Then his system said "that's enough" and over a few months he developed a serious allergy to oil, grease and solvent exposure. Within a few hours following contact the skin would break out in serious eczema (the split, crusty dry skin with bleeding or weeping fissures) that would take around a month to go away even with help from doctor prescribed creams. He tried various barrier creams but nothing really did it. He tried heavier duty nitril gloves but then he didn't have the manual dexterity needed. The thin "doctor's" gloves just tore too easily and he was back to the creams. He finally gave up and went back to school to train for a new career.
Another co worker I knew got the exact same thing right away from trying to use a "playdo" epoxy putty where you massage the two parts together. The skin of both hands was in terrible shape for almost two months. I saw that one happen myself.
A buddy that worked in the autobody trade mentioned that a lot of the old guys didn't live long following retirement and many suffered before going from kidney shutdown or liver issues. The autobody trade is known for liberal use of prep solvents and washing stuff down to clean it and all manner of solvent exposure other than just breathing the fumes. He stuck it out for around 15 years but then got out of it when his doctor saw some problems in his blood tests that indicated trouble.
YMMV but the issues of solvent to skin contact is real.
jpatterson
Member
They throw carb cleaner at us after field training to clean M16s. Good enough for military, good enough for me.
BCRider
Member
I don't care if they throw it at you or not. Wear gloves!
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