Cosmoline trouble (still)

[confinedbythecurtain]

So here it is: I took my guns and buddies out to Bell Mountain for some desert plinking on Sunday, and fired my newly purchased SKS for the first time. I cleaned the heck outta the thing with degreasers, WD 40, soap and water, etc before I fired it. I took the thing apart and scrubbed and scrubbed. It got pretty clean (except for the bayo, it has that thick cosmo on it that is a pain). Well now to get to the problem. I put 300 rounds through it and as the gun got hot it started bleeding tons of cosmo! I have heard that you can "bake" the stock, but my oven is too small for that. Would a blow dryer work? What are some alternate ways to heat the stock so the darn cosmo will bleed out? Also, do you have any ideas on restoring the bayo? That thick cosmo is caked on and wont come off.

Thanks

Jason

 

[Rexrider]

Just leave the stock outside in the sun at noon on a clear day. I saw a picture where someone placed it on aluminium foil (don't know if it makes a difference but it would make it easy to clean up when done). Wipe down and rotate. Repeat as needed.

Of course, expect better results in the Summer.

I have heard of people leaving it the car/truck on the dash to heat it up. Personally, I would not care to have cosmoline oozing out while inside my car. I only added that as a alternate suggestion.

 

[Carlos Cabeza]

Mineral spirits will take that crud right off. Won't harm wood or metal. Wrap that baby up and put it in your car on a hot day then wipe'er down that afternoon.

 

[Rexrider]

Forgot to add....
About the bayonet. Mineral spirits seems to do the trick. Brake cleaner will work too.

You could also place the bayonet in VERY hot water. The cosmoline will melt away.

 

[mack69]

Re:

Confined...seeing as you live in cali...try wrapping the gun in a black plastic garbage bag with a cotton towel in the bottom and put it in that famed california sun for a bake. check it every now and then and wipe it down. Then put it back in the bag till no more weeps out. I always use mineral spirits to clean all that gooey cosmo off everything. Good luck....mack

 

[R.H. Lee]

Uh huh. Same for me. I spent 4 hours detail stripping, cleaning, brushing, mineral spirits, etc., et yada. The thing still weeps cosmo after it heats up. Check out this forum for more info: http://www.sksboards.com/forum/

 

[ruger270man]

for the bayonet, see if you can find this stuff called "Sea Foam Deep Creep", its a penetrator and lubricant.. get a container, like a tupperware container, fill it up a bit with that stuff, and soak the bayonet in it overnight, then wipe it off in the morning.. if that doesnt work I dunno what will

 

[Lonestar.45]

Check this forum out, there's a million different ways on how to clean it, and I think these guys know them all:

http://p077.ezboard.com/fparallaxscurioandrelicfirearmsforumsfrm34

Your oven isn't too small though, you leave the door partially open. Here's how I did mine: I made a "boat" of aluminum foil to lay the stock in to catch any drippings. Set the oven for 175, put the stock in. Take it out every 20 minutes and wipe down with a mineral spirit soaked rag. I did this for two hours, and I was done. And my stock had TONS of cosmo in it. You can do the handguard that way too, it won't hurt the metal piston tube. I left the vent on above the oven, and it did not smell up the house at all. If you think the wife will object, wait until she's away like I did!!! Just don't get the heat too high, nothing above about 175, 200 is probably too much.

Also, you can put it in a black garbage bag and leave it out in the sun if it is hot where you are. The only problem with that is it will take a lot lot longer. But that works too.

On the bayo, get a can of brake cleaner and go at it. I promise you the cosmo will come off, with a little elbow grease.

 

[Roadrunner]

I clean my grimy cosmoline soaked wood stocks and forearms in the dishwasher. Just remember to remove the wood before the dry heat cycle begins or else your wood can crack.

Mark Graham of Arizona Response Systems, an outstanding FAL gunsmith, has a write-up on cleaning old surplus stocks. The first part covers cleaning.

 

[Cosmoline]

Whatever you do, do NOT put the stock in the oven and lie down for a nap. In the early days of my gun collecting craze I did this. It earned me my screen name, ruined the stock and started one of the most interesting fires I've ever seen.

 

[spin180]

You might also try a homemade 'stock heater.' I've made one and it works quite well. It's actually fairly cheap and easy to make.

You'll need some metal ducting (about 8" diameter), either a single long piece or two shorter ones joined together so that your stock will fit inside completely, and a small heater. Those cheap ceramic heaters work well.

Set up the ducting with one end open and the other end sealed to retain the heat; I used a few sheets of heavy duty aluminum foil. Wrap your stock in newspaper or line the ducting with a towel and lay the gun on it. Place the heater on the open end so that it blows hot air into the ducting and let the stock cook. Take it out every so often and wipe it down.

The ducting only costs a few dollars and the heater shouldn't be more than $15-$20.

 

[Jack19]

Everything you need to know is here.....

 

[NMshooter]

Dawn dishwashing liquid is one of the best degreasers I have ever used.

And it is a lot more skin friendly than MEK or Trichloroethane.