AJC1
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I do the same with mineral spirits. Very low residue and cleans great.
Kerosene for cleaning
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Remington1911
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I use it and motor oil on my chain as well....that "fancy" stuff is mainly marketing. If you RTFM that came with your bike you will likely see that combo listed for cleaning the chain.
I don't use it on firearms, usually what I do is after the little bits get taken out is toss them in a sonic cleaner with some simple green and hit the button. Then ballastol, or #9 for the large bits that dont fit.
HollowDawg
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I use Ed's Red without the acetone or lanolin. So basically by volume 1/3 K1 Kerosene, 1/3 mineral spirits, 1/3 Dexron ATF. Make 3 gallons at a throw and it lasts a LONG time. I use it in my ultrasonic cleaner(outside only!). I don't let it get above 110 degrees since I don't really know what the flash point of this mix is but I do know it is difficult to light with a match. I don't use it on the plastic frames of polymer pistols. Amazing how much junk gets blasted out of the pistols. Run the dirty solvent thru coffee filters from time to time. Drip-dry the pistols. Leaves a very fine layer of lube throughout. I do add additional lube to high wear areas. The Kero etc mix seems to play well with all OTC solvent based lubes. I guess overtime and multiple cleanings I end up with a mix of Kero, mineral spirits, ATF, Tetra lube, CLP, etc. Frankenlube but it works well so far.
As a side note, my Dad used to fill the bores of his blackpowder rifles with kerosene after shooting. soak for a day and the Kero would seem to get behind the fouling and the BP residue would come out in thin chunks and sheets. Messy but it worked.
As a side note, my Dad used to fill the bores of his blackpowder rifles with kerosene after shooting. soak for a day and the Kero would seem to get behind the fouling and the BP residue would come out in thin chunks and sheets. Messy but it worked.
A local Police Department brought their Sig220’s to our Gun Shop for a Yearly Breakdown and cleaning. I’m sure most Officers did their own cleaning during the year but, I don’t know. Anyway, we used Kerosene and Auto Trans Fluid mixture. After the cleaning they dripped dried and then blown out with air. After that lubed at the required spots with what ever Gun Lube that was around.The guns always looked great and we never heard of any problems.
I do the same sometimes, just depends which bottle I happen to be closer to. Any solvent will do a basic clean. For lead and copper fouling you might need a more specific solvent and a stronger one, but any solvent removes carbon fouling really well.
I forget the youtube page, but I think it is a guy who goes by Gun Blue or something like that. He's kind of a no BS guy, and makes a lot of sense. It isn't magic, it is just a solvent that removes carbon fouling, the companies selling high end products, I'm sure they are better - but are the 500% more expensive worth it? probably not for the most part.
AJC1
Member
Exactly the guy I watched to develop my process.... to much marketing selling snake oil for ten times the price. I do use hoppies for patches because I like the smell.
Seedy Character
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Acetone and mineral spirits can be destructive on wood finishes and plastics.
Same with most any solvent. Be careful.
Papa had a Rem 11, he bought around 1923. He would take the wood off, wipe down with kerosene soaked rag. Blow down with compressed air. Squirter 3-in-1 where needed and reassemble.
Same with most any solvent. Be careful.
Papa had a Rem 11, he bought around 1923. He would take the wood off, wipe down with kerosene soaked rag. Blow down with compressed air. Squirter 3-in-1 where needed and reassemble.
AJC1
Member
No gun plastic I've ever run into is effected by mineral spirits. Now break cleaner is a different game.
earlthegoat2
Member
A thread came up like this a few years back and several folks definitely had some words to say about using kerosene or mineral spirits for gun cleaning.
Either times have changed and we are in a different spot on the wheel or those guys haven’t shown up yet.
Either times have changed and we are in a different spot on the wheel or those guys haven’t shown up yet.
AJC1
Member
Well when they show up they can start by explaining on how any solvent gun cleaner doesn't have mineral spirits as a base.
earlthegoat2
Member
The only reason I even bring it up is because one of those criticisms was pointed directly at me as I had said I use mineral spirits most of the time. Apparently using only the base of a cleaning solvent is not good enough for some.
AJC1
Member
I was responding to you not at you... that's what you should tell them.
mokin
Member
Kerosene is a lot easier to find than whale oil....
sparkyv
Member
Very interesting. They've changed their formula since 2016.sparkyv said:
The link you provided, dated 2019, shows no acetone.
This data sheet, dated 2016, shows acetone as the main ingredient.
https://www.hoppes.com/on/demandwar.../sds/50aa28d3-a292-45af-a957-e057a9f5b1de.pdf
Mixture Ingredient
Acetone 67-64-1 30% - 60%
Ethanol 64-17-5 10%- 30%
Kerosene 8008-20-6 10% - 30%
...
AJC1
Member
There are different versions of hoppies. I'd run into a black label for the first time a few years back. Just presented as a possibility for seeing different formulas.
I still have several gallons of Mil C 372C Rifle Bore Cleaner. The stuff is primarily kerosene if I am reading this old report correctly:
INTERIM REPORT IMPROVED RIFLE BORE CLEANER BY MARY J. CARROLL AUGUST 1972
https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/AD0748807.pdf
Specification MIL-C-372b supersedes Specification JAN-C-372, Cleaner, Rifle Bore, which was a cleaner of the type that contains an organic soap emulsion or a paraffin oi I, solvent, and water. The presence of water in the cleaner was needed to remove corrosive primer deposits. Corrosive primers contained potassium chlorate which formed potassium chloride when the primers were fired. The salt could net be removed by merely wiping the interior of the barrel, nor was it removed by swabbing lubricating oi I or grease through the barrel. Moisture absorbed by the sa lt when the humidity was high initiated barrel corrosion. Washing the barrel with hot water removed the salt, but the weapon then had to be thoroughly dri ed and lubricated to prevent rusting. Water-and-oi I emulsion formulations we re preferred since the average soldier disliked using wa ter on a weapon . The emulsion cleaners contained enough water to remove the salt and left an oily film to reduce rusting .
Since the presence of mineral oi 1 was established by gas chromatography, the b=mds are probably due to nonvolatile mineral oil in the dried cleaners . The bands are stronger in the spectra of the cleaners determined f rom the samples as received. The presence of kerosene was verified by gas[1]liquid chromatographic separation; a kerosene and mineral oil mixture reduces a spectra having these s trong bands .. The cleaners presently in use d id not remove burnt ball powder from metal surfaces even with rubbing : For removing powder residues from a metal surface the polar solvents (methanol , ethanol , water, and acetone) are more effective than the nonpolar solvents (kerosene, carbon tetrachloride, petroleum ether, and mineral spirits) . Onl y one of the cleaners from t he qualified products list removed so1ne copper from plated steel panels. It was found t o contain less than 1% free ammonia. Ammonia was not detected in the other cleaners analyzed. A popular commercial rifle bore cleaner which both cleaned and decoppered was analyzed . It contains ethanol (20%), kerosene (30-40%), ammonia and oleic. acid - probably as ammonium oleate - (1 5%), a saponifible oil, some methyl salicylate and traces of nitrobenzene . The cleaners presently in use by the army are largely kerosene and mineral oil. They do not remove burned powder from metal surfaces nor do they remove copper effectively.
I am of the opinion that kerosene is not an aggressive powder solvent, but Mil C 372C Rifle Bore Cleaner has been good enough for my cleaning needs. I do use good copper solvents, such as Butch’s or Sweets with JB Bore Paste.
I don’t know what kerosene does to polymer frames. I would be leery about letting any powder solvent stay long on a plastic frame. All of the pistol frames I am familiar with, are thermoplastic blown mold injections. Thermoplastics are not cross linked and should thereby be dis-solvable in something. Thermoset plastics, such as car tires, don’t dissolve in anything. And are a mess to dispose of, as burning is about the only way to get rid of them.
INTERIM REPORT IMPROVED RIFLE BORE CLEANER BY MARY J. CARROLL AUGUST 1972
https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/AD0748807.pdf
Specification MIL-C-372b supersedes Specification JAN-C-372, Cleaner, Rifle Bore, which was a cleaner of the type that contains an organic soap emulsion or a paraffin oi I, solvent, and water. The presence of water in the cleaner was needed to remove corrosive primer deposits. Corrosive primers contained potassium chlorate which formed potassium chloride when the primers were fired. The salt could net be removed by merely wiping the interior of the barrel, nor was it removed by swabbing lubricating oi I or grease through the barrel. Moisture absorbed by the sa lt when the humidity was high initiated barrel corrosion. Washing the barrel with hot water removed the salt, but the weapon then had to be thoroughly dri ed and lubricated to prevent rusting. Water-and-oi I emulsion formulations we re preferred since the average soldier disliked using wa ter on a weapon . The emulsion cleaners contained enough water to remove the salt and left an oily film to reduce rusting .
Since the presence of mineral oi 1 was established by gas chromatography, the b=mds are probably due to nonvolatile mineral oil in the dried cleaners . The bands are stronger in the spectra of the cleaners determined f rom the samples as received. The presence of kerosene was verified by gas[1]liquid chromatographic separation; a kerosene and mineral oil mixture reduces a spectra having these s trong bands .. The cleaners presently in use d id not remove burnt ball powder from metal surfaces even with rubbing : For removing powder residues from a metal surface the polar solvents (methanol , ethanol , water, and acetone) are more effective than the nonpolar solvents (kerosene, carbon tetrachloride, petroleum ether, and mineral spirits) . Onl y one of the cleaners from t he qualified products list removed so1ne copper from plated steel panels. It was found t o contain less than 1% free ammonia. Ammonia was not detected in the other cleaners analyzed. A popular commercial rifle bore cleaner which both cleaned and decoppered was analyzed . It contains ethanol (20%), kerosene (30-40%), ammonia and oleic. acid - probably as ammonium oleate - (1 5%), a saponifible oil, some methyl salicylate and traces of nitrobenzene . The cleaners presently in use by the army are largely kerosene and mineral oil. They do not remove burned powder from metal surfaces nor do they remove copper effectively.
I am of the opinion that kerosene is not an aggressive powder solvent, but Mil C 372C Rifle Bore Cleaner has been good enough for my cleaning needs. I do use good copper solvents, such as Butch’s or Sweets with JB Bore Paste.
I don’t know what kerosene does to polymer frames. I would be leery about letting any powder solvent stay long on a plastic frame. All of the pistol frames I am familiar with, are thermoplastic blown mold injections. Thermoplastics are not cross linked and should thereby be dis-solvable in something. Thermoset plastics, such as car tires, don’t dissolve in anything. And are a mess to dispose of, as burning is about the only way to get rid of them.
Right, but Dextron ATF was the substitute for whale oil in Ed's Red when whale oil became difficult to find.
Whale oil was the automatic transmission fluid of the day before the synthetic products were developed.
Dextron ATF became an acceptable substitute for whale oil as an automatic transmission fluid including as a gun cleaning agent.
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LaneP
Member
I would imagine the old timers used kerosene back in the day. In the 80's I bought a sporterized 8mm Mauser and gave it to my dad. It had a sewer pipe bore no doubt from many rounds of corrosive primed ammo. I went at it with a bore brush and Hoppes but didn't really get anywhere, the bore remained dark and foreboding.
Later on, pops poured a pan of kerosene, popped out the bolt, submerged the muzzle in the pan and went at it till he wore out multiple bronze bore brushes. I tell you what, he got every last speck of crud out of that bore and brought it back to bright.
Later on, pops poured a pan of kerosene, popped out the bolt, submerged the muzzle in the pan and went at it till he wore out multiple bronze bore brushes. I tell you what, he got every last speck of crud out of that bore and brought it back to bright.
GooseGestapo
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- Jan 6, 2003
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Actually, most window cleaner has ammonia as a component. Ammonia is a known copper solvent, so the old BR shooter knew something...
The water would also remove corrosive priming compounds.
Kerosene or diesel fuel is probably not an aggressive enough solvent to harm a polymer frame although brake clean and carb clean might. it depends on what the solvent is made from.
To be on the safe side, I would not dump a polymer pistol into a vat of kerosene. I'd clean it with standard bore cleaner like Hoppes #9 or Ed's Red, lubricate as appropriate and be done with it.
Definitely with solvents like acetone, brake clean and carb cleaner, I"d be very carful around plastic frame hand guns.
Catpop
Member
Little off subject
I use CRC 6-56 in a 5 gallon bucket to soak my u/w drills/ tools in after using on a job.
Soak them a week, blow out/off and throw them back on dive trailer. They also smell great vs the old diesel fuel soak.
I just may try on my next handgun cleaning scans grips.
I use CRC 6-56 in a 5 gallon bucket to soak my u/w drills/ tools in after using on a job.
Soak them a week, blow out/off and throw them back on dive trailer. They also smell great vs the old diesel fuel soak.
I just may try on my next handgun cleaning scans grips.
mokin
Member
Sure enough!- Status
