Sks Cosmoline and Mineral Spirits?

[strat81]

So soaking the trigger assembly, magazine assembly and bolt cover in mineral spirits in a bucket for a few days will not harm the black/blued finish?

While I can't speak for your SKS, I soaked the parts of my WASR in mineral spirits for over a week and had no ill effects. Parts on that are parked and blued. Pick up a can of brake cleaner too. Attach the straw and use it to blast out the stubborn stuff and make sure the bolt/firing pin is free and clear.

As for the stock, Formby's Antique Furniture Restorer works very well. I used that on my M1 stock, followed by boiling water, followed by Dawn dish detergent rubbed into the stock and rinsed off with more boiling water. This will raise the grain, so be prepared to do some minor sanding. It'll also raise minor dents and cartouches (do SKSes have cartouches?).

 

[FieroCDSP]

I used brake cleaner (cheap stuff from Advance) on the metal. We found a nice product called "De-Solve It" at Wally-world. Orange scented, has an oil of some form in it, and it eats cosmoline. A few wipe-downs and it was done. I'd think Krud-cutter and Simple Green would work just fine. I also respect the guys who don't like usings chemicals on theirs, but my stock was no beauty to begin with.

As far as cosmo burning.... a few of the rags I used on the metal parts were still in the bin I was spraying them in a year later. I took the now dry and yellow rags and tossed them in the fire in the backyard. They went up pretty quick. Much faster than rags do alone. A nice high flame, also.

 

[CajunBass]

Hot water and Dawn Dishwashing soap did the trick for me.

 

[Zedicus]

I heard the best method was to get a Metal Trash Can, put a rack in it on a downward toward the opening angle, mount several heat lamps in the top, insert cosmoline covered gun, put lid on, plug heat lamps in overnight, next day remove gun with no cosmoline on it.

 

[Evenflo76]

+1 for Mineral Spirits and hot water. I used a paint brush to help in the tight areas and a few old rags. For the barrel and trigger group, hot water did the trick. I also used a few assorted nylon brushes.

 

[Omaney]

Paint thinner(mineral spirits) won't harm anything metal. Take the bolt apart!! It must be absolutly clean to be safe. I soaked my SKS bolt in gasoline and swabbed it thouroughly.