Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled “Buying Milsurp: Cosmoline Removal” and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/buying-milsurp-removing-cosmoline-from-the-sks/.
Discussion: Buying Milsurp: Cosmoline Removal
- Thread starter Mike H.
- Start date
Recusant
Hellcat
Back in the old days gasoline, kerosene or diesel fuel was the go to product for cosmoline removal. You can believe me this was not a project that mama allowed to be completed in the house! By the time I was married I knew better than to even try.
On another note that dark green finish you find on vintage 1903A3 rifles is the result of long-term storage packed in cosmoline or similar petroleum-based products. When these rifles were originally manufactured by Remington and Smith-Corona, the fresh parkerized finish came from the phosphating tanks as a light-to-charcoal gray. However, the parkerizing process creates a highly porous crystalline surface that was designed to trap and hold oil. Over decades of arsenal storage, the heavy greases, waxes, and compounds in cosmoline soaked deep into this porous surface. Exposure to time, heat, and oxidation permanently stained the gray phosphate crystals, turning them into the distinct olive-drab or dark green patina highly prized by collectors today so the experts say! And that’s how you tell a vintage original from an original that’s been refinished along its journey. Those 1903A3s that you find in mint condition were probably never issued as most became surplus the day WWII ended.
On another note that dark green finish you find on vintage 1903A3 rifles is the result of long-term storage packed in cosmoline or similar petroleum-based products. When these rifles were originally manufactured by Remington and Smith-Corona, the fresh parkerized finish came from the phosphating tanks as a light-to-charcoal gray. However, the parkerizing process creates a highly porous crystalline surface that was designed to trap and hold oil. Over decades of arsenal storage, the heavy greases, waxes, and compounds in cosmoline soaked deep into this porous surface. Exposure to time, heat, and oxidation permanently stained the gray phosphate crystals, turning them into the distinct olive-drab or dark green patina highly prized by collectors today so the experts say! And that’s how you tell a vintage original from an original that’s been refinished along its journey. Those 1903A3s that you find in mint condition were probably never issued as most became surplus the day WWII ended.
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Vegas Johnny Mac
Alpha
As a former US Navy ship's Weapons Officer I still do it the way our Master Chief Gunners Mate did it. Cheap, fast, clean and easy. Put every thing metal that will fit into a large pot of boiling water for about 15 minutes. Heat removes everything soluble, cosmoline floats to top, skim it off first, then remove and rinse in hot water, inspect, oil thoroughly and now ready for reassembly. Author's method good for wood and parts too large to fit in kettle.
You must be single! Use one of my wife’s pots!! My life is worth too much for me to try it…
Thanks....good info. Typically when I use my ultrasonic cleaner. I fill the tank with distilled water and put what I need cleaned in a plastic container. Sometimes a zip lock bag or a container with a liquid tight lid the put that in the water in the ultrasonic tank. Seems to work well for other parts especially suppressors. Saves on the cleaning solution as you are not using almost a gallon that the tank holds.
HayesGreener
SAINT
When cleaning a lot of guns I have used a parts washer with mineral spirits with great results, then blow out with compressed air. I re-lube the surfaces with Remoil spray because the mineral spirits leaves it dry. Nowadays with one gun at a time I use Gunscrubber.