good way to clean decades of crud?

[fastang50]

Picked up a really experienced #4 Mk2 and need to clean this piece up. It's got decades of what I assume is oil and grease baked on and caked on in places. I can scratch it off with a nail, but #9 does nothing to it!

What works well in your experience? It's got quite a bit of "patina of age" but I don't want to add to it if I don't have to. Mineral spirits?

Thx.

 

[XDLover]

Tear down and soak in a degreasing agent like mean green.

 

[fastang50]

It's that easy? I can't imagine simple green eating this stuff off, but perhaps a soak overnight in a wall paper tray with that would do it.

 

[oldad]

yep i would say mean green would work if not it would at least make it easier to get out

 

[MikeDVB]

If you have access to a ultrasonic cleaner large enough, 20~60 minutes in there and it should be cleaner than it ever has been. Can probably break it down to fit into a smaller cleaner.

Bear in mind a sonic cleaner will even remove it from areas you can't easily access/wouldn't normally strip of oil/grease so you can possibly induce rust in hard-to-reach spots if you're not meticulous on your re-lube.

 

[Dead Duck]

I've seen guys use a PVC pipe that was capped at one end then filled with degreaser and their long parts. Depending on how bulky your gun is, determends what size of pipe.

This does sound like a lot of work to me but some do it.

If I were to try this, I would seal the bottom and thread the top to store and re-use the degreaser later.

 

[j4jenk]

I use purple power. It's ~$5 at most auto parts stores or Walmart. It works on crud and cosmoline, and it doesn't smell bad.

Wear gloves though. It will remove all the natural oils from your hands if you don't.

 

[fastang50]

OK fellas, quite a lot of you are giving me the same answer, I'll give it a shot.

 

[DanVoils]

If you have access to an automotive parts cleaner I've used them with success in the past. Definitely use some good lube afterwards to protects the steel.

 

[Colt556]

A lot of those cleaners will remove finish from the wood also. Clean the metal as above and use Murphy Oil Soap to clean the wood.

 

[TheWabbit]

For cosmoline and hard to reach crud, a simple curtain/clothes steamer works wonders. The heated steam melts the oil out but doesn't damage anything with chemicals. The nozzle in the barrel and a bucket on the other side of the muzzle to catch the dirty water. You have to use mittens because the barrel gets VERY hot.

 

[MikeDVB]

For cosmoline and hard to reach crud, a simple curtain/clothes steamer works wonders. The heated steam melts the oil out but doesn't damage anything with chemicals. The nozzle in the barrel and a bucket on the other side of the muzzle to catch the dirty water. You have to use mittens because the barrel gets VERY hot.

Very clever.