cosmoline removal wd40
When sourcing our Cosmoline Remover, we took into consideration: effectiveness, safety, cost and convenience of application and clean-up. As expected, once we actually got them out to the desert, they had just a tiny bit more grease to leak out from weird places as the process of shooting warms up places not easily accessed by brush or rag, but so it goes! Do you think I would run into finishing problems with it? Kurt is a Gunsmith, Reloader, Hunter, and Outdoorsman. In our case, you might need to run the gadget a few times to really penetrate the crud. When applied to a surface, the compound solidifies as it . Cosmoline Remover is a solvent-based industrial cleaner specifically formulated to quickly & effectively remove all types of Cosmoline and other petroleum-based transportation and storage coatings. Militaries worldwide immediately embraced cosmoline as a means of chemically embalming small weapons, armored vehicles, and other items for long-term depot or transatlantic transport. After peeling, they leave a greasy film for continued corrosion protection. Social media guy and gucci gear nerd extraordinaire, he enjoys tracking the equipment trends of various SOF forces worldwide and collecting a wholly unnecessary amount of Multicam Black kit. If you want to check this out in a video, take a look! These were pretty bad. I may earn a small part of the sale from links to any products or services on this site. Now I know why I don't buy mil surplus stuff. I'm putting together my jointer and it's time to take off the cosmoline. Another tip for faster drying without any extra work is to place it in a well-ventilated area so that the wind or air can travel smoothly around the area. Common internet gun wisdom is that youre going to want non-chlorinated brake cleaner, as a byproduct of chlorinated brake cleaner heating up is phosgene gas. However, it might not be necessary if you have no intentions of shooting it. I had to pull it out of the plastic to verify numbers. 55-Gallon Drum ($1,685.00) <> Ships in 1-2 business days. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Done. For metal, Boil water and combine with CONCENTRATED Simple Green in a disposable pan and wash all the metal. Remove all metal from stock you are comfortable removing. From there, we like to take all of the small components and run them through a nice sonic cleaner bath to free up some of the hardened gunk thats worked its way into small spaces. While our small parts soak, we took the barrelled action and receiver outside to just absolutely douse in brake cleaner. Drench them in it, let them sit, then rinse them out. Good or bad idea? Was thinking of boiling in dish detergent water. I know this is not an easy process, its messy, and will most likely cause a little . If you are into guns, tools, or guns and tools, youve undoubtedly run into problems removing cosmoline. Let the bolt assembly soak for awhile to make sure all the Cosmoline is boiled out. Just wipe it down with a soft cloth to remove things, maybe a gentle toothbrush for the hard to get stuff. In general, their toxicity to humans is minimal, although there are exceptions. It's original purpose was as a water dispersant for machining - since the 60s, machine shops have gone to water-based machining lubrication/coolants and when you're done machining a part, you want to get the water-based lube/coolant off the part quickly. Use a hair dryer on the stock and wipe it down until clean. StingRay parts washers use a non-flammable alkaline cleaning detergent such as Power Kleen V or Power Kleen IIIL. http://www.surplusrifle.com/sks/index.asp, http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k36/cajuncj/M91%2030%20Finn/IMG_0849.jpg, Quote from: RangerAR on December 24, 2006, 08:37:16 PM, Quote from: singleshotcajun on January 05, 2007, 05:31:34 PM, Quote from: yber26 on January 21, 2007, 08:39:55 PM. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Cosmoline & WD40 Removal I used WD40 to cut the cosmoline on some Yugo Mags. Mind you ,I keep a close watch on this. 2 When all the parts have been cleaned they must be treated with oil to prevent corrosion. Sealing them in a greasy tomb of cosmo guards against the corrosive nature of maritime environments. Needed tools: Cosmoline soaked weapon; rags or paper towels; screw driver and tools for disassembly of firearm; bore brush; chamber brush; bore pull-through or cleaning rod; a good non-polar solvent (mineral spirits being one of the most preferred . I simply pour it on a rag and wipe away the cosmoline. Kroil can be found here at Brownells.com. We personally found Q-tips to be useful if a bit tedious. 0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic. I really like the fact that it doesn't dry out, but sits there and works on softening up the Cosmoline. Soaking, washing, rinsing, and scrubbing will take hours to complete before you can handle your parts or firearm without the greasy residue covering your hands. Not really. Always handy to have around for frozen pipes, freezer defrost, melting ice on front steps (or from gutter downspouts) after an ice storm, etc. WD40 pwnz cosmoline. Simple, cheap, efficient, but time consuming to remove all the cosmoline before shooting. There's two main types of cosmoline: RP- 342 and RP- 344 I belive. Before using the Kroil, take an old rag and lightly wipe off any heavy concentrations of cosmoline. Cosmoline doesn't penetrate the wood like most stock finishes unless its areas where its flaking. Re: Cosmoline removal Ford & Pontiac used alot of Cosmoline back in the 80`s & 90`s to protect the car from transit contaminants. Theres no study that cosmoline has a bad effect on rubber. Removing Cosmoline has given people grief since 1939. Using your nylon brush scrub off any grease or cosmoline that is on the part. Take this time to look over and inspect all of the parts for cracks and excessive wear. Despite being virtually entirely made up of hydrocarbons, the composition varies depending on the crude oil source. At this point you can check up on your sonic cleaner parts and see how theyre doing. Like this kind of content? I cleaned a heavily soiled 37 bSw last week, I use Krud Kutter. A lot of people swear by mineral spirits as a primary solvent to remove Cosmoline, and you can either apply it with a rag or submerge/dip your gun into it. Cosmoline Removal. Wipe it down with a rag with a little denatured alcohol on it. Simple Green has never worked that well for me. Use soap and water to remove cosmoline: 1. Brake cleaner is pretty nasty even its not in chlorinated form though, so make sure youve got gloves and a well-ventilated area to work in. Then rinse in hot water and blow dry any areas that did not dried up. Worked great. Get proficient on YOUR time. With the Type 56, we broke the guns down into their main field-strippable components: rifle stock, barreled action, bolt carrier, assembly, trigger assembly, magazine, op rod, etc. Q-tips for cleaning the other metal sections of the gun Sign up for our newsletter and stay up to date, Blowback Operated Guns: Way More Than You Need To Know, CZ-457 Accuracy: The Most Affordable Way to Accurize Your CZ, How to Clean and Lube an Over/Under Shotgun, The Complete History of the Lyman Alaskan Scope, Gun Bluing Basics: All of the Methods Gunsmiths Use. Switch to Standard View WD40 is an expensive version of mineral spirits. Place parts covered in Cosmoline into the bath. They built a fire under the 55-gallon drum of gasoline, with predictable results. Be sure to use a decent gun oil on any moving parts when you reassemble. ?>. WD-40 is a mediocre lubricant and an OK rust preventative. Today, the mineral spirits found in products like ours are more refined and . Using your nylon brush scrub off any grease or cosmoline that is on the part. A heatgun or trashbag works well enough to get the cosmoline out of the stock. With that out of the way, spray a shitton of brake cleaner into the barrel and gas ports as well, then use a bore cleaning brush to ram all of that nasty ass gunk out. The heat will bleed the cosmo out. Mineral spirits are known as a major solvent for removing cosmoline, and you can apply it with a rag. Lightly go over the parts with the heat gun. Cosmoline hardens over time when exposed to oxygen and not sealed properly, so some might be very gooy while others are hardened balls of crud. Blow the gun parts off using an air compressor until dry. When I started cleaning it I used a heat gun after tearing it completely down. Let me show you how I safely remove cosmoline. Fact: Over the past few decades, the name Stoddard Solvent was synonymous with all mineral spirits. You worry too much. It is safe to work with, cheaper than most products and works extremely well. I'll do better next time. All petroleum-based products are chemical mixtures that are highly complex. Cosmoline removal . There are a few methods you can use in order to clean Cosmoline off in this state: WD-40 If you spray WD-40 over the metal and any wooden parts, . Nylon brush. Its the mess, gross and slimy petroleum that appears to be wrapped in every surface of firearms. AtLunde Studio, our primary goal is to provide a dedicated resource for all gun enthusiasts from all walks of life. And that brings us to where we are today. You would tie an old shoelace to a receiver, a gear, a bolt assembly, whateverdrop it in a pre-prepared tank of boiling water, watch the clock, and remove. Required fields are marked *. Purchased a SKS Type 56 that was so loaded with Cosmoline that the sales person would not even touch it. You can opt to disassemble your firearm before you start this process or keep your gun intact throughout the cleaning process. Its worth noting that we didnt go SUPER deep with our cleanup job on the two in-house Type 56s as theyre already pretty thoroughly trashed. Wipe it off with a combination of shop rags for the surface grease, as well as goof-off to grab any of the sticky residues that are going to be left behind. Thats two decades of expertly upholding the Texan gun culture. two weeks ago I used wd-40 to clean off cosmoline off a SAR-80 parts kit, I used it on the plastic stock and metal it worked real well and does not harm the bluing or crackle paint on the receiver stubs. Ok, what method is easier. I last did this with an SMLE stock from 1944, and it was wicked completely dry of every spec of cosmoline, and the oil absorbing compound was almost black. Stripping the finish is a big no-no for some. Safety is a good tool for tyrants; no one can be against safety. Very fast and efficient. As it drives out moisture, it does little to oil a surface but sits on top of the surface to protect it. There is something hugely satisfying about bringing one of these old things back to life. Jump to Latest Follow 1 - 15 of 15 Posts. A couple of hours later, I then wiped off most of the rest of the cosmoline, and then did a little scrubbing, spraying, wiping repeat until 99% of it was gone. So we essentially got just enough cosmoline out of them to make them safe to fire and left it at that. how to pronounce often in australia; daniel ricciardo hoodie 3 ric; family nurse practitioner near me; linux diff show only differences; Press J to jump to the feed. 5. 2023, Schafco Packaging Company. How would a different solvent such as naphtha fare against the cosmoline? That only works if there is a person close by that can yell "CUT" right after the take. Cosmoline is a pain to remove though I found a heat lamp to work well to remove most of it without much effort. Stock in a trash bag on a hot day Or mineral spirits scrub down? Will brake cleaner remove cosmoline? Its important to extract as many residues and greases out of the gun as possible to avoid the risk of disassembling the gun in the future to uncover a hidden chunk of the rust-preventive gunk. I took mine in a hot shower, shoots like a dream. Back in the day, ethyl or "high test" gasoline was good stuff. If you'd like to consider an effective Cosmoline Remover in aerosol, please see our, RP-342 "HEAVY" Military-Grade Rust Preventive Spray, COMBO OFFER: RP-342 Aerosols (Mix & Match), Cosmoline Direct VCI Paper Rolls (for Ferrous Metals), Cosmoline Direct VCI Industrial Paper Sheets (Pre-Cut). Contact Us 24/7 Customer Service Phone: (866) 802-2906 Fax: (866) 607-5965 Sales@CosmolineDirect.com Make sure. Forget the other 'dangerous processes'boil with water, and you're good-as-new! Bolt assembly and small parts steam on top off kettle with rack and follow same process for clean and lube for reassemble .had to deal with this stuff with stored engine cylinder heads and guns a lot steam and compressed air. PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:Cosmoline Remover is a solvent-based industrial cleaner specifically formulated to quickly & effectively remove all types of Cosmoline and other petroleum-based transportation and storage coatings. Mauser Rifles 1933 to 1945 - The Nazi Period. The stories of miss steps with gas are legion. OMS, odorless mineral spirits for me, too. But on the wood I wipe the excess then use a hair dryer and wipe as it sweats. story somewhere on the interwebs (possible urban legend) about some guys during the Battle of the Bulge in WWII who were assigned to strip cosmoline off M2 .50 cal. Cosmoline is a greenish man-butter stuff that most car manufacturers spray on engines/undercarriages of cars to protect during transport. It worked great. Brake cleaner and acetone will dissolve nearly anything but often they evaporate before you can get the gunk off and you are back where you started. Never miss a post! Saturate a clean cloth with Cosmoline Remover. Fact: Over the past few decades, the name Stoddard Solvent was synonymous with all mineral spirits. I have used before on other parts kits with paper towels or old cotton rags. Consider this just a primer on how you might tackle a cosmoline cleanup job, but there are tons of ways to go about it. Not really. Cosmoline RP-342 "Heavy" Rust Preventative Spray (Military-Grade) 1-Can https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MRRYF6N/?tag=wranglerorg-20 Love your family and keep your powder dry, Quote from: dwcopple on July 07, 2014, 07:08:24 AM. Boil and reoil the smaller metal parts. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. jumpscare links to send to friends; elliptical orbit simulator; babolat ambassador program. Address: www.originalcosmoline.com Once removed, coatings can be melted again for repeat use. Also, this is perfect to use in the bore and chamber area as it will not attack metal. Before you start cleaning, here is a list of things you will need: Some things you should avoid when trying to remove Cosmoline: A note on why you shouldnt use gasoline: using gasoline to clean a firearm just isnt practical, especially in the quantity you would need to clean a typical C&R firearm. Thanks, John. In the Marine Corps, more than once did we have to 'un-Cosmoline' weapons, gear or other 'NOS stuff'and without fail, the answer was always the same: 'Disassemble the device (if required) to field strip position, place the Cosmolined-item into the BOILING WATER TANK, and allow to soak for 4-5 minutes, as needed'. Initially delving into the world of guns in his teens through a passion for history, John has been hobby and desert shooting with friends for years. There are few procedures that you can use to remove and clean cosmoline from your military surplus guns. This worked good for me since I did it in the winter. Just avoid gasoline as your cleaning solvent as its not advisable to use. I strongly urge people to avoid the use of water (at any temperature) on wood. You will need to use fresh diesel as it gets to thick and sticky with all the cosmoline. Press J to jump to the feed. Here are the stuff youll need: Avoid using gasoline and harsh chemical solvents as your cleaner because that can strip paint and other coatings from the guns surface. The aerosol cans work best for this application. Yes, cosmoline is toxic because it is a petroleum-based grease. Use an air gun to blow the cleaning fluid off after you finish, then apply lube as needed. Primarily when found in the bore and fire control area. So just wiping it off the surface is all that is required. Took days of cleaning for all the original proofs and markings to become visible. Spray part again and set aside to air dry. For the stocks, I generally do the dish washer routine (of course, I wait for my wife to be gone for the day first!lol). I paid $4 for a spray bottle. For the detail areas i use tooth brushes/ q tips. WD-40 does indeed have 50% mineral spirits, but they are refined and purified for specific characteristics needed to meet todays performance, regulatory and safety requirements. Its very important that you get as much of the Cosmoline out of the gun as possible if only to eliminate the risk of having to disassemble the gun to find a hidden chunk of the rust-preventive gunking it up. It will melt off the Cosmoline then wipe and oil everything down. . got the cosmo out and it looks good too! Once youve got your barrel and receiver assembly cleaned up, you can check on your sweaty wood bois and see where theyre at. Eliminates Manual Cleaning with Solvents Green aqueous chemistry eliminates manual cleaning using flammable solvents, acetone and WD-40. Hang the parts from metal coat hangers and lay out a piece of plastic to protect the floor. Remove the stock, get a few tooth brushes and start dousing and scrubbing the metal. I took it easy on the wood (making several passes) so as to not hurt the finish. There are lots of options and choices you can make, but what we used were: Specifically, weve got 3 surplus Type 56 carbines that we picked up from Palmetto State Armory which are essentially Chinese domestic clones of the Soviet SKS with a few minor tweaks here and there. The Best Accessories for Your Gunsmithing Bench for Under $11. The U.S. military soon discovered its advantages when applied to military equipment. You may find that some firearms have been brushed . Don't forget to protect the machined surfaces after cleaning..HTH Take care, Gotcha6 Dennis Staff member Corporate Member Sep 26, 2007 #8 Only used it to finish wiping off the light residue. The decision to either remove or not remove cosmoline from the rifle is based on each individual situation. 1 Place a part in a solvent-compatible container and spray down with brake cleaner. This particular C96 seems have been dunked in the stuff, so I decided to try boiling it in water to melt the cosmoline rather than clean it all with rags and Q-tips. . Like CitriStrip because you won't lose any proof marks in the wood. Nearly as ubiquitous as duct tape, WD-40 claims to protect against rust and corrosion. All good tips, and this is how I clean the metal parts for the most part. Title says it all, What is used to get this goop off of my lathe? Removing all of the Cosmoline will take significant work regardless, so it comes down to a matter of preference. You can accomplish this by wiping your handgun, placing it in a black trash bag, and leaving it out under the hot sun. 3 100w light bulbs mounted in light boxes inside -- bakes the stuff out wonderfully. If you have a firearm that has been stored in Cosmoline, the first step is to remove as much of the Cosmoline as possible. **This product is not offered in aerosol can containers. Depending on how much hardened build-up youve got, itll probably take you a few cans of brake cleaner to get everything loosened up. Learn all the important stuff about handgunswith none of the attitude. 2. A sealed PVC tube or large container are both good for soaking guns in mineral spirits, depending on the size of the firearm and container. But its a background process that you can mostly leave alone outside of hitting the timer again once its finished a round of cleaning. Very fast and efficient. Strips the finish and removes the cosmoline really, really well. [1]. WD40 is designed to evaporate of surfaces. Not so sure about current unleaded bio-fuel with all the additives. It only has penetrative properties when wet. 2. The more you manipulate, wash, and rinse the firearm, the more youll see creep to the surface. Worked really well. All petroleum-based products are chemical mixtures that are highly complex. There are a ton of ways to do it and most work great. Harsh chemical solvents that could strip paint, finishes, or other aesthetic/functional coatings from the guns surface. If you want to spay, you could put it in a garden type sprayer. You just stripped the finish off of your rifle. Let me show you how I safely remove cosmoline. Dissembling can make the process somewhat easier but it isnt absolutely necessary. The diesel fuel with get thick as you wring out the microfiber towel repeatedly in the diesel. Posted: 7/20/2014 7:07:20 AM EST [#2] The military does buy shotguns so I can believe it is cosmoline. Because of the general porous nature of wood, chances are pretty decent that a good amount of grease has managed to penetrate the wood fiber itself, even if it retained its original finish. The cosmoline should start to melt and run off the parts onto the ground cloth. Pour Cosmoline Remover in safe container. * SCAQMD -This product is not to be used in California's South Coast Air Quality Management District because it does not comply with Rule 1144. The main difference between Rust Veto and cosmoline is that Rust Veto has a slightly higher melting point of 140-170 degrees Fahrenheit. The password should contain at least 8 characters with at least one number or special character. When I began removing the cosmoline from my new Precision Matthews PM-1440GT lathe, it was a little daunting. IMMEDIATELY hit it with penetrating oil (NOT WD-40but a real petroleum-based penetrating oil), and wipe down with a soft cloth. Ive always had the best luck with mineral spirits. Breaks down (dissolves) all forms of Cosmoline in seconds with very little effort. Although, today, there are many rust-preventative oils and greases that are cleaner and will do an as good, if not better, job. I will offer that after trying everything, the absolute best method for degreasing the stock is to put it in a large black garbage bag and fill it with either kitty litter, or that similar stuff you use to soak up oil on the driveway. The catchall phrase Stoddard Solvent is no longer adequate to tell the proper story. After eight days, only the very top was showing . A little spark/open flame & gas vapors can be a recipe for personal disaster, even outside. The use of gasoline as a cleaning solvent is DRAMATICALLY Dangerous. gear. Had some residual cosmoline on a receiver that came off surprisingly well last weekend with HOT water, near boiling temp. I also use murphy's oil soap to help remove the oily Cosmoline from the wood. WD-40 does a good job of removing Cosmoline and is an excellent cleaner especially on plastics. Kroil is known as The Oil That Creeps and has made quite a name for itself in the firearms industry. WD-40 and a rag take it off easily enough. If planning to shoot your surplus firearms, leaving cosmoline in the bore can ruin your firearm or, worse yet, cause injury to the shooter. By . Should be good to go after that. but I'm definitely open to suggestions as well. */ Over time, Cosmoline may have seeped into nooks, crevices, and gaps in the metal but it is actually fairly simple to remove. (not optimized for mobile browsing), Copyright 2023 COSMOLINE DIRECT, LLC. WD40 is an expensive version of mineral spirits. Follow them on Instagram: @oldsteelguns. Of course, after the wash and rinse process of cleaning, the firearm needs to be dry. Author: Marie Sonder I read a funny (?) Review SDS for complete safety precautions. Place the bolt assembly into the boiling water. It will melt off. Brownells Retro Rifle XBRNM16E1 Review: Initial Impressions. Really, you'd have to soak ammo in WD40 to have a chance of it seeping in and killing the primer. Cosmoline Removal: Step-by-Step. Be sure to re oil the parts. A lot of people swear by mineral spirits as a primary solvent to remove Cosmoline, and you can either apply it with a rag or submerge/dip your gun into it. Military surplus firearms are typically very easy to fully disassemble with minimal tools, making it a pretty painless job. Something to pay final attention to when doing the last pass on all of your small internal parts is the firing pin channel. Buy an 8" piece of HVAC round duct pipe, a blow dryer, and paper towels. Those materials are classified as combustible rather than flammable. Today, you can find literally hundreds of recipes, formulas, tips, trick and strategies online for removing our favorite rust preventative coatingbe careful though, some of these "solutions" are more credible than others. I only use this method on metal parts and will do this prior to using the Kroil method below to remove the last bits and pieces. Once cosmoline has been exposed to air for a few years, it will solidify and become a wax consistency. We used our same bore brush to ram out the gas tube as well and while its not as critical to get this part as sparkling clean as the barrel, you obviously dont want any obstructions in the cavity that your piston sits within. A reminder on why you shouldnt use gasoline to clean a firearm: its simply not practicable to clean a firearm, especially in the quantities required to clean a standard C&R pistol. Youll have to put them all together inside a box or small storage, together with the thing you want to cosmo be removed and leave under the sunlight for a few days. Wd40 on the metal parts that you can't soak. Enter your email address to subscribe and receive notifications of new posts by email. Gather The Things You'll Need The first step you need to do is to gather the things you'll need for this cosmoline removal. All ultrasonic cleaners are made in the same factory in the PRC. You must log in or register to reply here. Water based chemicals eliminate the risk of fire. cosmoline removal wd40excuses to get out of annual training. Just like everyone said, mineral spirits for metal (you can use hot water and simple green too), and bag/heat gun for the stock. We would rest the muzzle in a 5 gallon bucket to catch the cosmoline filled water. For some more cool old guns, take a look at our Walther P1 a much cleaner and easier milsurp. For the unfamiliar, cosmoline is sort of the genericized term for a family of petroleum-based greases with remarkably high viscosity with inherent rust and corrosion protective properties, a signature waxy brown visage, and unmistakable industrial smell. When I began removing the cosmoline from my new Precision Matthews PM-1440GT lathe, it was a little daunting. While really bad cosmoline build-up might require a few steps further than a field stripping for whatever rifle youre working on. We already have an account registered for email address Mineral spirits on metal. Back in the day when I was a kid, we use to take packing grease of with gasoline. I generally disassemble the gun into it's primary components first. It's much cheaper than WD40 or other chemicals and works great. Pick any other cleaning option! Water and wood are NOT compatible. If youve got some super-secret method that you swear by, go ahead and yell about it in the comment section below. Throw on a podcast or something youre likely going to be here for a bit. This method works exceptionally well. Tends to dry the wood surface but I apply a light oil after I clean as a default measure anyway. This can be done with a simple rag and some elbow grease. Q-Tips and cotton swabs also work. Cosmolines melting point is pretty low, between 113 and 125 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove all metal parts, use a spray can of break cleaner to strip cosmoline. Brake cleaner does a good job but is very harsh on the skin and can eat some plastics and brake cleaner will remove painted on finishes on some firearms so test first. no crazy cleaners, no toxic chemicals, no complicated setups. The car was washed and dried, then taken back to the detail shop where the paint was buffed out, and a protective coating placed on all of the brightwork. Be the first to review this product! Your email address will not be published. As for wood, I've had limited success with WD-40. For the small parts of the weapon, try to soak them first in hot water. I bake all the stocks in a long homemade oven I made. It was great stuff. We finally discovered the quickest way to remove the cosmoline was to fill up a teapot with water, bring to boil, then slowly pour the boiling water onto the SKS. Cosmoline is great stuff for protecting guns from rusting in storage, but it can be a rear bear to remove. The cosmo bubbled to the top and I wiped it up, then repeated. For rifles like the SKS with a free-floating firing pin, its a critical place to make sure you got REALLY clean. Old Steel is dedicated to finding historical and collectible items and making them available to the customer. Your Complete Guide to All Things Cosmoline, All the Questions You Need to Ask to Pick the Right Rust Preventative, How to Properly Remove Cosmoline from Military Surplus Firearms, How to Make Your Outdoor Furniture Last Longer. Stock in bag on hot summer day worked well enough for me, but left blemishes on the shellac where it bubbled up. At this stage, you may benefit more from dissembling the entire gun or parts of it, like the bolt assembly of a rifle, and letting it soak in mineral spirits. It shines like John Boehners nose now. Click the button below to add the Cosmoline Remover to your wish list. Hmm, so it's like packing grease. I just finished cleaning up a Yugoslavian SKS that was thoroughly coated with cosmoline.I used some shop towels and WD-40.