Cosmoliine
- Thread starter deanadell
- Start date
On my Mosin-Nsagant M44's...which aren't NEARLY as covered as the Yugo SKS's I've seen...I've used kerosene, Hoppe's #9, Gun Scrubber, BrakeClean, and anything else I could find to cut the cosmo. I found gasolines works pretty well too. A friend of mine swears by Simple Green. For small parts, dropping them in boiling water helps loosen the crud.
FirstFreedom
Moderator
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=162602&highlight=cosmoline
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=179447&highlight=cosmoline
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=198089&highlight=cosmoline
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=172904&highlight=cosmoline
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=156425&highlight=cosmoline
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=102518&highlight=cosmoline
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=95876&highlight=cosmoline
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88706&highlight=cosmoline
quite possibly the most often asked question here.
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=179447&highlight=cosmoline
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=198089&highlight=cosmoline
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=172904&highlight=cosmoline
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=156425&highlight=cosmoline
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=102518&highlight=cosmoline
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=95876&highlight=cosmoline
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88706&highlight=cosmoline
quite possibly the most often asked question here.
support_six
New member
In a word, "MINERAL SPIRITS"! Not as bad for your health as most things mentioned. Gasoline has benzene in it. Can you say, cancer?
Engine Degreaser
Remove all the metal from the wood. Spray on degreaser per directions on can. Hose off with hot water. (Hot water will evaporate faster.) Spray with WD-40 as soon as water evaporates because it will start to rust right away. Make sure your degreaser doesn't have any kind of rust remover in it.
Remove all the metal from the wood. Spray on degreaser per directions on can. Hose off with hot water. (Hot water will evaporate faster.) Spray with WD-40 as soon as water evaporates because it will start to rust right away. Make sure your degreaser doesn't have any kind of rust remover in it.
The anal way
I just did a 59/66A1 a few months ago...that rifle's a blast to shoot (sorry for the bad pun). Here's what I did:
1. Go to www.surplusrifle.com and get the disassembly instructions for the 59/66A1, this will prove invaluable
2. boil all the metal parts that will fit into a pan. This includes taking off the ladder sight for the sight base.
3. Dump the parts into a sink full of hot and very soapy water. Scrub the parts with a plastic bristled brush (old toothbrush works great) while holding under the hot water.
4. Repeat step #2
5. Repeat step #3
6. Soak boiled parts for 24 hours in mineral spirits
7. Repeat step #3
8. Towel dry all of the parts, for the ones that have small nooks and crannies, bust out the hair dryer. You don't want to let it air dry, because at this point all of the cosmoline (which was protecting it from rusting) is now gone. It's bare metal, rust will happen quickly. Get it dry ASAP.
9. Spray all parts with a lube. I like Rem-Oil with Teflon. I use a good amount the first time the parts get lubed. Be generous in the application this first time. Do every single piece, every little part can rust! Then wipe it down, one part at a time. Wipe it clean. If it's an action part, like the bolt assembly, or recoil spring, the Teflon will help (and you will need to oil the moving parts again where they make contact before final re-assembly anyways).
10. Take the top rack out of your dishwasher. Lay the stock, the handgaurd, and the barrel assembly into the dishwasher. Take care not to arrange things so that any moving parts inside of the dishwasher won't contact the parts of the stock or barrel. I used this method myself, after debating on many other methods others have successfully used. This is what works for me. Other ideas have included constructing a baking over with low-watt light bulbs, putting the stock and barrel in the oven on 200F heat, wiping parts off constantly, or using a small electrical steaming unit (tried this...VERY SLOW PROCESS). These all work, but the idea of the dishwasher appealed to me for several reasons. For one, the mess of the cosmoline, as well as the smell is generally contained and counter-acted by the hot water (which washes it away), and the dish soap. Dry dish soap works the best here. It will be mildly abrasive, which is great. Also, the heat and the hot water raises the wood grain, and helps get the cosmo out of the wood. Make sure that you use heat dry on the dishwasher. We don't want to leave the water in the wood any longer than we have to. I put my SKS into the dishwasher, and it was dark brown...dirty looking. What I got in return was a blonde stock. It was wonderful. Anyways...
11. Put the stock and handgaurd into the oven. since the cosmo is going to be almost completely out of the wood at this point. Set the oven for 225F. Cover the oven racks with aluminum foil, just in case there's some cosmo left in the wood...you don't really want your next culinary experience to taste like cosmoline, right? Bake the parts for 1-1.5 hours. Make sure it's completely dry. Remove from the oven with gloves...that thing is gonna be warm.
12. Oil the barrel assembly as with all the other metal parts. Wipe down until dry.
13. After the stock dries and cools, when you handle it, chances are that you'll notice it is a lot lighter in color, and that the wood grain has raised. Time to do some sanding! I started with 400grit (2 sheets), then went to 600 grit (3 sheets). after you're satisfied with the results, wipe down the stock with a rag that has been wetted with mineral spirits. Allow the stock to dry again.
14. Apply stain to the stock, if desired. I skipped this step, as I liked the blonde wood. Follow all directions.
15. Seal the stock with some sort of oil. Some use boiled Linseed oil. I used Tung Oil. Apply with a clean, lintless rag in small cirlcular patterns. Work from one end of the stock to the other. Do not stop your process midway. Do not take a break until it's done, and don't go heavy on the first appliation, there will be more. Follow the directions on the oil cannister regarding how long the oil needs to set. After this time period has elapsed, wipe away the excess, again, follow the instructions on the label.
16. Re-assemble the rifle in reverse disassembly order. Make sure to use a reputable oil on all moving actions. Almost every moving part in an SKS is metal on metal contact. Use caution not to overlube.
17. Give this information to someone else when all they asked is how to de-cos the rifle...give them the whole schpiel!
I just did a 59/66A1 a few months ago...that rifle's a blast to shoot (sorry for the bad pun). Here's what I did:
1. Go to www.surplusrifle.com and get the disassembly instructions for the 59/66A1, this will prove invaluable
2. boil all the metal parts that will fit into a pan. This includes taking off the ladder sight for the sight base.
3. Dump the parts into a sink full of hot and very soapy water. Scrub the parts with a plastic bristled brush (old toothbrush works great) while holding under the hot water.
4. Repeat step #2
5. Repeat step #3
6. Soak boiled parts for 24 hours in mineral spirits
7. Repeat step #3
8. Towel dry all of the parts, for the ones that have small nooks and crannies, bust out the hair dryer. You don't want to let it air dry, because at this point all of the cosmoline (which was protecting it from rusting) is now gone. It's bare metal, rust will happen quickly. Get it dry ASAP.
9. Spray all parts with a lube. I like Rem-Oil with Teflon. I use a good amount the first time the parts get lubed. Be generous in the application this first time. Do every single piece, every little part can rust! Then wipe it down, one part at a time. Wipe it clean. If it's an action part, like the bolt assembly, or recoil spring, the Teflon will help (and you will need to oil the moving parts again where they make contact before final re-assembly anyways).
10. Take the top rack out of your dishwasher. Lay the stock, the handgaurd, and the barrel assembly into the dishwasher. Take care not to arrange things so that any moving parts inside of the dishwasher won't contact the parts of the stock or barrel. I used this method myself, after debating on many other methods others have successfully used. This is what works for me. Other ideas have included constructing a baking over with low-watt light bulbs, putting the stock and barrel in the oven on 200F heat, wiping parts off constantly, or using a small electrical steaming unit (tried this...VERY SLOW PROCESS). These all work, but the idea of the dishwasher appealed to me for several reasons. For one, the mess of the cosmoline, as well as the smell is generally contained and counter-acted by the hot water (which washes it away), and the dish soap. Dry dish soap works the best here. It will be mildly abrasive, which is great. Also, the heat and the hot water raises the wood grain, and helps get the cosmo out of the wood. Make sure that you use heat dry on the dishwasher. We don't want to leave the water in the wood any longer than we have to. I put my SKS into the dishwasher, and it was dark brown...dirty looking. What I got in return was a blonde stock. It was wonderful. Anyways...
11. Put the stock and handgaurd into the oven. since the cosmo is going to be almost completely out of the wood at this point. Set the oven for 225F. Cover the oven racks with aluminum foil, just in case there's some cosmo left in the wood...you don't really want your next culinary experience to taste like cosmoline, right? Bake the parts for 1-1.5 hours. Make sure it's completely dry. Remove from the oven with gloves...that thing is gonna be warm.
12. Oil the barrel assembly as with all the other metal parts. Wipe down until dry.
13. After the stock dries and cools, when you handle it, chances are that you'll notice it is a lot lighter in color, and that the wood grain has raised. Time to do some sanding! I started with 400grit (2 sheets), then went to 600 grit (3 sheets). after you're satisfied with the results, wipe down the stock with a rag that has been wetted with mineral spirits. Allow the stock to dry again.
14. Apply stain to the stock, if desired. I skipped this step, as I liked the blonde wood. Follow all directions.
15. Seal the stock with some sort of oil. Some use boiled Linseed oil. I used Tung Oil. Apply with a clean, lintless rag in small cirlcular patterns. Work from one end of the stock to the other. Do not stop your process midway. Do not take a break until it's done, and don't go heavy on the first appliation, there will be more. Follow the directions on the oil cannister regarding how long the oil needs to set. After this time period has elapsed, wipe away the excess, again, follow the instructions on the label.
16. Re-assemble the rifle in reverse disassembly order. Make sure to use a reputable oil on all moving actions. Almost every moving part in an SKS is metal on metal contact. Use caution not to overlube.
17. Give this information to someone else when all they asked is how to de-cos the rifle...give them the whole schpiel!
jhgreasemonkey
New member
A $4 can of brake/parts cleaner from the auto parts store works great. I havent found anything that works better.