Printable View
Just received a supposedly NOS No.5 rubber buttpad from Apex that's covered in crusty old cosmoline. Cleaning the cosmo from metal and wood parts is straightforward, but does anybody have a solution they've found works well for rubber parts? Can't find anything on this site or the web, but surely others have faced this same challenge.
TIA.
Varsol should work without damage...or break cleaner. I've used both.
The main thing, in my opinion, is not to leave the rubber soaking in whatever you use to clean the Cosmoline off with. "Panel Wipe" should be ok if you wipe it on and wipe it off, immediately, which is exactly how the product is supposed to be used for prepping a panel for spraying. Sometimes with "old tired rubber items" I wipe the surface over with cellulose paint thinners which will slightly dissolve the very top few thousands of an inch of rubber and give it a rejuvenated look. I certainly would NOT allow either of these products to soak into the rubber to any extent because both products could partially dissolve/damage the rubber.
If you don't want to use a solvent based product the other option could be to look at the various "green biodegradable", water soluble products that people may use to clean their off-road bicycles.
use Krud Kutter then warm up the pad not hot, warm. and once clean brush the pad with some glycerin leave it for two hours and wipe it off.
You can also just steam or boil (at 125 to 130 f) it off but the same thing use the glycerin leave it for two hours and wipe it off.
Krud Cutter is at Walmart, Homedepot and lowes
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo..._1992d7f-1.jpg
Hot (almost boiling) water and wipe with kitchen paper towel, repeat, repeat, repeat.
Its a problem I'd like to have as I wish I could get hold of a NOS butt pad for a No.5.
An old mate of mine used to use the dishwasher to clean his engine parts when rebuilding his motorbike engines, much to his wife's annoyance.....maybe worth a try :lol:
APEX Gun Parts in the USA have 'loads' of 'new old stock' original No5 Butt rubbers.Quote:
Originally Posted by GeeRam
The problem is that as we are in the UK we are not allowed to access their website as they haven't agreed to meet the GDPR privacy regulations.
Maybe if you ask nicely one of our US cousins could source for you ?
Solar power.
Wrap it in paper towels, place in a black trash bag, and leave on your dashboard while the car is outside.
After a couple hours check and the progress changing towels as needed.
I messaged my mate in California, and he sent a screen shot back confirming he had the right thing and he's now ordered one for me.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan de Enfield
There ya go - sorted !!Quote:
Originally Posted by GeeRam
That can come from USA to UK marked as a "Rubber pad" and it's not lying but no one will care.
Being an ex-pat Londoner, he's already informed me that he's going to mark it up as a "Rubber Butt Plug"Quote:
Originally Posted by browningautorifle
:slap:
In these particular times...that will be prefect for the anal retentive types handling the package.Quote:
Originally Posted by GeeRam
If its a caked in cosmoline as the OP mentioned, they'll think its pre-lubed :rofl:Quote:
Originally Posted by browningautorifle
A manhole cover
Alternative suggestion; "Shock-absorbing, longitudinal deflection buffer"
So if it's been opened for examination...you'll have no idea where it's been...Quote:
Originally Posted by GeeRam
Damn Boys !!Quote:
Originally Posted by browningautorifle
Sure goes to he!! in a handcart quick here, don't it?
Jungle carbine butt-pad problems!....I bought some No.5 stock parts for a friend who needed the butt pad surround part(his was rotted and the sling loop was about to fall off)....anyhow...it took an extraordinary amount of effort to get the rotted rubber pad from the surround so I could mail him the only part he needed.
My No.5 Mk.I had a very hard and petrified pad with a notch out of it....I ordered some parts from Numerich for other projects and also ordered their reproduction carbine butt-pad for my carbine....same thing as the friends butt pad....need the strength of Hercules to get the petrified pad out. However I will report the repro pad fits perfect and is actually cushy! Much much more comfortable to shoot than a petrified 75 year old rubber but pad...
I'm interested in hearing how soft and comfortable a NOS butt pad is?
Hi all.
I work in plastics and feel I have something to add!
EPDM (or “natural rubber”) will naturally harden with age. This will apply to a NOS pad just the same as an installed pad. The rate of this hardening can change depending on environmental conditions. For example, natural rubber isn’t a fan of UV light...this is why folks put covers on their RV tires.
This hardening is also seen in PVC. This is likely more familiar to most people these days. PVC will get very brittle with age while rubber will get progressively harder.
The company I work at deals in TPV which is particles of natural rubber basically suspended in polypropylene. It handles aging much more gracefully than EPDM or PVC.
Depends if it's been lubed or not.Quote:
Originally Posted by Havenot
:lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by browningautorifle
:ugh:
Quick update: Got the pad cleaned by soaking overnight in hot water with a lot of "Dawn" (grease-cutting) dish soap. Most of the cosmo wiped off, but some was hardened to the point I needed to use a firm toothbrush. That got it all.
It's also the end of the good news. The pad, which was paid for and shipped as "NOS," is absolutely a well-used item -- you can easily see the indentations on the "forward" end where it meets the wood stock. The butt/rear side is very heavily pitted and gouged, which was camouflaged under the thick coat of cosmo.
Have sent an email to Apex, but five days later still no response. I've bought a lot of stuff from Apex with no problem, although they sell (or sold) a wood foregrip claimed to be for a Sten Mk.V, which is most assuredly is not. When I asked to return that item they sent me a very nasty email. Decided to keep it and move on. I think the buttpad will be my last Apex purchase.
I might have been lucky then, as this morning I got sent a photo of the one my mate ordered for me, which arrived at his place in California yesterday, and it looks NOS from the photo, and from his description. No cosmo either, just a talc powder like covering in places, and disscolouration. He also said it was nice and soft for a 70 year old piece of rubber.
That's too bad...Quote:
Originally Posted by tj214
Not to excuse them not replying but the local area is only allowed 50% manning, that said you may want to call.