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Thread: Removing Cosmolene

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  1. #31
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    DISC BRAKE CLEANER works well, and doesn't smell to awful. Spray it on, let it soak in, then spray again.

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    A Collector's View - The SMLE Short Magazine Lee Enfield 1903-1989. It is 300 8.5x11 inch pages with 1,000+ photo’s, most in color, and each book is serial-numbered.  Covering the SMLE from 1903 to the end of production in India in 1989 it looks at how each model differs and manufacturer differences from a collecting point of view along with the major accessories that could be attached to the rifle. For the record this is not a moneymaker, I hope just to break even, eventually, at $80/book plus shipping.  In the USA shipping is $5.00 for media mail.  I will accept PayPal, Zelle, MO and good old checks (and cash if you want to stop by for a tour!).  CLICK BANNER to send me a PM for International pricing and shipping. Manufacturer of various vintage rifle scopes for the 1903 such as our M73G4 (reproduction of the Weaver 330C) and Malcolm 8X Gen II (Unertl reproduction). Several of our scopes are used in the CMP Vintage Sniper competition on top of 1903 rifles. Brian Dick ... BDL Ltd. - Specializing in British and Commonwealth weapons Specializing in premium ammunition and reloading components. Your source for the finest in High Power Competition Gear. Here at T-bones Shipwrighting we specialise in vintage service rifle: re-barrelling, bedding, repairs, modifications and accurizing. We also provide importation services for firearms, parts and weapons, for both private or commercial businesses.
     

  3. #32
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    I have used the following process with great results. In the bath tub ( when wife is at work ) get about 8" of "hot as you can take" water, put in a full cup of TSP ( tri sodium phosphate ) which is a common prep solution prior to house painting and can be bought at any hardware store. Swish it around till it's all desolved and drop the stock in - the result will amaze you - it's like a tea bag. The water will turn dark as Tim Horton's best. Using rubber gloves, swish the stock around for a few minutes then start scrubbing it with a good bristle brush and some dish soap. This does two things - removes residual cosmo, and raises the whisker / grain of the wood ( an added bonus is the swelling up or raising of small dents & scrapes ) You must avoid soaking the stock too long as it will absorb too much water. Then over to the kitchen stove to flash dry ( wife hopefully still at work ) gently without burning. Leave to dry at least a week, then repeat as required untill all grease has been drawn out. It is worth noting that if you are collecting and wish to keep the stock / rifle in it's original condition, this process might go too far for you as the wood will have to be refinished, and this will require sanding & sealing.

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  5. #33
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    I have issues with using Brakleen and the bathtub and oven method.

    Brakleen is a toxic chemical, you'd have to do it outside or in your garage, and there is always that issue of, is it affecting your health?
    As for using the bathtub to soak all cosmo off, when you pull the plug, all that suspended cosmolineicon is headed down into your drain pipes! Good luck cleaning that out of there when it hardens up...
    Let's not mention the god awful bathtub ring you'll be scrubbing

    Not saying they don't work.

    What did work for me is a paint stripping gun. It actually worked extremely well and quickly too, the whole job was like a hour tops, no nasty fumes or blocked drains. I took the wood off and held the stock over a pile of newspapers in the basement. I got it just hot enough to make the cosmo liquify and run off, and carefully made sure I didn't overdo it. Same deal with the action, didn't take 15 minutes to have it clean and new. Just give it a wipe with paper towels while the stuff's still liquid and it's gone. Then the papers go into the garbage...
    No cosmolene was left either, the rifle is totally degreased.
    Before pics:



    Last edited by Cantom; 03-12-2008 at 12:11 PM.

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    A friend used the paint remover gun on his No.4 Mk.2, it worked great on the cosmolineicon! Unfortunately, it also removed the black paint on all the metal! Something to remember when trying it. Also, I feel that any of the above mentioned remedies should be used outdoors! Even breathing the fumes from melting cosmoline can't be doing our health any good, and the formula isn't always cosmoline, either. I understand that some of the preservative compounds contained traces of lead, and even asbestos! It should go without saying that gloves, mask etc. should always be used. Another simple method is to wipe off most of the cosmo with paper towels, and just pour a kettle of boiling water over the metal parts. Repeat as many times as needed. Best of all, the boiling water won't hurt a painted finish. A very weak solution of MURPHY's OIL SOAP in really hot water is best for the wood, but if the finish was good before the rifle was stored, just wiping it dry often works. Always try wiping, before using more extreme measures. It depends on how hard the cosmo is, but it comes off easier in the summer!

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    I'm surprised no one mentioned Simple Green. I've used it for years to clean the engine compartment of my '64 Buick Wildcat before shows. Get a gallon of the stuff and mix it to the strong side in hot water. It does a good job on stocks and hand guards. The best part is the fact that it's biodegradable. For metal, I use boiling water followed by a light oiling.

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