Gunsmithing Degreaser and cleaning agents

[_Windrider_]

What’s re you guys using? I’m restocking the bench with the expendables such as thread locker, grease and the like. Curious what everyone’s using if some new stuff is on the market that might be better than what I use. Usually use mineral spirits, carb and brake cleaner to decrease and remove residue from bolts and stuff. EDIT: I recently purchase a QD sling stud from magpul and it comes with so much threadlocker on the bolts I can’t even thread them on and I’ve tried everything to remove this crap which is what inspired this post.

What’s everyone using for barrel mounting these days?

 

[BurnOut]

For degreaser I use white gas/Coleman fuel, typically. If I need a spray can because the goo is someplace where I can't easily get to it, I use electronics parts/contact cleaner. I do my dead level best not to mix chemicals of any sort.

Regarding the removal of (cured) thread locker, I've always used mechanical methods like dental picks or wire brushes/wheels.

 

[lash]

Brake parts cleaner or electronic parts cleaner depending upon application. Wire brush to remove things caked on like cured thread locker.

 

[DAVID1989]

For degreaser I use non chlorinated brake cleaner or gun scrubber.

 

[ZenBiker990]

Red Brakleen to degrease a clean blasted surface, Green Brakleen to degrease a blasted surface that had been previously coated. Handed down from an old gunsmith; that green stuff will strip paint.

 

[PatMiles]

Lacquer thinner and brake cleaner from WaltersWorld. As mentioned above, I would use a wire brush to remove the thread locker on your stud although it might hurt at first. Man Up!

 

[Wannashootit]

Ditto on the non-chlor brake cleaner spray.
Long tank w/ acetone for soaks prior to Cerakote

 

[NighthawkCG]

Simple green or brake cleaner to degrease.

Barrel mounting, as in grease on the barrel nut? Good old TW-25B

 

[EA Jim]

You might want to try de-natured alcohol in a spray bottle. Lower cost, less volatile, less fumes, and does a good job. I keep some acetone around for a really stubborn job.

 

[parshal]

You might want to try de-natured alcohol in a spray bottle. Lower cost, less volatile, less fumes, and does a good job. I keep some acetone around for a really stubborn job.

Exactly what I use.

 

[shoobe01]

Agree with the last few. Have some brake cleaner for troublesome (usually bad, porous metals) stuff, but 99.9995% of cleaning and degreasing is with alcohol. Biggest issue there is for freshly ground stuff which can flash rust so sometimes I will resort to soap and water (and then air to blow it dry) so I have a chance to get primer on first. But for high hardness metals as guns should be, not a problem.

Again I have to say: never, never, never use gasoline (white gas, stove fuel, coleman fuel...). It is very, very volatile and the vapors pool on the floor for a long time so can catch on fire far from your location and long afterwards. Huge number of fires from cleaning with gasoline, ask your local fire station about it.

Simple Green can very seriously degrade aluminum. I believe the Army banned the use as their guns are largely Al. I would avoid it also.

 

[Nodakplowboy]

This is what I use for a to clean off oil and grease. 190 proof, 95% alcohol. May not be legal in your state. A 5th will last a long time.

 

[DannC]

A gunsmith told me that Kroil's would remove threadlocker. Have not tried it myself.

 

[strikeeagle1]

^ That gunsmith is wrong.
Most thread locker's e.g. Loctite's Blue / Red / 620 are anaerobic cyanoacrylic adhesives that stabilize (cure) when the threaded fasteners are mated together - these types require various levels of thermal release to break the chemical bonds; other's such as Nyloc and Vibra-tite VC3 are quite handy as they form a stiff compressible fluid on the threads for repeated installations - these types of adhesives are not subject to release by hydrocarbon oils, nor do they require heat to remove / release the fasteners. Kano Kroil ("the oil that creeps") is the industry benchmark (Liquid Wrench / Blaster etc.often incorrectly offered as an equivalent ) for dissolution of age dried oils, rust etc that have frozen fasteners and its use does not involve thermal application nor does it have any usefulness on releasing thread locker adhesives. Finally, thread adhesives such as Rocksett are silica-based adhesives that require 1200-2000 degrees of heat to release, which is why it is often recommended as a "thread locker" for muzzle brakes / suppressor applications as these mounted accessories can almost get that hot with rapid firing. Rocksett is released by the simple process of submersion in water for a period of time, NOT heat application, as it would require such high temperatures as to alter the metal tempering of the parts.

 

[lash]

^ That gunsmith is wrong.
Most thread locker's e.g. Loctite's Blue / Red / 620 are anaerobic cyanoacrylic adhesives that stabilize (cure) when the threaded fasteners are mated together - these types require various levels of thermal release to break the chemical bonds; other's such as Nyloc and Vibra-tite VC3 are quite handy as they form a stiff compressible fluid on the threads for repeated installations - these types of adhesives are not subject to release by hydrocarbon oils, nor do they require heat to remove / release the fasteners. Kano Kroil ("the oil that creeps") is the industry benchmark (Liquid Wrench / Blaster etc.often incorrectly offered as an equivalent ) for dissolution of age dried oils, rust etc that have frozen fasteners and its use does not involve thermal application.



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Thanks for the very informative post. I'll guess that we stumbled on an area that you know well. ?

 

[Forrest84]

I use kroil for cubrication and general cleaning. electronic parts cleaner for the hard to reach parts or AR lowers that was suggested in a previous post I made a few months back. Carbon killer and lastly white Gas to soak stuff in.