CZ-52 won't stop rusting?

PorkFat · September 2, 2005, 06:03 PM

I just picked up a CZ-52 the other day. It's finish is extremely dark and there isn't hardly any wear on the metal. However when I rub CLP or any other lubricant or cleaner into the metal, a lot of dark brown residue will come off on the rag.

The gun has no pitting, the barrel and internals are all bright and look brand new. When I look at the metal it looks like a nice black finish. But when I clean it, I can't seem to get the brown stuff to stop coming off the surfaces both inside and out of the slide and frame. Is this finish I'm wearing off? It shouldn't really do that from CLP, a nylon brush and a paper towel should it?

It doesn't look like I'm wearing down anything as it's all still very dark with no bare metal or any wear marks.

I just don't get it.

Majic · September 2, 2005, 06:28 PM

It could be cosmoline.

kozak6 · September 2, 2005, 07:08 PM

It's probably just cosmoline, preservative grease, that you are wiping off.

The finish is blueing over parkerizing.

Sum1_Special · September 2, 2005, 07:19 PM

It is either rust or cosmoline. Do not rule out the possibility of rust as my iver johnson has that same problem. Get a paper towel to wipe that stuff off, If it is dark reddish brown it could be rust, but if it leaves a yellowish stain its cosmoline.

jonathon · September 2, 2005, 07:33 PM

Most likely built up dirt and grease over time.

Just take a rag soaked in solvent, wipe, and repeat. Got it off mine.

Realize, these guns are 50+ years old, and still awesome

Te Anau · September 2, 2005, 07:45 PM

I disassemble and then soak for 24 hours in mineral spirits and scrub before making any assessment about a "used" firearm.My 52's came packed in plenty of cosmoline.

Pointer · September 2, 2005, 08:05 PM

Majic

I agree it's probably cosmoline in the pores of the metal.

If so, disassemble and soak the metal in anything that cuts the grease.
Mineral spirits will do it.

Then wash it very thoroughly with very hot water and a really good dishwashing liquid.
Two or three times.

Then RINSE with very hot water
and cloth dry immediately.

Use an air pressure hose to blow any moisture out of the cracks and crannies. And Cloth dry again. Air and cloth until you cannot find any more moisture droplets.

Very, very lightly, oil a clean cloth and wipe the parts all over, thoroughly.

And Voila! You will find cosmoline again.

The pores in the metal must be opened with very very hot water and then you will still not get it all.

This used to delight the DI's when they inspected your rifle. The patch down the barrel almost never came out clean.

PorkFat · September 2, 2005, 08:21 PM

Thanks folks, I'll try using mineral spirits before going further.

The following pictures are very large and zoomed in macro mode for detail. If you have 56k dialup, it will probably make your modem choke.

These are the pics of the paper towel after spraying with Hoppe's No. 9 and wiping The first one is sediment that collected on the barrel rollers, even though the rollers themselves were still nice and shiny after I wiped them:
http://legendarylogic.com/sa_pics/towel1.jpg
This is what comes off the outside of the slide every time I wipe it:
http://legendarylogic.com/sa_pics/towel2.jpg

These are of the slide that no matter how much I clean, still needs more solvent and scrubbing:
http://legendarylogic.com/sa_pics/slide1.jpg
http://legendarylogic.com/sa_pics/slide2.jpg

If it is rust that constantly coming off, what can I do? I already store the gun right above my desiccant pack.

I baked my fully broken down SKS at 200F after cleaning it with brake cleaner and I was still able to get stuff out, especially the springs of the trigger assembly which I was scared to take apart. I also wrapped the wood in paper towels and the oven leeched a lot of that stuff out. This stuff looks a lot darker than the cosmo I'm used to that's why I'm scared it's rust.

Hard Ball · September 2, 2005, 09:46 PM

It certainly sounds like cosmoline.

kozak6 · September 2, 2005, 10:18 PM

I stand by cosmoline.

If the missus isn't around, you could try boiling the slide to get the cosmo off.

PorkFat · September 2, 2005, 10:56 PM

She's gone this weekend! HAHA, oh the things I'll use the oven/stove/tub for...

jonathon · September 2, 2005, 11:53 PM

Definatly cosmo.

I just had my first major cosmo expirience this evening with my new-to-me M44.

I found that running the bolt under my facet got it all off real easy, since my hot water runs at about 140F

JR47 · September 3, 2005, 10:54 AM

Your pics appear to be a preservative of the cosmoline family. The Soviets used a preservative that resembled road tar after a few years. The preservative was sprayed on hot, and has had years to seep into both the finish, and the pores of the metal. Solvent not left standing will only loosen the stuff and let some seep to the surface.

Soak it, agitating the solvent softly every hour or so. Rinse the parts in fresh solvent before washing in hot water (140 degrees plus.) You should probably use the solvent outside, so let the sun heat it up for you.

Solvents tend to be nasty things. Ventilate the area you're working in. Use gloves, and NO FLAMES NEARBY, say, within 12-20 feet. These things have been known to send fumes yards away, and cause explosions. Be careful.

After washing it in as hot a water as you can, rinse in solvent again, displacing the water in the nooks and crannies. Dry with absorbant materials, then use compressed air to dry the hidden areas. Oil the metal surfaces, allowing it to soak into the finish, and wipe dry. This will protect the surface from real rust. Make sure that you get the oil into those hidden places.

Be careful about using some of today's modern miracle lubes, as they aren't a good rust-protectant. Read the label thoroughly. If all else fails, sewing machine oil will work well. Or the old 3-in-1 oil.

CajunBass · September 3, 2005, 12:17 PM

I'm still getting that stuff out of my Makarov.

September 2, 2005, 06:03 PM	#1
PorkFat Junior Member Join Date: June 25, 2005 Location: Midwest Posts: 9	CZ-52 won't stop rusting? I just picked up a CZ-52 the other day. It's finish is extremely dark and there isn't hardly any wear on the metal. However when I rub CLP or any other lubricant or cleaner into the metal, a lot of dark brown residue will come off on the rag. The gun has no pitting, the barrel and internals are all bright and look brand new. When I look at the metal it looks like a nice black finish. But when I clean it, I can't seem to get the brown stuff to stop coming off the surfaces both inside and out of the slide and frame. Is this finish I'm wearing off? It shouldn't really do that from CLP, a nylon brush and a paper towel should it? It doesn't look like I'm wearing down anything as it's all still very dark with no bare metal or any wear marks. I just don't get it.

September 2, 2005, 07:33 PM	#5
jonathon Senior Member Join Date: March 14, 2005 Location: Washougal, Washington. YEHAW! Posts: 1,872	Most likely built up dirt and grease over time. Just take a rag soaked in solvent, wipe, and repeat. Got it off mine. Realize, these guns are 50+ years old, and still awesome __________________ Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good More CZ M52 info than you can shake a stick at!

September 2, 2005, 07:45 PM	#6
Te Anau Senior Member Join Date: June 17, 2004 Location: Somewhere south of the No Posts: 3,824	I disassemble and then soak for 24 hours in mineral spirits and scrub before making any assessment about a "used" firearm.My 52's came packed in plenty of cosmoline. __________________ "Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it." --American author Mark Twain (1835-1910)

September 2, 2005, 09:46 PM	#9
Hard Ball Senior Member Join Date: November 28, 1999 Location: California Posts: 3,925	It certainly sounds like cosmoline. __________________ "I swear to defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemeis domestic or foreign WHOMSOEVER."

September 2, 2005, 11:53 PM	#12
jonathon Senior Member Join Date: March 14, 2005 Location: Washougal, Washington. YEHAW! Posts: 1,872	Definatly cosmo. I just had my first major cosmo expirience this evening with my new-to-me M44. I found that running the bolt under my facet got it all off real easy, since my hot water runs at about 140F __________________ Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good More CZ M52 info than you can shake a stick at!

September 2, 2005, 06:28 PM	#2
Majic Senior Member Join Date: May 24, 2004 Posts: 3,888	It could be cosmoline.

September 2, 2005, 07:08 PM	#3
kozak6 Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2005 Location: AZ Posts: 3,113	It's probably just cosmoline, preservative grease, that you are wiping off. The finish is blueing over parkerizing.

September 2, 2005, 07:19 PM	#4
Sum1_Special Senior Member Join Date: May 21, 2005 Posts: 243	It is either rust or cosmoline. Do not rule out the possibility of rust as my iver johnson has that same problem. Get a paper towel to wipe that stuff off, If it is dark reddish brown it could be rust, but if it leaves a yellowish stain its cosmoline.

September 2, 2005, 08:05 PM	#7
Pointer Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2005 Location: Utah Posts: 2,559	Majic I agree it's probably cosmoline in the pores of the metal. If so, disassemble and soak the metal in anything that cuts the grease. Mineral spirits will do it. Then wash it very thoroughly with very hot water and a really good dishwashing liquid. Two or three times. Then RINSE with very hot water and cloth dry immediately. Use an air pressure hose to blow any moisture out of the cracks and crannies. And Cloth dry again. Air and cloth until you cannot find any more moisture droplets. Very, very lightly, oil a clean cloth and wipe the parts all over, thoroughly. And Voila! You will find cosmoline again. The pores in the metal must be opened with very very hot water and then you will still not get it all. This used to delight the DI's when they inspected your rifle. The patch down the barrel almost never came out clean.

September 2, 2005, 08:21 PM	#8
PorkFat Junior Member Join Date: June 25, 2005 Location: Midwest Posts: 9	Thanks folks, I'll try using mineral spirits before going further. The following pictures are very large and zoomed in macro mode for detail. If you have 56k dialup, it will probably make your modem choke. These are the pics of the paper towel after spraying with Hoppe's No. 9 and wiping The first one is sediment that collected on the barrel rollers, even though the rollers themselves were still nice and shiny after I wiped them: http://legendarylogic.com/sa_pics/towel1.jpg This is what comes off the outside of the slide every time I wipe it: http://legendarylogic.com/sa_pics/towel2.jpg These are of the slide that no matter how much I clean, still needs more solvent and scrubbing: http://legendarylogic.com/sa_pics/slide1.jpg http://legendarylogic.com/sa_pics/slide2.jpg If it is rust that constantly coming off, what can I do? I already store the gun right above my desiccant pack. I baked my fully broken down SKS at 200F after cleaning it with brake cleaner and I was still able to get stuff out, especially the springs of the trigger assembly which I was scared to take apart. I also wrapped the wood in paper towels and the oven leeched a lot of that stuff out. This stuff looks a lot darker than the cosmo I'm used to that's why I'm scared it's rust.

September 2, 2005, 10:18 PM	#10
kozak6 Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2005 Location: AZ Posts: 3,113	I stand by cosmoline. If the missus isn't around, you could try boiling the slide to get the cosmo off.

September 2, 2005, 10:56 PM	#11
PorkFat Junior Member Join Date: June 25, 2005 Location: Midwest Posts: 9	She's gone this weekend! HAHA, oh the things I'll use the oven/stove/tub for...

September 3, 2005, 10:54 AM	#13
JR47 Junior member Join Date: August 9, 2005 Location: North Georgia Posts: 2,228	Your pics appear to be a preservative of the cosmoline family. The Soviets used a preservative that resembled road tar after a few years. The preservative was sprayed on hot, and has had years to seep into both the finish, and the pores of the metal. Solvent not left standing will only loosen the stuff and let some seep to the surface. Soak it, agitating the solvent softly every hour or so. Rinse the parts in fresh solvent before washing in hot water (140 degrees plus.) You should probably use the solvent outside, so let the sun heat it up for you. Solvents tend to be nasty things. Ventilate the area you're working in. Use gloves, and NO FLAMES NEARBY, say, within 12-20 feet. These things have been known to send fumes yards away, and cause explosions. Be careful. After washing it in as hot a water as you can, rinse in solvent again, displacing the water in the nooks and crannies. Dry with absorbant materials, then use compressed air to dry the hidden areas. Oil the metal surfaces, allowing it to soak into the finish, and wipe dry. This will protect the surface from real rust. Make sure that you get the oil into those hidden places. Be careful about using some of today's modern miracle lubes, as they aren't a good rust-protectant. Read the label thoroughly. If all else fails, sewing machine oil will work well. Or the old 3-in-1 oil.

September 3, 2005, 12:17 PM	#14
CajunBass Senior Member Join Date: May 6, 2005 Location: North Chesterfield, Virginia Posts: 4,767	I'm still getting that stuff out of my Makarov. __________________ For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (NKJV)