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Old January 13, 2013, 07:19 AM   #1
Josh17
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Using Break free CLP on Glock?

I know this is a stupid question to most. I have never used break free CLP so I have a question.. So I put the stuff on the "6 points" on the Glock 26 (since I am just lubing my G26 not cleaning it) and on my Glock 19 i put the breakfree CLP all over as I am using it as a cleaner and lube. My question:

I applied very small amount break free CLP.....now what?

Do I apply it, then put my Glock back together while the CLP is still wet on the parts?

Or am I suppose to apply the break free CLP, let it sit for a while, then take a dry rag and completely dry the gun down so there is no visible oil/CLP visible, then put the Glock back together?

Basically I want to know if I'm suppose to put the Glock back together while the CLP is still visible/wet on the Glock. Or do I need to completely wipe off the CLP before putting the Glock back together?

Thanks

Last edited by Josh17; January 13, 2013 at 08:04 AM.
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Old January 13, 2013, 07:56 AM   #2
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No oil is bad, a little is good and a lot is bad.
Just how much are you putting on the gun and where?
If you have a lot of wet oil throughout the gun, dust and debris from firing will collect in places you don’t want it to be.
On my 26 when I clean I wipe it down with a cleaner. Then wipe it down till its dry and then put a little oil on all parts that I can get to and then wipe as much of it off as I can. The only places I let lubricant on is the slide rails and I use gun grease for that.
You don’t really need much oil on parts that don’t see any wear, a very small amount of oil is there to protect it from corrosion and keep moisture off the metal.
On the outside of my guns, if I carry them I keep them as dry as a popcorn flatulence.
In the safe I use silicone sprayed into a rage then wipe them down to get the fingerprint off of them.
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Old January 13, 2013, 08:11 AM   #3
Josh17
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I applied VERY little. I used a q-tip to apply the breakfree CLP. But even a tiny amount will make it look wet. I didn't know if I am just suppose to leave that small amount on the Glock and put it back together or if i should fully dry the CLP off so nothing looks wet? If I do blow dry the breakfree CLP off until its no longer visible will it still provide lube protection or no? Again only a very small amount of breakfree CLP was applied. I just didnt know if it was meant to be kept on and put the gun right back together or completely dry the breakfree CLP off then put the gun back together?

For my Glock 26 I just put a SMALL amount of breakfree CLP on the "6 parts" then let it sit for like 30 mins. Then I used a dry rag to wipe down those 6 parts I put the CLP on. There was no excess CLP since I applied such a smal layer. But it still looked "wet" even with a tiny tiny amount of CLP. So I just put my Glock 26 back together assuming I'm suppose to leave a small layer of CLP on the gun and NOT wipe it off... I assume.

I am about to bring the car into -5 to 15 degree
Weather so I wanted to be sure it was done the right way and leaving a tiny amount of CLP on the 6 parts is okay in the cold or if I need to dry it down completely.

Last edited by Josh17; January 13, 2013 at 08:21 AM.
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Old January 13, 2013, 08:59 AM   #4
Ozzieman
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I think you’re doing it right. I don’t believe that breakfree will evaporate in a short time span and I personally would not use a blow drier.
The way you describe letting a small amount of breakfree is ok. The problem that a lot of people have is using half a bottle on a gun. That “Tiny” amount of oil left on the gun is what you want. But even if you wipe as much as you can off with a dry rag there will still be a small amount of it left on the parts.
I think you’re doing a good job in taking care of your 26 I wouldn’t change anything.
Do you like your 26 as much as I do mine?
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Old January 13, 2013, 09:13 AM   #5
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I use the CLP on my Glocks as a general cleaner. Spray on lightly, let sit for a few minutes, then wipe off with a soft cotton cloth. Removing the CLP shows all the carbon, burnt powder etc. on the cloth. Then I apply 1 small drop of gun oil to the six points. If you leave the upper end of the glock too wet when re-asembling you sure will know it when you shoot the pistol. You will have lube flinging out for the first 10 rounds or so. In actuality only the parts that move and touch each other while moving need lubrication. Glocks are actually pretty forgiving and once broken in are reliable wet or dry. I prefer it somewhere in between.
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Old January 13, 2013, 10:37 AM   #6
Nathan
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1 drop at each point.

Cycle the gun about 10 times, including the trigger. Then wipe off the outside.

You may have to wipe the outside a couple of times over a week or so.
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Old January 13, 2013, 04:27 PM   #7
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What are the "six points" you refer to?
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Old January 13, 2013, 04:57 PM   #8
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Here are the standard oiling points on a Glock from the owners manual.



In addition, there's a ramp/cam inside the slide (visible at the upper left of the picture--back inside left side of the slide) that needs a drop of oil, or a tiny dab of light grease on the ramped surface. I don't know why Glock doesn't call this spot out for lube. The armorer's class finally began to address it recently, but it's not in the manual or armorer's manual yet.
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Old January 13, 2013, 05:03 PM   #9
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Who the heck actually oils a glock?!
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Old January 13, 2013, 05:24 PM   #10
Josh17
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Thanks for the replies, it looks like it's okay to leave a small amount of CLP on then put the gun back together. The directions on the CLP didn't mention whether you had to wipe the stuff off or not.

As for the reply above.. lol that's what I thought at first. I basically never lube my Glocks... Until now

And yes, i love the G26 Want to be positive I use the breakfree the proper way, instructions didnt say anything.
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Old January 13, 2013, 06:09 PM   #11
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Sounds exactly right to me. Consider - Once you've got it "wet with CLP", put it back together and work the slide, trigger etc a bunch of times. That will distribute the oil and work it into the microscopic pores. Then wipe if off if you like, as you are doing.

I think there's really only three problems with leaving a gun wet with oil -
1 - The oil could seep into primers and deactivate them
2 - The oil could attract dirt and grit
3 - The oil (with or without dirt and grit) could come off on your clothes

Your vehicle's internal combustion engine, ball joints, wheel bearings etc are all "wet with oil" (lube, grease etc). Guns aren't much different. Film of lube between metal (or plastic) parts reduces friction, carries dirt away (or suspends it) and transfers heat, the by product of all friction devices.

Don't fret too much over cleaning and lubing. Keep it functionally clean and reasonably lubed. It won't explode if you're not using the latest and greatest lubricant vs 3 in 1 oil.


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Old January 13, 2013, 09:20 PM   #12
Josh17
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Seep into primers and deactivate them? Doesn't sound good!

But I use such a small amount of CLP that I dobut it.

Now that I've lightly lightly lubed my Glock with CLP how long before I need to lube it again? My Glock 26 is carry only or sits in my back and since its winter it's unlikely any ranges will be open. So for the next few months it will NOT be fired. If not fired, and just carried in holster or left in car, how long will the CLP lube last on UN-fired gun? Weeks, months, longer?
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Old January 13, 2013, 09:42 PM   #13
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Per the owners manual, Glock recommends cleaning (and relubricating) a gun:
  • When New
  • After Shooting
  • At Least Monthly
  • As Necessary based on exposure to adverse conditions such as rain, snow, perspiration, salt water, dirt, dust, lint. etc. Additionally, the pistol should be cleaned and inspected if it has been dropped or if any defects are suspected or malfunctions are experienced.

For what it's worth, if a gun is being stored in a climate controlled area with relatively low humidity and no other adverse conditions and is not being handled, monthly cleaning is probably overkill. For the conditions you describe, monthly cleaning makes good sense.
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Old January 13, 2013, 09:52 PM   #14
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If it's not getting shot then the CLP will effectively last "forever". Clean/Oil it again in 6 months when you take it to the range if you like.

In reality, you could probably go forever without cleaning it. That's probably not an ideal way to care for a gun. But it's probably been done that way a gazillion times. And in reverse, there were plenty of military artillery pieces that were literally dripping with grease during their existance on land/sea/air based installations. Both extremes likely did their intended jobs just fine.

Oil doesn't "evaporate". It may change molecular structure if exposed to extreme heat/pressure/shear forces. But sitting in a bottle or on the surface of an unused bearing or between two pieces of metal, it will retain it's properties for at least a few hundred human lifetimes.

Oil probably will never seep into primers in modern cartridges, and surely not in the light usage you're doing. Every rookie cop hears about some old guy that never cleaned his model 10, never took it out of the holster. He just sprayed it with WD-40, loaded, twice a year. Then he went to fire it that one day in his career that he needed it, and it didn't fire. That might be a wivestale but it's told in every LE academy.

Really, don't worry about it all much. Put a little CLP on/in the thing once in a while. Get out and shoot it. If you can't, get IN and dry fire it.


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Old January 13, 2013, 09:53 PM   #15
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I clean my pistols with it then wipe it down before reassembling. CLP is of such a consistency that you won't wipe it completely off. The stuff will actually "ooze" out of the knooks and crannies in your pistol for days afterwards. I always put the pistol on a paper towel in my safe after cleaning to avoid oil stains.
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Old January 13, 2013, 11:25 PM   #16
Josh17
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That's good to know, had no idea oil/lube lasted literally that long. With how rarely I get to fire my pistol I probably could get by cleaning/lubing my Glock maybe twice a year
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Old January 14, 2013, 12:02 AM   #17
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Quote:
But sitting in a bottle or on the surface of an unused bearing or between two pieces of metal, it will retain it's properties for at least a few hundred human lifetimes.
Even if we assume this is correct, oil has a tendency to flow given its liquid properties. It doesn't matter how little it changes over time. If it flows away from where it was originally applied it won't be doing its job.

Furthermore, oil tends to collect dust and other debris over time and that foreign material can have a negative effect on the lubricating properties of the oil and can, in a worst case scenario, even cause the gun to malfunction.
Quote:
With how rarely I get to fire my pistol I probably could get by cleaning/lubing my Glock maybe twice a year.
I know people who don't clean their pistols at all--so you could probably get away with cleaning a lot less than twice a year. Then again, you may get to learn firsthand why the manufacturer of your pistol (who knows all about the properties of various lubricants), says you need to clean and relubricate the gun at least once a month unless it's being stored under ideal conditions.
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Old January 15, 2013, 04:37 AM   #18
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I got a rather stupid question. I stuck the cleaning brush into the barrel and it got stuck for a like 5 mins of me trying to pull it out. I kept trying to pull it out but it wouldn't budge. Then I realized I could just use something like a pen and push the darn thing out. But I was wondering is it possible i damaged the Glock barrel? I'd assume NO. I assume the barrels aren't that sensitive. But I just wanted to be sure since i got that cleaning brush stuck in there pretty well and spent 5 mins or so trying to pull it out which probably made it scratch the inside of the barrel, not sure. Then I realized how easy it was to push out by using something like a pen instead of grabbing and trying to pull it out. Hopefully it didnt scratch up/mess up anything in the barrel.

I dobut a Glock is that sensitive, but I'n pretty OCD when it comes to my Glocks so I like to know lol.

Main question of mine regarding this

Even if I did scratch the barrel or hurt it some by me stupidly getting the cleaning brush stuck inside it and trying my hardest to pull it out for 5 mins to no avail - even if I did scratch the inside of the barrel of the Glock will it affect reliability of the Glock AT ALL or will it just simply be a cosmetic thing? Yes, I know I'm OCD about my Glocks

Last edited by Josh17; January 15, 2013 at 04:44 AM.
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Old January 15, 2013, 08:24 AM   #19
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Josh,
I think you'd have a hard time damaging the barrel with anything that's meant to go into it. You might see some little surface scratches, but I imagine they'll disappear after you put a few rounds through it.
The steel of the barrel is far harder than the brush - assuming you're using something designed for guns. before you push it out try loading it with oil and see if it comes out front ways.
Either way you're going to have a hard time butting more stress on the barrel than a bullet.
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Old January 15, 2013, 05:20 PM   #20
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If the brush was a steel brush, it's possible (but quite unlikely) that the barrel could have been scratched. Even if that happened, it's very unlikely that it would affect your accuracy to any noticeable extent nor cause any other significantly negative consequences.

If the brush was bronze/brass or nylon then it didn't do any damage.

The best ways to avoid getting a brush stuck are to use a properly fitting brush and to not change the direction of the brush while it is still in the bore. In other words, push it all the way through so all the bristles are out of the bore before you reverse direction and pull it back.
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Old January 16, 2013, 08:59 PM   #21
Josh17
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Thanks!

I believe it was a steel brush.. It came with a cleaning l bought. It was meant for 9mm barrel. It just somehow got stuck in there and I spent 5 minutes trying to pull it out I was worried i could have "damaged" the barrel.

But if all it could cause is scratches I'm not concerned at all, it's a Glock it's gona get some scratches lol. But just wanted to be sure I didn't "f up the barrel" where I could get a bullet jamming in the barrel.

Seems like a mere brush can't cause that my damage, glad to hear.

I was pretty sure a brush designed for a 9mm couldn't hurt it much anyways, but I LOVE LOVE my Glocks so I'm OCD about them as you can tell
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Old January 17, 2013, 09:05 AM   #22
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Quote:
I'm OCD about them as you can tell
Nope. Couldn't tell at all......hah

Quote:
It just somehow got stuck in there
I'm going to guess that it was a new brush and felt so tight that you thought something may be wrong and tried to pull it back out before pushing it all the way through, and that's when it jammed up. In the future, don't worry- the brush will "break in" as you use it. It's when they become too loose that you will need to replace them.
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Old January 17, 2013, 09:26 AM   #23
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Why not? CLP is a good product. Use as instructed and enjoy.
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Old January 17, 2013, 11:50 AM   #24
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Strikers guns do not like lots of lube.

The striker itself if lubed will gum up by attracting crud from firing and or dirt and grime.

This is not me, I got it from a master armorer. Strikers need to be minimally lubed and DA/SA lots.
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Old January 17, 2013, 11:59 AM   #25
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CLP has worked fine for me on all my Glocks. I have switched to Froglube, though, and plan on sticking with it. I like the idea that it stays dry until the weapon warms up a bit.

As far as what RC20 said regarding fluid getting down the striker channel. I was at the range one fine day, and my G26 started malfunctioning on me. I was getting light primer strikes. After talking to the staff armorer at the range, I stripped the slide down, and sure enough I had gotten some fluid into the striker channel. I cleaned it out and have never had the problem again.

So, I guess the moral is, even getting a little solvent or oil into the striker channel will stop a Glock dead in its tracks. Even if its just a little bit that gets in when scrubbing the bolt face.
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