Kerosene as a cleaner?

DennisD · March 1, 2005, 07:41 PM

Any of you more knowledgeable ever used a kerosene “bath” to remove the loose junk from all the nooks and crannies of the hard parts of your gun? I’m thinking of doing this occasionally (not every time I clean) and then using compressed air to remove the kerosene before wiping down with gun oil followed by a dry rag.

DennisD · March 2, 2005, 10:49 AM

Well _ell, I guess I'm on my own here since no one else has an opinion

Te Anau · March 2, 2005, 10:53 AM

Ive heard of people using kerosene but have never seen anyone do it.????
If I need to clean like your'e describing I use mineral spirits.

JoeHatley · March 2, 2005, 10:57 AM

That's how I clean all my guns. I cut the kerosene with an equal amount of mineral spirits and throw in a quart of AFT.

Joe

DennisD · March 2, 2005, 10:58 AM

Hey, thanks for the reply. I just thought that kerosene would be the least likely to damage any finishes or anything.

Clemson · March 2, 2005, 11:28 AM

The problem with kerosene is its combustibility. Mineral spirits are less volatile and just as effective at cleaning. I doubt that potential finish damage is any more or less likely with Mineral Spirits than with Kerosene.

Clemson

Jim Watson · March 2, 2005, 11:37 AM

I once lived next door to the area's main repair gunsmith. He kept a (covered) pan of kerosine or diesel handy for soaking and scrubbing of gun parts. It worked and was cheap, but not very fast.

DennisD · March 2, 2005, 12:31 PM

Clemson, I’m always very careful when working with kerosene (it is actually recommended by the manufacturers to clean my motorcycle chains); garage doors open and no flames.

Jim Watson, I thought about diesel also but it will be much harder to remove the residue than kerosene.

cuate · March 2, 2005, 01:41 PM

Kerosine or Coal Oil as we used to call it has become almost unobtainable any more, Varsol or the stuff mechanics now wash parts and often their hands in is a better choice. Anything flammable does have its hazards.

Michaelm45 · March 2, 2005, 02:15 PM

Interesting site concerning cleaning products!
JoeHatley is always ahead of the curve. Always solid answers.

http://home.sprynet.com/~frfrog2/homemade.htm

DennisD · March 2, 2005, 10:50 PM

Michaelm45, thanks for the link. That answers questions I didn’t even have yet!!!

Gabby Hayes · March 3, 2005, 03:57 AM

During my stint with a Quad .50 unit in SE Asia, we routinely used 55-gallon fuel drums cut lengthwise in half as bathtubs for soaking and cleaning every type of weapon we had, including M1911s, M16s, M60s and our M2s. Diesel fuel was the cleaner of choice since it was about all we could get in quantity. Other than keeping it outdoors to avoid fumes, and staying away from bonfires, there never seemed to be a problem. Since we cleaned our stuff fairly often we didn't worry much about small amounts of residue left on the surfaces.

MADISON · March 4, 2005, 12:36 PM

I have used ED's Red for 7 years. It is:
It's a soaking formula....
1 part K-1 Kerosene
1 part Varsol/Oil Based paint thinner
1 part Dextron 2 or 3
You can add lanolin and acitone.

DennisD · March 4, 2005, 01:03 PM

Thanks Madison, a link for a site with that formula as well as some others was given above. I think I’m going to use it.

March 1, 2005, 07:41 PM	#1
DennisD Senior Member Join Date: December 2, 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 365	Kerosene as a cleaner? Any of you more knowledgeable ever used a kerosene “bath” to remove the loose junk from all the nooks and crannies of the hard parts of your gun? I’m thinking of doing this occasionally (not every time I clean) and then using compressed air to remove the kerosene before wiping down with gun oil followed by a dry rag.

March 2, 2005, 11:28 AM	#6
Clemson Senior Member Join Date: March 9, 2001 Location: Greenwood, SC Posts: 880	The problem with kerosene is its combustibility. Mineral spirits are less volatile and just as effective at cleaning. I doubt that potential finish damage is any more or less likely with Mineral Spirits than with Kerosene. Clemson __________________ NRA Endowment Member, NRA Certified Instructor CWP Holder US Army veteran Gunsmith www.boltandbarrel.com

March 2, 2005, 01:41 PM	#9
cuate Junior member Join Date: February 18, 2005 Location: Comanche Co. Texas Posts: 737	Kerosene Kerosine or Coal Oil as we used to call it has become almost unobtainable any more, Varsol or the stuff mechanics now wash parts and often their hands in is a better choice. Anything flammable does have its hazards.

March 4, 2005, 12:36 PM	#13
MADISON Senior Member Join Date: January 1, 2000 Location: Roanoke, Virginia Posts: 2,678	Kerosene as a cleaner I have used ED's Red for 7 years. It is: It's a soaking formula.... 1 part K-1 Kerosene 1 part Varsol/Oil Based paint thinner 1 part Dextron 2 or 3 You can add lanolin and acitone.

March 2, 2005, 10:49 AM	#2
DennisD Senior Member Join Date: December 2, 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 365	Well _ell, I guess I'm on my own here since no one else has an opinion

March 2, 2005, 10:53 AM	#3
Te Anau Senior Member Join Date: June 17, 2004 Location: Somewhere south of the No Posts: 3,824	Ive heard of people using kerosene but have never seen anyone do it.???? If I need to clean like your'e describing I use mineral spirits.

March 2, 2005, 10:57 AM	#4
JoeHatley Senior Member Join Date: July 2, 1999 Location: Iowa Posts: 2,135	That's how I clean all my guns. I cut the kerosene with an equal amount of mineral spirits and throw in a quart of AFT. Joe

March 2, 2005, 10:58 AM	#5
DennisD Senior Member Join Date: December 2, 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 365	Hey, thanks for the reply. I just thought that kerosene would be the least likely to damage any finishes or anything.

March 2, 2005, 11:37 AM	#7
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 19,185	I once lived next door to the area's main repair gunsmith. He kept a (covered) pan of kerosine or diesel handy for soaking and scrubbing of gun parts. It worked and was cheap, but not very fast.

March 2, 2005, 12:31 PM	#8
DennisD Senior Member Join Date: December 2, 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 365	Clemson, I’m always very careful when working with kerosene (it is actually recommended by the manufacturers to clean my motorcycle chains); garage doors open and no flames. Jim Watson, I thought about diesel also but it will be much harder to remove the residue than kerosene.

March 2, 2005, 02:15 PM	#10
Michaelm45 Senior Member Join Date: October 28, 2004 Location: NV Posts: 215	Interesting site concerning cleaning products! JoeHatley is always ahead of the curve. Always solid answers. http://home.sprynet.com/~frfrog2/homemade.htm

March 2, 2005, 10:50 PM	#11
DennisD Senior Member Join Date: December 2, 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 365	Michaelm45, thanks for the link. That answers questions I didn’t even have yet!!!

March 3, 2005, 03:57 AM	#12
Gabby Hayes Senior Member Join Date: June 17, 2001 Location: Ohio Posts: 119	During my stint with a Quad .50 unit in SE Asia, we routinely used 55-gallon fuel drums cut lengthwise in half as bathtubs for soaking and cleaning every type of weapon we had, including M1911s, M16s, M60s and our M2s. Diesel fuel was the cleaner of choice since it was about all we could get in quantity. Other than keeping it outdoors to avoid fumes, and staying away from bonfires, there never seemed to be a problem. Since we cleaned our stuff fairly often we didn't worry much about small amounts of residue left on the surfaces.

March 4, 2005, 01:03 PM	#14
DennisD Senior Member Join Date: December 2, 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 365	Thanks Madison, a link for a site with that formula as well as some others was given above. I think I’m going to use it.