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Tuesday, October 22, 2019

A Word About Modern Gun Care Products

Many modern gun care products are quite simply incompatible with the finishes used on classic and custom firearms.  Many of these products contain silicone, teflon or some other type of "high-tech chemical enhancement" that is touted as the last word in gun protection, usually because these additives are used in some form in some unrelated industry.  It's called marketing, which is the way bullshit is spelled in the language of business.  The biggest hazards posed by these products are to organic oil-based stock finishes, including any variation of "London" oil finishes and oil-based film-type finishes.  Silicone (NOT silicon, which is what computer chips are made from) rags and sprays should not even be in the same zip-code as a gun with an organic stock finish.  Regardless of whether it's a spray or on a rag, IT WILL PENETRATE ANY ORGANIC STOCK FINISH and it will soften and ruin it.  As a side benefit, it will also completely prevent refinishing unless the contaminated original finish is chemically removed.  Depending upon the depth of the silicone contamination of the wood, complete removal ranges from merely damnably difficult, to almost impossible.

Keep the following AWAY from ANY organic stock finish:

- Silicone, in any form, be it spray, oil or cloth
- Rem-Oil in any amount, or really any gun oil for that matter
- Gun Scrubber, this stuff will dissolve even some synthetic finishes and some plastics

Probably 90 percent of the gun care products that exist only excel at separating money from one's wallet and the above are actually capable of damaging a fine gun's finishes.  A good oil that doesn't contain silicone, teflon or powdered space-shuttle tiles is all that is needed for the metalwork and if you feel the irresistible urge to fondle the wood, please only use a drop or two of boiled linseed oil.  Do NOT use LIN-SPEED or TRU-OIL (or their like) as "maintenance".  These are FINISHES (they are in fact varnishes), they are not used for maintenance any more than one would wipe one's car down with fresh paint to "freshen it up".  Speaking of cars reminds me of waxes and there is a certain brand of very expensive wax that some museums use, and many gun owners as well .  Do not use this on any stock that you ever plan to have refinished either.

There, you can't say that you were not warned.

I'm probably going to be asked: "Well then, you miserable prick, what do YOU suggest that I use?"
I'm glad you asked.  Below are my recommendations.

For general use (lubrication and "wiping down" of metal):

- Break Free CLP -  I know, it's supposed to have teflon in it but it must be a damned small amount.  In thirty years of using it, I've never seen it cause any issues with any finish.  Use it SPARINGLY though, it will migrate everywhere if over applied.
- Hoppe's Original Gun Oil - Still the best mineral based oil, it contains no "high-tech" or "space program approved" ingredients.  Again, as with any oil, use it sparingly.  There is a reason that your car has a dipstick and your gun does not.

For hinge pin and bites:

- Mobil 1 Synthetic wheel bearing grease - This is the red grease that I use.  In this application it will never get hot enough to turn to liquid and one tube will last even the most enthusiastic shooter at least one lifetime.
- Vaseline - This is the "classic" but its main problem is that in hot weather, it quickly turns from a grease into an oil.  This also occurs with extended use, and it can get messy.

For stock maintenance and cleaning:

- Boiled Linseed Oil - A couple of drops rubbed on any stock finish and then wiped off with a soft cloth will lift accumulated dirt off of the surface.  To clean out cruddy checkering, use a drop on an old toothbrush, followed by a dry old toothbrush.  Dispose of any oil-contaminated rags in a safe manner because of the danger of fire.

One last point:  If you store your guns in a safe, and you have the room, it is advisable that you store them muzzle down.  The reason is that, even though flat-earthers deny it, gravity actually exists and it will push any accumulated oil into the head of the buttstock.  The carpet in the bottom of your safe is much less costly to replace than the buttstock of a fine gun.

13 comments:

  1. What do you recommend for BLO? There are the hardware store grades and artist grades?

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    1. Whatever the hardware store has in stock is what I use.

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  2. Dewey, O.K. Just threw my two spray cans of Rem Oil in the trash. For cleaning the action of my side-by-sides, I have been using "Quick Scrub III", manufactured by Shooter's Choice. Is this, like Gun Scrubber, to be avoided by anyone who owns guns with organic finished? Thank.

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    Replies
    1. Quick Scrub III is the same product as Gun Scrubber, except for the Shooter's Choice label. Just like Gun Scrubber, it has no place anywhere any gun that retails for more than 200 dollars (it will even damage some of those).

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  3. Got it! So, what would you recommend I use to clean the inside of the action body, where the two locking lugs can collect particles of fired/unfired powder? My practice previously was to spray a bit of Quick Scrub II onto the locking lugs and quickly turn the action upside down so that the Quick Scrub II would run out. Thanks.

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    1. Sorry for the late reply Douglass. The best thing to use is a narrow, soft paintbrush that is DAMPENED with "white gas" like naptha. You DO NOT want it dripping wet, just wet the brush, give it a couple of good shakes and brush the crap out of the frame openings and hinge pin area (with the frame pointing downward). Do the same for the barrels. Blow it dry and apply a light film of grease to the hinge face, the bites, the sides of the lumps and the knuckle surface (where the forend rides) of the frame and carefully reassemble. Obviously you don't want to set yourself on fire while doing any of this.

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  4. What do you think of Renaissance Wax? What should one do if the previously used a silicone cloth to wipe down a gun, including the stock, which had a traditional oil finish?

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  5. I should have added: a) the is no damage to date (but that is like the man who jumped off of the roof of the Empire State Building and upon passing the 32nd floor is heard to say, “so far so good.”), b) silicone is banned from my zip code, and c) my concern is with my collection is of pre-1920s sxs from UK and USA—many late 19th century. I will appreciate your advice and thoughts.

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    1. If the stock finish is actually an oil finish (and many so called are not), there is no way to remove the silicone without damaging the finish. The best option is to discontinue use of any silicone-containing products. Ren wax is fine for metalwork but removing it from wood is very difficult to do without damaging the finish.

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  6. Dewey,

    Thanks very much. Will, as usual, follow your advice to the letter. Appreciate your admonishment regarding setting myself on fire. Will now have to change my plans! Best.

    Douglass

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    Replies
    1. I know that you know better but it's the world that we live in...

      Still, might be a good idea to keep some marshmallows and a fire extinguisher handy.

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  7. Thank you for your responses. What brand of Boiled Linseed Oil would you recommend--I worry about finding an oil without drying agents. But again, I want your advice.

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    1. Any brand available in the hardware store will do, they're all the same. You will find two kinds of linseed oil there, boiled and raw. Raw is just what the name says, boiled means that driers are added. There is no such thing as boiled linseed oil without added driers.

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