I know this has been very much talked about but, I haven't seen a thread on removing Cosmo in a while.

So far I know of three:

Boiling it in water
Dishwasher
  And
Heatgun (or blow dryer) and WD-40


Any others?

hosing with carb or brake cleaner.  heating up in the grill prior to painting.  i alternate these a couple of times and that seems to get it out .

brake cleaner for the metal parts and oven cleaner for wood parts.

Your favorite backyard machanic and his parts cleaner tub.

I start with mineral spirits, for small parts I submerge them in a pan, for large parts soak a small rag or good quality paper towel and hold on one area for a little and the cosmo will melt away.
After the mineral spirits I give the parts a quick hose down with brake cleaner to get the tight spots. Brake cleaner also works but it works slower and you use more of it.

I tried heat already but that only soften the cosmo, it didn't remove it.

Are you friends with anybody that works in , or has a transmission repair shop? If so, or if you can get access to a transmission washer (big thing about 6 feet tall, with shelves inside) put your parts in there, and have them run it through one time. The hot water will strip all the cosmo off and your metal parts will be squeaky clean. I just did this with a Mosin Nagant a few months ago, and I was amazed at how fast (less than 10 minutes) it took to get all the gunk off. I will never do it by hand again, if I get a rifle that is covered in the evil stuff.

I still use gasoline.

YMMV

Quoted: brake cleaner for the metal parts and oven cleaner for wood parts.

+1

Mineral spirits for metal parts, heat for wood stocks.

Oven cleaner isn't going to deteriorate the finish is it?  I'm trying to get the cosmo off the wood now (brake clean took off Metal), and its a nice hand carved stock.

Quoted: I know this has been very much talked about but, I haven't seen a thread on removing Cosmo in a while. So far I know of three: Boiling it in water Dishwasher   And Heatgun (or blow dryer) and WD-40 Any others?

I take the entire weapon apart and get a gallon of mineral spirits, dump the whole thing into a long window type flower box.  You have to caulk the holes - use silicone and allow it to dry overnight.  Get some plastic plugs at Home Depot, slap on the caulk and press then into the drainage holes.  Ream the holes with a knife to make the plug fit if need be.



Buy a few cheap paint brushes (I use 2" ones) and a brass wire brush.

Soak, scrub and blow off with an air compressor.  Repeat as needed.

Stocks - what I don't get is guys using $20 worth of brake cleaner or whatever and working like a dog.  Take the freakin stock to a furniture stripper and have him dip it for $20-$25.  Most time mineral spirits will take off the finish anyway if you don't want to spring for the extra scratch.

Stock refurbish:
Step 1 - boiled linseed oil - two treatments per directions
Step 2 Watco Danish oil - great stuff.  I use 3 treatments.  The stuff is awesome.  Seals, stains and hardens the wood.
Step 3 Allow to dry 72 hours
Step 4 Apply spar polyurethane/any poly
Step 5 fine sand between coats (300 grit)
Step 6 0000 steel wool - touch up spots as needed
Step 7 finish up with 3 or more coats minwax furniture wax



Stand back and admire a finish better than the stock ever had and also one that will preserve the wood and  last a lifetime.

Pics of a Yugo I did that looked like shit when I bought it



Now I used the wet cloth and iron trick to take out some dings, but I was very pleased with the result.

I am in the process of doing two others and I can poly them on Tuesday morning.

My wife washed my kit with hot water.

The cosmo just fell off

FREE

Quoted: My wife washed my kit with hot water. The cosmo just fell off FREE

Hard to beat that!

Will the stock lose its finish (I really don't want to refinish the stock) or will it just take away the cosmo?

Quoted: Will the stock lose its finish (I really don't want to refinish the stock) or will it just take away the cosmo?

You talkin' to me?

Soaking it in MS will take off the finish, so just wipe with a rag using MS, followed by a damp one until you are satisfied.

I hate cosmo and DO NOT want it sweating out of my stock, ever!

Besides,my finishes really work to preserve the wood.  Depends what ya want I guess.

clp

I bought a $20 steam cleaner from Target, it melts cosmoline away like nothing.

Don

height=8

Quoted: brake cleaner for the metal parts and oven cleaner for wood parts.

these have work well for me as well

Be careful with brake clean and other chemicals on the rear sight or other parts with  white paint markings.    I have lost some the numbers paint on a sks cosmo removal ... boiling in water worked better on my next cleaning job.

Brake cleaner

While I normally prefer brake/carb cleaner it always surprises me no one suggest oven cleaner.  Perhaps I'm not aware of a good reason not to use it, but chemically it is ideal for something like cosmoline.  Anyone with experience with this should say something.  If not, I will report once I get my next kit and try it myself (finished my carb/brake cleaner when cleaning up my last kit).

Quoted: While I normally prefer brake/carb cleaner it always surprises me no one suggest oven cleaner.  Perhaps I'm not aware of a good reason not to use it, but chemically it is ideal for something like cosmoline.  Anyone with experience with this should say something.  If not, I will report once I get my next kit and try it myself (finished my carb/brake cleaner when cleaning up my last kit).

It just amazes me that folks spend $10 on materials and 1 hour of time for something a furniture stripper can do for $20-$25.

I will never understand it.  Ever.