Mineral Spirits

[u/JuiceYHM]

I'm awaiting the arrival of my SKS and I've been gathering the things I'll need to clean up the cosmoline. However I can not find mineral spirits anywhere. But I found this jug that says it's a substitute. Anyone ever use something similar?

Also did Canada ban spirits or something? Because everywhere says out of stock except substitutes.

Thanks in advance.

[u/lunchbawkz]

I just cleaned one of the ones I got from Tenda last month. I just used boiling water to clean it all and a heatgun for the stock. Took a solid evening but no toxic chemicals used.

My first SKS I had years ago I cleaned with mineral spirits and it was a big pia for me, especially in winter time. The hot water method took just a bit longer but it wasn't a bad experience at all.

[u/JuiceYHM → u/lunchbawkz]

I may have to do this. I live in a condo so I'm not super excited for fumes I was going to do most of the spraying outside on my balcony (extremely well covered balcony so no one can see me) but I've been reading a lot about hot water and letting the metal parts sit in a container in the hot water for a bit.

Thanks mate!

[u/lunchbawkz → u/JuiceYHM]

That's one of the reasons I did it with hot water this time. I don't want to be in my garage with it being -15 degrees in there, and I didn't want fumes in my kitchen.

Literally two aluminum trays from Dollorama, a pair of tongs, my electric kettle which I already had (or get a cheap $8 one from value village), and a ton of q-tips and some CLP and it was really easy.

Edit: To make it clear for what I did:

• Full disassembly and all the parts other than the receiver/barrel would be in the aluminum tray.

• Trays on the stove with water just enough to cover the parts and let them sit on the stove over medium heat .

• The stock I just let sit on the aluminum tray, hopefully for the steam to get some of the cosmoline out (didn't do much, hence the heat gun).

• While your small parts are on the stove, use the kettle to pour hot water over and in the barrel/receiver in the sink (yes, I know I shouldn't have let it down the pipes but I did it anyways). Wear an oven mitt or a mechanix glove, it gets super hot and I burned myself a few times.

• After the first hour of parts simmering, I transferred them over to the second clean tray and did the process again. I used paper towel to soak up the big clumps of cosmoline floating on the surface. Took the bolt out, disassembled it, and let it sit a bit in the water before I used q-tips to clean it all out.

I probably let them simmer in the water for longer than I needed to, but I wanted to make sure it was all clean before applying CLP. Worked like a charm. Collected the waste water from the trays in old cola and milk jugs for the garbage.

[u/JuiceYHM → u/lunchbawkz]

Thanks for the input I'm likely going to just try it this way first now. Can't wait I'm excited to take it all apart. It's my first gun so taking my time will be good to figure it all out and appreciate it.

[u/EnvironmentBright697 → u/JuiceYHM]

I got high as a kite once cleaning cosmoline off of an SKS with mineral spirits in my basement in the winter once. Started feeling pretty weird until I realized I should probably open the door for fresh air despite the cold. Do not recommend unless you’re gonna do it entirely outside.

[u/JuiceYHM → u/EnvironmentBright697]

Yeah I think I'm going to skip on the Chems and use hot water and WD40 lol. High from paint thinner is not the high I desire lol.