SKS caked in cosmoline

[alternative]

Hello all,
I recently got gifted a pretty crappy Chinese SKS that is CAKED in cosmoline. I don't know what the guy who owned it before was thinking.

I've been trying to clean it but the bolt was this ugly orange color and the firing pin only moved after working it with CLP, a mallet, and pliers for an hour. I tried to hammer out the firing pin retainer to no avail, it barely budged and my hands hurt like crazy. I have a bench vise and I don't think I'm THAT weak. I've been watching YouTube videos while I try to clean it and I think my sks is as bad as it gets. I can provide pictures of needed.

Is it important that I get all the cosmoline out? Is slam firing that big of an issue? The firing pin moves in the bolt now with more ease but doesn't drop with gravity.

Thank you!

Firing pin should easily move back and forth in bolt and yes slam fire is a big deal.

 

[Axxe55]

Firing pin should easily move back and forth in bolt and yes slam fire is a big deal.

welcome to tgt!

 

[TreyG-20]

Were they sticky, like maple syrup?

Only in the summer.

 

[Eli]

Coleman fuel is naphtha, a/k/a Ronsonol, the stuff you put in Zippo lighters.
I used to use Varsol to remove Cosmoline, but nobody seems to carry it any more - I'd substitute diesel fuel oil.

Eli

 

[Eastexasrick]

Coleman fuel is naphtha, a/k/a Ronsonol, the stuff you put in Zippo lighters.
I used to use Varsol to remove Cosmoline, but nobody seems to carry it any more - I'd substitute diesel fuel oil.

Eli

The Coleman fuel currently marketed is white gas, consisting of cyclohexane, nonane, octane, heptane, pentane. they claim to add a proprietary blend of corrosion inhibitors
Naphtha is a less than specific, or generalized term, for a distilled mixture of hydrocarbons, primary trimethylbenzene.

 

[Axxe55]

Coleman fuel is naphtha, a/k/a Ronsonol, the stuff you put in Zippo lighters.
I used to use Varsol to remove Cosmoline, but nobody seems to carry it any more - I'd substitute diesel fuel oil.

Eli

some bulk fuel suppliers still carry varsol!

 

[Elenah]

Respectfully, y'all are so nerdy.

I ended up putting the bolt in a black trash bag and leaving it in the sun. I scrubbed it with PB blaster every 30 mins or so and hubby was finally able to wack it out. Thank you for all the suggestions!

 

[Eastexasrick]

I used to use Varsol to remove Cosmoline, but nobody seems to carry it any more - I'd substitute diesel fuel oil.

Eli

Varsol is a trade name for a mixture of aliphatic, open-chain, alicyclic hydrocarbon. A " white" cleaning solvent. AKA White Spirit No. 1

 

[Gordo]

Varsol is a trade name for a mixture of aliphatic, open-chain, alicyclic hydrocarbon. A " white" cleaning solvent. AKA White Spirit No. 1

It's all so confusing!

Big Daddy Don Garlits once said that gasoline is for cleaning parts, alcohol is for drinking, and nitro is fuel.

 

[Eastexasrick]

It's all so confusing!

Big Daddy Don Garlits once said that gasoline is for cleaning parts, alcohol is for drinking, and nitro is fuel.

And he is right.
Nitromethane, manufactured by combining the volatile organic gas propane, with nitric acid.

 

[Moonpie]

Why hasn't OP posted a pic of the newly cleaned SKS?

Is OP a slacker?

 

[Elenah]

Why hasn't OP posted a pic of the newly cleaned SKS?

Is OP a slacker?

Yes? What kind of silly question is that?

 

[toddnjoyce]

Yes? What kind of silly question is that?

You ain’t from around here, are ya?

 

[Elenah]

You ain’t from around here, are ya?

Not at all. Here's my current progress my hands hurt. I need to go to the gym and do only arms so I can gunsmith. Ignore the fact that my setup is a random bin.

 

[TreyG-20]

Not at all. Here's my current progress my hands hurt. I need to go to the gym and do only arms so I can gunsmith. Ignore the fact that my setup is a random bin.

View attachment 398911

Nice. That's an earlier Chinese Type 56 with the blade bayonet. Probably seen some Jungle use at one time.

 

[Eastexasrick]

r

Not at all. Here's my current progress my hands hurt. I need to go to the gym and do only arms so I can gunsmith. Ignore the fact that my setup is a random bin.

View attachment 398911

Excellent! Random bin works just as good as a dedicated parts wash bin.

 

[Elenah]

So again I'm a noob, but how difficult is blueing steel? The receiver & barrel is pretty scratched up, does stripping and blueing hide/cover that?

 

[Axxe55]

So again I'm a noob, but how difficult is blueing steel? The receiver & barrel is pretty scratched up, does stripping and blueing hide/cover that?

depends on what type of blueing is useddifferent methods for different types!

 

[Eastexasrick]

So again I'm a noob, but how difficult is blueing steel? The receiver & barrel is pretty scratched up, does stripping and blueing hide/cover that?

Good question, you are going to get a lot of answers for and against refinishing. Hang on and read on.

 

[TreyG-20]

So again I'm a noob, but how difficult is blueing steel? The receiver & barrel is pretty scratched up, does stripping and blueing hide/cover that?

It's definitely not a process for amateurs and the cost of rebluing a SKS would likely exceed the value of the rifle itself. I've seen way worse condition rifles than yours. Very heavy pitting and they still function fine. Oil it up, reassemble it, and just enjoy it for what it is. If you want a nicer looking rifle later on it would be cheaper to buy one than to restore it.