Ever try Glenn's Red?

[GaryN]

I mixed up a batch of what I call Glenn's Red. I got the recipe from Glenn's book "From Ingots to Target". Glenn listed it as Ed's Red revisited. It looked easier to make than Ed's Red. So I made a batch. My gun has never been so clean. It worked real well. But I haven't tried Ed's Red so I can't compare it to that. It cuts powder fouling and bullet lube very fast and did pretty good on the lead too. I like it. Here it is:
Ed’s Red: Revisited:

Mix in a 1 gallon glass jug. This mixture is flammable, handle and store appropriately. As with any cleaning solvent, use with adequate ventilation.
1 quart Dexron III automatic transmission fluid
1 quart methyl ethyl ketone (aka “MEK”)
1 quart xylene

That's right only three ingredients.
I think it is about time I reread Glenn's book. I really enjoyed it. Thanks again Glenn, Rob, Rick, and anyone else who had anything to do with it.

[TCLouis]

GaryN and anyone else making a batch to use . . .

I suggest using ONLY metal can to mix and store Glen's Red or Ed's Red.

Use with plenty of ventilation.

[geargnasher]

MEK and Xylene pose serious inhalation hazards, but I'll bet that mix cleans as well as the OLD Hoppe's #9 before they took the benzene out of it.

Glen has a Ph, D. in chemistry IIRC, so he's just a little bit more than qualified to invent a gun solvent, glad he did.

Gear

[GaryN]

I put most of it in a metal can that xylene came in. I put some in a glass jar though. I don't think I would try putting it in plastic. It would probably eat right through.

[sparky45]

I mixed and store mine in a 5 quart oil plastic container. TCLouis, is your suggestion to mix in a Metal container to avoid a glass container mishap?

[Roger Ronas]

Is the MEK and xylene readily available? Lowes or paint store?

Roger

[geargnasher]

I get both at Ace Hardware, Ace brand. Also get deoderized kerosene, acetone, and deoorized mineral spirits there. Since I have enough for a small batch, I have to go try this stuff.

Gear

[felix]

Xylene is a real killer of hardened carbon, while MEK is the penetrator/spreader allowing the Xylene to work, if you will. The combination is especially dangerous, and the III tends to make it safer. Keep off the skin entirely. Many plastics can survive, but most rubbers will not. Xylene is a benzene compound. ... felix

[geargnasher]

That's what I was thinking, Felix, just wasn't sure. I used to add MEK to Hoppe's, guess I should have been adding xylene instead General Inorganic was a long time ago. I mixed a small amount of Glen's Red and it ate the hard carbon rings out of an old .357 Magnum cylinder in just a few seconds, but instantly destroyed my latex exam gloves. I switched to Nitrile (the ones I used religiously as a mechanic) and it ate them too. I don't think I'll be using much of this stuff unless I REALLY need it, but it really works well!

Gear

[Roger Ronas]

Thank you Gear and Felix

[felix]

Guns just don't NEED to be THAT clean. Shallower, older, microgrooves do need to be cleaned to the bone, SOMETIMES. ... felix

[HangFireW8]

Be careful of any "green" solvents when choosing them for gun cleaning purposes. The way they make them green, reducing volatility (ability to evaporate quickly), is to add water. Water is also good for the profit margin. Not so good for guns, unless thoroughly dried and oiled afterwards, which defeats the original purpose of Ed's Red.


HF

[jimkim]

I destroyed some bullet lube using "green" mineral spirits. I should have poured some in a container and examined it, before I added it to my LLA/Best Lube blend. The stuff didn't look right, and my bullets mildewed while I was waiting on it to dry.

[Texantothecore]

Boy I'll bet this works. You can also fully degrease a very large engine with this mixture in about 10 seconds.

Holy cow, this is like the stuff we used in the sixties for working on cars. Be very careful to use this outside with the wind blowing the fumes away as there can be medical implications over the long term. I'll stick with kerosene or diesel, thank you.

[Texantothecore]

I wonder if anyone has ever made a barrel cleaner using carbon tetrachoride?

Really effective but unfortunately will give you some medical problems.

[Reload3006]

I am sure that it works And I use most of the chemicals but as has been said use with extreme caution because Benzine and MEK are known carcinogens. use appropriate PPE

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

MEK is some bad stuff and it's just not needed to clean a gun,
though I imagine it'd work real good.
my first job at a PCB Mfg used it til about a year before I started,
most of the old timer employees had health issues.
I prefer to not use it.
research it yourself if you feel the need.
Jon

[Forrest r]

The only thing I found that Mek was good for was ruining the finishes on the wood/furniture of my firearms.

[smokey496]

I believe I will stick with Ed's red.

[Reload3006]

MEK is fantastic as a degreaser. but make sure and I mean sure you use the right barrier gloves it is absorbed through the skin. before you use it make sure to read the MSDS on it so you can properly protect yourself. I use it all the time to clean my cores in the Boolits I swage but I use PPE if you dont its bad JUJU

[GRUMPA]

This stuff sounds interesting, think once I get what I need I'll give it a try.

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

I am sure it would work but ,
already made up years and years supply of ed's red

how exactly do you get a gun that dirty that you need to use MEK to clean it.

i am thinking it might take some serious neglect to get that dirty

[Johnk454]

I mentioned years ago on another board that I used MEK instead of acetone to make up Ed's Red, and Glen replied that he did also. Personally, I would rather use MEK than acetone.

At work, we use MEK as a solvent for inkjet printers that print lot # and expiration information on packaged product - fairly common in the industry. No health issues, but we are careful with ventilation.

It's always best to examine the MSDS for any chemical - if you avoid Glen's Red because of the MEK content - look up the MSDS for acetone as used in Ed's Red.

[DLCTEX]

I used carbon tet may years ago to clean oils off before bluing a gun. Nasty stuff. We also used it as a grain fumigant to kill weevils until one batch caught fire and the fumes were worse than the CS II gas they used in the Army. It made three men make new doors in a grain bin to get out. BADDD!

[popper]

Last time I bought carbon tet I had to sign the poison register. It'll eat the gaskets right out of a carb. Methyl chloride is another one to stay away from. Xylol is a slower evaporating benzine. It's like MEK. Neither will dissolve the primer pocket stuff. I just use III, kerosine and kroil - like to keep the skin on my fingers thank you.

[GaryN]

WOW!!! From some of the posts it sounds real bad. I think like everything else, it must be used with common sense. I still have a half case of cleaner from the eighties that has trichlorethane in it. It works great for what it is intended. But I only use it occasionally. I've got to make my supply last. Glen's Red works very good. My gun has not been neglected. I just noticed how well it cleaned. It is nice to have something that works fast. With all the gov. red tape and the green weenies trying to protect us from ourselves and save the planet, it's nice to find something that actually works. And no it does not eat the skin off your fingers. Although it is probably a good idea to wear some protection.

[geargnasher]

The skin protection isn't for your skin, it's for your liver and brain, watch the vapors too. No big deal if you take simple precautions.

Gear

[GaryN]

I assumed it was for your liver. I know how chemicals can permeate the skin. In fact I even use DMSO because of how it permeates the skin. Chemically it is very close to MSM.

I do appreciate having people who know their stuff commenting. Knowledge is the key to everything.

[jandbn]

I industrial painted for about 3 years back in the early 80's. Xylol was used to wipe oil off metal and more so to thin enamal paint. For two-part epoxy paint, MEK was used as the thinner. Xylol would not mix with the epoxy. Neither smelled good. But you could tell MEK was bad stuff just by smell alone. Even in a ventilated paint booth, I wore a respirator when mixing with MEK. Makes me wonder what effect both those chemicals had on the gray matter.

[quasi]

it seems to me the better (faster) a cleaner works, the worse it is for you. I use Ed's Red without the Acetone, and for heavy cleaning I use JB's bore cleaner with Ed's Red.

[GabbyM]

If acetone is so bad for you what's happening to all these women using it as nail polish remover? Maybe the 2 oz. bottle from the makeup counter which cost as much as a quart over in the paint department renders it safe?