Is it cosmoline or what?

[phaessler]

I just received some parts I had ordered from a firearms parts warehouse, and covered in something I am not sure is cosmoline. I have alot of rifles which required cosmoline removal, and familiar with it. But this stuff is thicker than crisco, it feels like LARS 2500+ actually, brown, and fibrous, even at 68deg. Its a metal part so I am soaking it in lacquer thinner, any suggestions?

Pete

[3006guns]

Could very well just be grease.......plain old fiberous grease. Cosmoline was not always available in some instances, so preservation depended on whatever was handy. Wipe it off and do final cleaning with your laquer thinner or safety solvent.

[Uncle Grinch]

I've seen cosmoline that was extremely thick and some that had hardened to a putty consistancy. You can use a blow dryer or solvent to remove it.

[phaessler]

Well, seems to have softened a little will let it set over night submerged, then dry it off and warm it slowly tommorow, this was some quality stuff. The wife likened it to taffy.
Either way its a Mauser triggerguard , and while some of the bluing is gone from wear, no pitting or rust seen yet. :)

Thank you.

Pete

[MtGun44]

Cosmoline is brown, waxy and not fiberous.
Softens a lot with heat.

Bill

[phaessler]

UPDATE: Well after overnight and a toothbrush its clean, the stuff turned grey, and still chunky, but got it off and the part looks good. I put it on a foil sheet and worked it over with the heat gun and got alot more out.
Thanks all.

Pete