mixing lubricants

[farmbif]

as a fan of old ugly guns some of these old firearms being not well cared for and rusted up need freeing up and lubricating. my Current project is a very rusted traditions muzzle loader.
ive been using all kinds of lubricants and rust penetrating oils. I find with kroil or even blaster I treat stuff that needs freeing up and it needs several soaking because these things seem to dry up. I like 3 in one oil but it doesn't seem to do what kroil or blaster does so im thinking of mixing kroil with 30 weight and adding a bit of dextron for good measure and maybe even some lps rust preventer .
has anyone else done anything like this or is it a fools errand

[farmbif]

another thing on my mind is the cost. saw a spray can of kroil in store last week its now over $20. fortunately I have a gallon can of kroil and LPS rust inhibitor and other lubricants
but replacing them is so much more now than when I got them. these things get very expensive real quick these days

[Recycled bullet]

I like transmission oil and 0000 steel wool to clean old rusty guns.

[cat-mechanic]

As a mechanic, mixing Acetone and ATF in a 50/50 mix is a very inexpensive penetrating oil.

For under $20 you should be able to get a quart of each and you would have a half gallon of the penetrating oil mix.

[schutzen-jager]

are you trying to remove rust or free frozen parts ? - iirc there are several scientific tests that have shown that old time Liquid Wrench equal or exceeds Kroil in many applications -

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

as a fan of old ugly guns some of these old firearms being not well cared for and rusted up need freeing up and lubricating. my Current project is a very rusted traditions muzzle loader.
ive been using all kinds of lubricants and rust penetrating oils. I find with kroil or even blaster I treat stuff that needs freeing up and it needs several soaking because these things seem to dry up. I like 3 in one oil but it doesn't seem to do what kroil or blaster does so im thinking of mixing kroil with 30 weight and adding a bit of dextron for good measure and maybe even some lps rust preventer .
has anyone else done anything like this or is it a fools errand

Acetone and ATF in a 50/50 mix as mentioned by Cat-Menchanic is been shown in tests to be better than all the popular mixtures for penetrating rusty steel stuff. Which makes sense to me, the acetone seeps into the threads or whatever and when it dries, it leaves the ATF for a lube.
Search the youtube for tests for yourself.

I've always had luck with Aero-Kroil, so I've never mixed up any Acetone and ATF.

[country gent]

For pins and screws or threads you can form a cup with clay and fill it. For outside surfaces a capped piece of pvc tubing close to size.Or a trick I have used is a cheese cloth or light cloth wrapped 3-4 times around and soak with the penetrating fluid then wrap in plastic.

A really radical way is a copper tube capped the top cap with a tire stem installed. insert the barrel complete screw on the top cap with the tire stem and pressurize to 50-70 psi. The addition of pressure will help push the kroil, 50/50 or blaster into the seams and crevasses. You could use pvc pipe for this fixture but would want to drop the pressure down some.

I have had good results with the wrapping a to soak. Wrapping you can reuse the oil. with the tube soak or pressure tube the oils can be filtered and reused.
On a good sunny day stand the tube in direct sunlight or warm with a heat gun this will help the penetrate to work in also.

with the wrap method cut the plastic 6-8" longer than the part, wrap with the cloth then center on the plastic fold ends over and tape to seal.

[Mk42gunner]

My opinion on penetrating oils is that most of them work, but some work better than others. Also some work better on certain jobs.

Penetrating oil with a bit of heat added sometimes works wonders. With enough heat, 80/90 gear oil works as penetrating oil (just don't let the safety Nazi's catch you).

Robert

[JimB..]

Most of the above is about mixing a lubricant with a solvent. If you’re really going to mix oils, pick oils with the same base. Mixing a lube based on mineral oil with one based on synthetic oil can lead to unsatisfactory results.

[Bazoo]

For pins and screws or threads you can form a cup with clay and fill it. For outside surfaces a capped piece of pvc tubing close to size.Or a trick I have used is a cheese cloth or light cloth wrapped 3-4 times around and soak with the penetrating fluid then wrap in plastic.

A really radical way is a copper tube capped the top cap with a tire stem installed. insert the barrel complete screw on the top cap with the tire stem and pressurize to 50-70 psi. The addition of pressure will help push the kroil, 50/50 or blaster into the seams and crevasses. You could use pvc pipe for this fixture but would want to drop the pressure down some.

I have had good results with the wrapping a to soak. Wrapping you can reuse the oil. with the tube soak or pressure tube the oils can be filtered and reused.
On a good sunny day stand the tube in direct sunlight or warm with a heat gun this will help the penetrate to work in also.

with the wrap method cut the plastic 6-8" longer than the part, wrap with the cloth then center on the plastic fold ends over and tape to seal.

Thank you for sharing those tips. All are great, but the clay cup idea will be very handy.

[Outpost75]

are you trying to remove rust or free frozen parts ? - iirc there are several scientific tests that have shown that old time Liquid Wrench equal or exceeds Kroil in many applications -

50-50 acetone and ATF beats Liquid Wrench according to Popular Mechanics.

[schutzen-jager]

50-50 acetone and ATF beats Liquid Wrench according to Popular Mechanics.

even a small amount of acetone is extremely harmful to plastics + wood finishes, ok on most bare metals - exercise care when using - original poster still has not specified if he is looking to mix a lubricant or a penetration formula -

[JSnover]

another thing on my mind is the cost. saw a spray can of kroil in store last week its now over $20. fortunately I have a gallon can of kroil and LPS rust inhibitor and other lubricants
but replacing them is so much more now than when I got them. these things get very expensive real quick these days

I bought two spray cans of P'Blaster and I'll never own another. It's a great product but I found out the hard way, if you don't spray some on a daily basis it will ruin the nozzle and you have a useless can of expensive penetrant. 50/50 acetone/ATF is best and you can mix as much or as little as you need.
I buy products like that (Kroil, WD, etc) in gallon cans now and they've never let me down.

[max it]

Most of the above is about mixing a lubricant with a solvent. If you’re really going to mix oils, pick oils with the same base. Mixing a lube based on mineral oil with one based on synthetic oil can lead to unsatisfactory results.

I know nothing! however any product without the words; Lubricant, or Oil are penetrants. Again, I know nothing. But I worked for Liquid Wrench, and Cyclo as rep.

[schutzen-jager]

I know nothing! however any product without the words; Lubricant, or Oil are penetrants. Again, I know nothing. But I worked for Liquid Wrench, and Cyclo as rep.

totally agree about different qualities of lubricants + penetrants, there is a definite different, even if some lubricants have limited penetrant qualities -jmho

[metricmonkeywrench]

If you haven't see this gentleman it may be worth a watch. I don't think he gave the 50/50 enough time to work. Lots of old school how to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1zI8CcTgHg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hw18-1UlfmQ

[contender1]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned "Ed's Red" by now.

It's 1/3 acetone, 1/3 ATF, and 1/3 kerosene.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned "Ed's Red" by now.

It's 1/3 acetone, 1/3 ATF, and 1/3 kerosene.

that's close, and maybe that's your version of Ed's Red...but it's not Ed's Red.
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?258080-Ed-s-Red-Formula

[schutzen-jager]

that's close, and maybe that's your version of Ed's Red...but it's not Ed's Red.
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?258080-Ed-s-Red-Formula

you are totally corect about the Ed'S red formula -

[JimB..]

I know nothing! however any product without the words; Lubricant, or Oil are penetrants. Again, I know nothing. But I worked for Liquid Wrench, and Cyclo as rep.

Me too, about not knowing, this was just something that I learned long ago about mixing greases and later found that it applies to oils.

[contender1]

"that's close, and maybe that's your version of Ed's Red...but it's not Ed's Red."

I knew that,, but it was the "simple" version used a lot by many.

[max it]

As a mechanic, mixing Acetone and ATF in a 50/50 mix is a very inexpensive penetrating oil.

For under $20 you should be able to get a quart of each and you would have a half gallon of the penetrating oil mix.

be sure to put it in a metal container, i didnt :sad:

[max it]

327695
although made for their products, which are available, this transfers to others using same ingredients.

[waksupi]

I would go with a low viscosity synthetic if I were going to put motor oil in.

I recently came across a partial can of Kroil that had no pressure left in the can. So, I poked a hole in the can, and dumped it into my Ed's Red. Smells like hell now, but still works. I won't do that again.

[max it]

As a mechanic, mixing Acetone and ATF in a 50/50 mix is a very inexpensive penetrating oil.

For under $20 you should be able to get a quart of each and you would have a half gallon of the penetrating oil mix.

my mix melted the container I put it in. :groner:

[country gent]

For severely rusted frozen parts 50% hydrogen peroxide and 50% white vinegar soak will remove rust and help to free them up, BUT it will etch metals and remove finishes. On the plus side the etching is easy to polish out to a finish to re blue. This mix has no rust preventatives or preservatives in it so parts need to be oiled immediately.

The other trick is to put your parts in a sealed plastic pickle jar with the penetrant and run a couple cycles thru your ultra sonic cleaner filled with plain water. The ultra sonic action will work the penetrants into the seams cracks and crevices loosening them.

[schutzen-jager]

fwiw - placed a rusty knife blade in the vinegar solution, next morning the blade was completely dissolved except for thick part at the hilt -

[AlaskaMike]

my mix melted the container I put it in. :groner:

Acetone was an optional ingredient to Ed's Red in order to dissolve plastic residue from shotgun wads. I don't use acetone because I don't do much shotgun shooting at all.

Of course, in addition to shotgun wad plastic, it will also dissolve other plastics, including HDPE plastic containers. Glass, ceramic or metal containers are the only way to go if you need to use acetone. My Ed's Red is the original recipe, minus the acetone. 1 part ATF, 1 part mineral spirits and 1 part kerosene.

The important thing a lot of people forget is that Ed's Red is not a lube. It's a solvent. A good Ed's Red compatible lube is 1 part ATF and 1 part synthetic motor oil.

[schutzen-jager]

also Ed gave a formula that included lanolin to provide lubrication + corrosion resistance to original formula -

[crandall crank]

Another mixture that I use for outdoor and farm equipment is a mixture of 50% mineral spirits and 50% motor oil. The mineral spirits "wicks" into the crevasses and pulls the oil with it. For large projects it's very economical to mix.