Brake cleaner
Every now and then somebody suggests brake cleaner for this or that cleaning task on a gun. I've never used it, so....what are are the pros and cons?
Better than existing products?
Cheaper than existing products?
Prone to doing bad things to some finishes?
Particularly good for certain applications?
Better than existing products?
Cheaper than existing products?
Prone to doing bad things to some finishes?
Particularly good for certain applications?
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I use cleaners according to their namesake. Gun cleaner for guns, brake cleaner for brakes. Just my .02 0 -
I have used brake cleaner for year's on my gun's. It's cheaper and Wally World alway's has it. 0 -
If you have something so nasty you're thinking of using brake cleaner on it....go ahead...it is already THAT bad. It has a lot of the same chemicals in it that some of the gun cleaners has. Kind of like when that company got in trouble for selling the same contact lenses but putting different directions in the package. For $300 you got the same thing as the people paying $50 but with different directions. One was for monthly disposable lenses and the other was for yearly use.
Who is the smarter guy if you find something that works.
Nasty SKS's that come in packed in crud....it works and doesn't hurt a thing. You don't only use that though. Its going to need oil when done.0 -
From a chemical standpoint (where the heck is Blkhorn to tell me I don't know a thing about chemistry?) brake cleaner can be pretty evil stuff to use for general cleaning purposes, although it will work wonders on the dirtiest metals. Try to avoid using any product which contains hexane, MEK or Methylene Chloride. Methylene Chloride is down right deadly and probably twice as harmful as MEK, which is pretty bad on it's own. Hexane is known to cause nerve damage and should be avioded as well. Use brake cleaner on jobs where it is really needed and you'll be safe. Start using it on a regular basis and for general cleaning and you could begin to develope some bad health issues. My opinion. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by kristov
From a chemical standpoint (where the heck is Blkhorn to tell me I don't know a thing about chemistry?) brake cleaner can be pretty evil stuff to use for general cleaning purposes, although it will work wonders on the dirtiest metals. Try to avoid using any product which contains hexane, MEK or Methylene Chloride. Methylene Chloride is down right deadly and probably twice as harmful as MEK, which is pretty bad on it's own. Hexane is known to cause nerve damage and should be avioded as well. Use brake cleaner on jobs where it is really needed and you'll be safe. Start using it on a regular basis and for general cleaning and you could begin to develope some bad health issues. My opinion.
Well, I'm starting to get the picture. It'll work, but maybe I don't want to work with it.
On the other hand, I'm old enough to remember working with methylene chloride in college chemistry class. I recall that it evaporates very fast. Fast enough to make my wedding ring uncomfortably cold on my finger. Maybe that's why I got the divorce...[:D]0 -
The brake cleaners AND carb cleaners for sale now are a LOT different chemically than they were...even 5 years ago.
I routinely use both on firearms - from the newest to 1900 vintage (literally).
Do NOT want to get any on wood, plastic, scopes, scope lenses, etc.0 -
quote:Originally posted by dcloco
The brake cleaners AND carb cleaners for sale now are a LOT different chemically than they were...even 5 years ago.
I routinely use both on firearms - from the newest to 1900 vintage (literally).
Do NOT want to get any on wood, plastic, scopes, scope lenses, etc.
So what makes them desirable?0 -
You can drink the new stuff.
D.0 -
Advanced Armament suggests that using break cleaner is fine for the silencers which are aluminum and steel.
I use break cleaner all the time for my R/C cars - spray the whole engine/body/everything. They are a HELL of a lot cheaper buying them as break cleaner that they are with a specialty branded name on them.0 -
A friend of mine was in the Air Force, they used MEK to wipe
the grease a grim off the weapons bay, one hot day he was
instructed to wipe the weapons bay, the MEK was boiling off,
the fume rose into the weapons bay, they found him passed out
he woke up in the hospital, if you dont need to strong stuff
stay away.0 -
NON-CHLORINATED break cleaner is what you ask for at the store. It is one of the absolute best for removing remnants of any other chemical from the bore leaving it CHEMICALY CLEAN,..which then needs IMMEDIATE treatment with your oils.
It will take off some carbon fouling, as well as all the old oil that lays in those threads where the barrel screws into the action (the ones you can see when looking in toward the chamber). Also,..when sprayed in with the muzzle down,..it will forcefully remove particles and wash them down the bore.
Also very good for cleaning die's inside when they get too much lube built up.
Great for muzzleloader fouling and wad fouling too.
NON-CHLORINATED!!!!!!!!!!0 -
Brake cleaner leaves the metal dry.
Needs lots of oil after it's "clean".
Keep it off the plastic/rubber parts or they disappear.0
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