Cosmoline removal

[tracerbob]

I've got some NOS stuff that's slathered in it. How do you get this stuff off?

[sirhrmechanic]

Lacquer thinner works just fine.

You can buy 'bulk' thinner at any automotive parts/paint store. Buy it as 'gun cleaner' and by that I mean Paint Gun, not Colt. A 5 gallon pail will run you about $60.

Best all-purpose cleaner/degreaser, etc. you can get. We buy little 'squirt bottles' from science supply stores. Every bench in the shop has a squeeze-bottle of the stuff.

It is THE best thing on old Cosmoline. And almost any other oil/grease/dirt.

Cheers,

Sirhr

[Robert Luland]

I'll second that!

[T. Cotten]

Tracertbob!

You will save a great deal of solvents by first rendering the cosmoline off with a heat gun or heat lamp, and collect it for later reuse.

....Cotten

[vph-d]

I had good results using Coleman fuel.
VPH-D

[tracerbob]

Great advice guys. I have a heat gun, I'll give that a shot at getting the majority of the stuff off and then go at it with a solvent.

[T. Cotten]

Tracerbob!

You may wish to save the rendered Cosmo for posterity, as it seemed to vary.
Attached is a hard-to-photo comparison of H-D and Indian cosmo's from ~WW2; The Indian was nearly black, but the H-D was an "Indian Red". (Sorry.)

Please note that the variety of colors of Parkerizing has been attributed to preservatives.
Nice pieces will retain some of their protection after gentle heat, which any solvent may remove, and need replacement.

Please also beware that all solvents (especially anything with a flashpoint like white gas Coleman fuel) should be well aired before any further heat applied!

....Cotten

[tracerbob]

Dully noted about heat and solvents. My plan is to melt most of the stuff off, then after it cools off go after the rest with a solvent.

[T. Cotten]

Tracer Bob!

The point that I was trying to make was that there may be no point in removing all of it.

....Cotten

[tracerbob]

Cotton, I'm not quite understanding what your saying. You wouldn't remove all of the cosmoline?

[T. Cotten]

Tracerbob!

Why remove it all when it is not only a preservative, but History: the real thing?

Google 'cosmoline', and you will find it is basically a heavy petrolatum, which is what I brush back on parkerizing after it has been solvent soaked. The whole point of park'ing is its chemical affinity for petroleum derivatives and natural waxes, and it isn't much good without them. Dry park'd parts should be a "fault": A "well-oiled machine" will last.
What doesn't brush and wipe off while warm is a good thing.

(I mentioned previously that some of the variety of park'ing shown in the attachment has been attributed to the various preservatives. For that reason and others, park'ing should never match over an entire machine.)

Common sense is that if it is a part that you feel must be re-painted, or whatever, the prep for that would remove it anyway.

Please do not let others' notions of "restoration" destroy the genuine History you hold in your hand.

....Cotten

[tracerbob]

Cotton,
I see what your saying, but I should have mentioned I'm cleaning NOS piston assemblies for use. Hence, the confusion on my part.

[T. Cotten]

Well, yeah, Tracerbob,

That does make a difference.
(You 'set me up' for that one.)

Scrub with a very fine Scotchbrite, in a cross-hatch pattern, and finish with a hot soapy wash, and then WD-40.

Hope you found them large enough for your overbore.
The last NOS 45" pistons I unpacked were surrounded by candy wrappers. Shoulda saved them, I guess, but they went to customer instead, with the cute boxes.

I heard the rider for whom the WLA was commissioned for is dead now.
Fewer of the "Greatest Generation" left every minute.

....Cotten
PS: ....And twenty-two a day of all generations of veterans are taken by their own hand every day. History cries silently...

[tracerbob]

I should have mentioned these great big blobs of cosmoline were pistons. My "setting you up" was unintentional and I apologize for that. As far as over bore size, I had the fortune of locating a set of NOS cylinders with a std bore (2.745 dia). Of course they weren't cheap either. But, std size piston sets are relatively cheap. I may look for a set of .005 over pistons just in case.

My Dad was a bit too young for WWII but joined the Air Force soon after WWII. He spent most of the late 40's and early 50's involved in nuclear tests in the south pacific and Nevada. He witnessed 74 nuclear detonations. I have the utmost respect and admiration for the Men and Women that put themselves into harms way in the defense of our country and way of life. It saddens me that we are losing them at such a high rate. There will never be another generation like them.