• This community needs YOUR help today. We rely 100% on Supporting Memberships to fund our efforts. With the ever increasing fees of everything, we need help. We need more Supporting Members, today. Please invest back into this community. I will ship a few decals too in addition to all the account perks you get.



    Sign up here: https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/account/upgrades

Cylinder cleaning???

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
On types of alcohal, would it really matter? I'm planning on whipping up a batch of MAP myself. I am curious about Peroxide though. I've seen it stated on a differant forum that it can ruin the finish on a gun if left on too long.How long is too long? Also isnt peroxide a petroleum thing? A shame when you almost need to be a chemist to enjoy a simple hobby.
 
[QUOTE="Eutycus, post: A shame when you almost need to be a chemist to enjoy a simple hobby.[/QUOTE]

No, the shame is when some people over think a very simple hobby. Water and some form of animal fats for lube or oil, a few cloth rags or tow is really all you need. I do not think Danial Boone was worry about peroxide ruining his wood or what kind of alcohol to use in his patch lube.
 
On types of alcohal, would it really matter? I'm planning on whipping up a batch of MAP myself. I am curious about Peroxide though. I've seen it stated on a differant forum that it can ruin the finish on a gun if left on too long.How long is too long? Also isnt peroxide a petroleum thing? A shame when you almost need to be a chemist to enjoy a simple hobby.
I just used the highest alcohol content possible to keep as much moisture out of the situation as possible.

I've never had a problem with peroxide on any of my guns. Just remember to dry everything as much as possible.

Even though it's an invention of the 20th century, I blow everything out with an air compressor then oil the gun before putting it back together.
 
It's a rare thing when I've been accused of overthinking anything. Underthinking is more my thing. The real shame is when someone who has the time to read these posts yet feels possibly annoyed at giving advice. There are probably other people out there who just may want to learn something. Come on share some of that "valuable knowledge".
 
Come on share some of that "valuable knowledge".

I am never annoyed at giving advice, do it all the time. But sometimes it does get old when a person ask's a question and many people give a good answer to that question and then the person ask the same question again only in a little different way. As for sharing valuable knowledge, the question of this thread was "how do you clean your cylinder's ", go back a read post #2 and you will see I share my valuable knowledge.
 
When I find a thread interesting I ask questions to keep it circulating. Its really sad to see a post or thread die from lack of interest.I also ask questions to learn things about specific things. Many times A answer is given just not a specific one.
 
The real shame is when someone who has the time to read these posts yet feels possibly annoyed at giving advice. There are probably other people out there who just may want to learn something. Come on share some of that "valuable knowledge".

Well... I don't argue or give advice unless I'm getting paid for it! :cool: But I have been known to state what my experience has been on any given subject. ;) :D

Hi-ebber, and day is always a hi-ebber, as concerns the matter at hand, I'm just absorbing the opinions of others. All good stuff! :)
 
On types of alcohal, would it really matter? I'm planning on whipping up a batch of MAP myself. I am curious about Peroxide though. I've seen it stated on a differant forum that it can ruin the finish on a gun if left on too long.How long is too long? Also isnt peroxide a petroleum thing? A shame when you almost need to be a chemist to enjoy a simple hobby.
Unburned Pyrodex won't harm anything it's left on.
Pyrodex fouling draws moisture out of the air and between the moisture and the acids that form in the fouling it will not only remove the finish but it will cause the underlying steel to form deep rusty pitting.
Real black powder fouling will do the same thing. That's why it's important to thoroughly clean a black powder gun as soon as possible after it has been fired.

Pyrodex is not a petroleum product if that is your question.

As far as "petroleum things" go, Pyrodex fouling and black powder fouling will form a hard material that is more difficult to remove than the fouling left in the bore if no petroleum is present when the powder burned.
By "present" I mean, a wet, oily coating, which is not the same thing as a surface that has been oiled and then wiped with a clean rag.

An oiled surface that has been "wiped clean" won't leave any unusual "hard fouling". That's why I suggest that you quit dwelling on this "petroleum" issue.
Unless there is a wet coating of oil on the surface, there is nothing to worry about. If it is "wet", wipe it clean and forget about it.
When I say, "Wet" I'm talking about enough oil present that rubbing it with your finger will leave a noticeable coat of oil on your finger.
 
I'm sorry but I was referring to peroxide not pyrodex. But I do appreciate your answer even though It was never asked?
 
Some use hot soapy water, some use cold soapy water. Enlighten me , is one of the purposes of hot or warm water to heat up the metal which in turn speeds up the evaporation process or is it used as a "grease cutter". Or is it much like cold water would be, to wash out or dilute the salts.I ask this question to help further along the guy who opened this thread on cylinder cleaning.
I used to use hot soapy water. If it’s hot enough and the metal gets hot enough in turn it works well. Come to think of it, I’ve never seen flash rust of any consequence on my guns or parts and assuming you oil promptly after cleaning it’s just a non issue...

I have been cleaning lately with vegetable oil as the solvent. Nothing else just the oil, a brush and then clean patches. It works very well, especially if I give it a few minutes to soak into the fouling. Almost all of the fouling comes out with the first two oiled patches. I leave everything wet with oil for a few minutes while I put the other gear away and then begin using dry patches and rags. Once the patches come through dry and clean I run an Eezox patch through the bore and cylinder. That's it. Quick, simple, efficient.
 
I intend to give that vegetable oil a try. I was given a bottle of outdated wesson oil and told to get rid of it. Well thats getting rid of it. Now another question, if I may, what is Eezoz? I heard it mentioned twice lately.
 
I'm sorry but I was referring to peroxide not pyrodex. But I do appreciate your answer even though It was never asked?
My error. (I positively refuse to say "my bad".)

I can think of absolutely NO reason hydrogen peroxide would remove bluing. If anything, it could add to the bluing if there wasn't any oils present.

Bluing is just a color of oxidized (rusted) steel and there is nothing in water with an extra oxygen molecule that could harm it.

Now, stuff that contain acids will remove bluing. This includes soda pop, vinegar, lemon juice and so forth so, if someone added something like this to their hydrogen peroxide then it could remove any bluing or browning that was on the surface and left unprotected.

Even with this type of mixture, it is the acid, not the hydrogen peroxide that is damaging the finish.
 
Not a problem I blame it on the glasses, or lack of wearing them. In other words I should have had them on!You saw How I spelled Eezox
 
Thanks Zonie, your last reply got me thinking. In another forum there was a discussion of a cleaner that was a mixture of alcohal and windex. The guy who suggested the mix said to be sure and use the windex that contains vinegar. It sounds like it was the vinegar and not the windex that did the work. The acid in the mix possibly?
 
I intend to give that vegetable oil a try. I was given a bottle of outdated wesson oil and told to get rid of it. Well thats getting rid of it. Now another question, if I may, what is Eezoz? I heard it mentioned twice lately.
What @Juice Jaws said... It’s synthetic and a very effective metal preservative. A wipe in the bore and chambers, a quick wipe of the exterior and it’s all protected. I won’t use anything else on guns and I use it all around the house, garage and farm.
 
Thanks Zonie, your last reply got me thinking. In another forum there was a discussion of a cleaner that was a mixture of alcohal and windex. The guy who suggested the mix said to be sure and use the windex that contains vinegar. It sounds like it was the vinegar and not the windex that did the work. The acid in the mix possibly?
I’m of the opinion that acid on gunmetal is generally not a good idea. Even vinegar could etch poorer quality steel if left in place for too long. How long is too long? I don’t know, longer than it takes to remove bluing imo, which is not long at all.
 
I have been using windshield washer fluid for cleaning and have yet to find a miracle product that does any better. Just use it straight from jug.
 
Back
Top