Great penetrating oil

[OldJoe212]

I put together a small Siler flintlock a while back but didn’t have a chance to harden it. Long story shorten, a broken pipe got the lock wet and it was rather rusted. I started to take it apart and clean it up but 3 screws would not budge. I remembered from a few car repair sites that the best penetrating oil by far is simply 50/50 mix of Acetone and Automatic Transmission Fluid. I let it soak for a couple of days and the frozen screws came right out. Even though I think those Automatic Transmissions (along with cartridges) are a passing fad, most people have some ATF somewhere out in the garage and acetone is pretty cheap. Anyway, any one working on or restoring an old gun, try this before you screw up the head of the screw. P.S. The natural rusting really did a nice job on aging that lock.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Yep! that mix works pretty good....Probably as good a Kano Kroil....When my Kroil ran out I mixed up some and have been using it ever since....

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

FWIW the best penetrating oil one can use is a DIY homemade mix of 50% acetone and 50% automatic transmission fluid (ATF).

Recently “Machinist Workshop Magazine” did a test on penetrating oils. Using nuts and bolts that they ”˜scientifically rusted’ to a uniform degree by soaking in salt water, they then tested the break-out torque required to loosen the nuts. They treated the nuts with a variety of penetrants and measured the torque required to loosen them.

This is what they came up with:

Nothing: 516 lbs
WD-40: 238 lbs
PB Blaster: 214 lbs
Liquid Wrench: 127 lbs
Kano Kroil: 106 lbs
(ATF)/Acetone mix (50/50 mix): 50 lbs

 

[Grizzly Adams]

Good tip!

Automatics are a passing fad.

 

[BrownBear]

FWIW the best penetrating oil one can use is a DIY homemade mix of 50% acetone and 50% automatic transmission fluid (ATF).

Recently “Machinist Workshop Magazine” did a test on penetrating oils. Using nuts and bolts that they ”˜scientifically rusted’ to a uniform degree by soaking in salt water, they then tested the break-out torque required to loosen the nuts. They treated the nuts with a variety of penetrants and measured the torque required to loosen them.

This is what they came up with:

Nothing: 516 lbs
WD-40: 238 lbs
PB Blaster: 214 lbs
Liquid Wrench: 127 lbs
Kano Kroil: 106 lbs
(ATF)/Acetone mix (50/50 mix): 50 lbs

That's real useful for me, here in the Land of Rust. I've always used PB Blaster, but results have been mixed.

Thanks! :hatsoff:

 

[Critter Getter]

Thanks for the heads up on this! I have a piece that broke off my grain sweep in the drying bin that is stuck solid on the pin it sat on. Been trying to figure out how I was going to get that pipe off. I will give this a try. Thanks for posting!!!! Greg

 

[Donny]

Isn't the 50/50 mix more or less the Ed's Red formula...

 

[MSW]

thanks for the post! it's pretty dry in the winter here in Vermont, but the summers can be surprisingly humid.

 

[FishDFly]

My learning is the specific gravity of the 2 is vastly far apart.

When initially mixed the acetone goes to the top of the container and the ATF to the bottom.

When agitated for a week or more, the 2 will go into solution and work's well.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Yep, I shake well before using....

 

[necchi]

Amen to that mix!! :thumbsup:

Isn't the 50/50 mix more or less the Ed's Red formula...

No.

 

[ohio ramrod]

A lot of things are a passing fad. Myself I believe that as long as people read and write they will always need scrolls! :idunno:

 

[garra]

Donny,

Ed's red: equal parts of Acetone, mineral spirits, kerosene and ATF. I usually do a quart of each and end up with a gallon.

 

[swathdiver]

Nothing: 516 lbs
WD-40: 238 lbs
PB Blaster: 214 lbs
Liquid Wrench: 127 lbs
Kano Kroil: 106 lbs
(ATF)/Acetone mix (50/50 mix): 50 lbs

I've got a stuck bolt and trigger stop screw in a '61 Navy and none of the above has worked as of late. Even tried putting it in the freezer and later heating the screw with a soldering iron and alternatively, heating the frame gently with a propane torch, all to no avail.

 

[OldJoe212]

You're right. It does seem well mixed after a couple of weeks. A small jar with the mix so it can be shaken, not stirred, and and an eye dropper (do they still make those) would work great. Joe

 

[coloradoclyde]

and and an eye dropper (do they still make those)

Yes, here is one source, although the acetone might eat the plastic dropper. http://www.minntrapprod.com/Bottles-and-Jars/products/430/

 

[ddoyle]

all to no avail

Be super patient, weeks is not too long, tap the metal often. Heat and cool cycles. I recently saw That they do make little mini impact wrenches.

It is amazing how well threads seal themselves against the intrusion of penetrating oil, Of course we like this when we are holding a breech plug against our face.

Or it might just be "stuck" LOL. Is it doable to just drill it out?

 

[FishDFly]

Soak for a long time.

Get a "Proper" fitting screw driver, tap on the screw to "tighten" it and then tap on the end of the screw driver to remove it.

Often trying to tighten a screw and then backing off will let a person remove it.

 

[pwbsmokey]

What's an automatic? I have never owned one of those.

 

[smoothshooter]

Health food and vitamin stores usually have eyedroppers.