Gave the Lithgow No1 Mk3 a good clean today...

Linseed oil doesn't 'dry' - it oxidises. Contact with oxygen in air causes it to change chemically, becoming hard, like a varnish. That is why a thick coat of oil becomes gluey... It will harden over time.

Linseed oil is also a fire risk, as rags can catch fire - especially on hot days. Take extra care when throwing rags in the bin. It is best to wash them. Or throw them where there isn't a risk if they do start smouldering.

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Originally Posted by Bol Tackshin

Linseed oil doesn't 'dry' - it oxidises. Contact with oxygen in air causes it to change chemically, becoming hard, like a varnish. That is why a thick coat of oil becomes gluey... It will harden over time.

Linseed oil is also a fire risk, as rags can catch fire - especially on hot days. Take extra care when throwing rags in the bin. It is best to wash them. Or throw them where there isn't a risk if they do start smouldering.

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Absolutely. Dry the rags opened out on the concrete. Never throw out wet.
Store brushes with oil on them in water.

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Originally Posted by norsk

I have used Oven cleaner to clean up old gunsWorks really well on crusty bores too.

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Preaching again I know but oven cleaner (caustic soda) will attack timber, dissolving the lignin if left more than a few minutes. The surfactants in it do the work of degunging the woodwork. On steel however it's superb will rip the crap off and stops rust from forming as it's alkali

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Originally Posted by Marty Henry

@Gordo what's your source of this information? In my 20 years as an industrial chemist in paints plastics and adhesives acetone was considered as one of the least hazardous common solvents
The only connection to isocyanates was as a carrier solvent for specific foam making applications.
The mixture had to be used rapidly as any trace of water reacts with the isocyanate (usually TDI, or HMDI) to produce carbon dioxide and biuret.

Acetone is voc exempt in paints meaning that it is not included in the hydrocarbon total for emissions
Interestingly diabetics produce it in their bodies and a telltale diagnostic for someone who is low on insulin is the smell of paint thinners on their breath.
Sorry for the lecture but I have a passionate dislike of false facts brought on by the current climate.

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The smell on the breath of someone low in glucose (or someone on a high fat, low carb diet) is ketones. Acetone is a ketone. Your stored fat is broken down into ketones which can travel through the body and then get burnt/metabolised into energy. If you are fat and you want to lose weight you HAVE TO have ketones in your system, or you'll stay fat. That is why ketones are not carcinogens, they occur naturally and frequently, and sometimes in high amounts in our bodies. Alcohol however is a known carcinogen so don't be laissez faire about cleaning things with alcohol.

Ok, the 1943 Longbranch No4 got the same treatment today.
Decided to stay with what i know, as it worked and was relatively fast...
Happy with the outcome.
Attachment 126783
Attachment 126784

Just need a nice No5 now...
Attachment 126854

Would anyone have any reservations applying the same treatment to a WW II K98k?

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Originally Posted by Ryan

Would anyone have any reservations applying the same treatment to a WW II K98k?

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That's actually quite an open-ended question. Because it depends on the type of stock i.e. laminate or solid elm, which nation captured the rifle and if its a early, mid or late war production rifle. I wouldn't be using a stripper on a laminate stock to prevent stripping out the laminate glue holding the layers together. I did my 1942 (laminate stock) which was thick in cosmoline by rubbing denatured alcohol after letting it leach out in a black trash bag in the car on a sunny day. I BLO mine in the end for convenience as I had more at hand but I did attempt some other finishes i.e. Danish Oil which would suit a Norwegian K98KF1 and Tung Oil. I didn't have raw linseed oil unfortunately. Bearing in mind too that late productions did not always have a finish and Russian captures do come with a shellac finish so more elbow grease might be necessary.

Long story short though, its your rifle so do whatever that pleases you.