Re: MtMan-List: Patch Lube / BP Cleaner

[Gary Bell <micropt@gte.net>]

Washtahey Hawk,

I respectfully disagree about your recipe, I feel peroxide is far too
corrosive.  I am getting a feeling of deja vu all over again with this
line of discussion, I guess being old allows me to sorta ignore
discussions held more than a few weeks ago.  Here goes anyway.

Number One Son took my Lyman GP to Boy Scout summer camp when he staffed
in their blackpowder program, and their moose milk was equal thirds of
peroxide, Murphy's Oil soap and rubbing alcohol, used for patch, swab and
overall cleaning.  He fought terrible rust all season and I am shopping
for a replacement barrel.

The way I figure, the soap and alcohol break down and suspend/dissolve the
oily stuff, while the peroxide attacks the metals and the organics, and
the water carries it all away.  Fine so far, but unless the peroxide is
either neutralized or very effectively flushed out it will soak into
cracks/crevices, like the "pores" in the steel (actually tiny cracks
between grains or crystals of metal), and the threads in the breechplug
etc. continuing to etch the steel until it is consumed in the corrosion
process.  Steel should be protected by something like an oil layer after
it is cleaned and flushed/neutralized.

Do you get the surface rust these recipes gave me?  Do you apply any oil
afterward?  Is your bore already protected by a carbon layer (conditioned,
like an iron pot), an iron oxide layer (like a browned barrel) or bright
and shiny?

Several of the old timers that helped me learn the ropes swear by the
household detergent "409" as the patch and cleaner, and they claim to not
oil or anything else afterward.  I still use the stuff for clean out, but
I learned to use a good hot water flush afterward, followed by a nice thin
coat of Rigg anti-rust grease, and am pleased with the results.

I guess in addition to the blackpowder vs. Pyrodex tests I was planning I
should look into some of the wide range of cleaners.

michael pierce wrote:

> get some non phosphated green soap and some hydrogen peroxide and some
> rubbing alcohol and mix equal parts and add 1/4 water --- good cleaner
> and  and target shooting solvent to use on patces---
>
> Hawk
> michael pierce
> e-mail hawknest4@juno.com