WD40 Degreaser

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Has anyone used WD40 Specialist Degreaser for cleaning guns?

I am using regular WD40 to flash out dirt after using CLP / brushing off gun parts.  WD40 spray aids with removing it from hard to reach spots, i.e. from inside of the Pardini SP22/HP32 frames.  I wonder if degreaser would provide with additional effect, but not sure if it is safe for all surfaces.

Thanks,
AP

Oh no! A WD-40 thread raises its ugly head from the distant past! I thought when Bullseye-L progressed from dial up email that it would have left this behind! 

Though I do use WD 40 for drying out old style automotive ignition systems I prefer this product from CRC to deep clean delicate things that I don't want to use harsh chemicals on.

Someone once told me WD-40 leaves behind some sort of layer of something - I don’t remember or know enough about it. But they told me about an older lever action they were restoring and it had a lacquer type of layer built up on the inside of the bore and internal parts from continual use of WD-40. I was told WD-40 is a no-go for use on firearms as a CLP or cleaning product of sorts.

I would stay away from WD-40 on guns (or any product that is not designed specifically for this application). For hard to reach places, I use #9 on a toothbrush, scrub everything, then use compressed air (not canned air!!! this stuff will cause moisture condensation and your parts will rust! Just a regular blow of compressed air from your shop compressor), and then apply a thin film of RemOil or Slip2000 using a Qtip or cotton patch.

I deep clean with B12 or similar.  Then air blast it dry and immediately souse with G96 and let soak.  Later air blast lightly, wipe and reassemble with new lube as needed, including moly on most sear-hammers..

WD-40 itself is notorious for leaving a varnish if it’s left to dry. It actually cross-links like a regular varnish.

I seen a gunsmith online that said not to use WD40 in guns. He then showed the residue he was scraping out the internals of a pistol. There are a lot of better products so stay away from WD40!

Qualifier:  I am asking about totally different product then regular WD-40.  At least I think, it is different! WD-40 Specialist Degreaser  My understanding is that it is relatively new product, and earned some accolades in 2023.


As for using regular WD-40 for cleaning of firearm - as I stated, I use it after applying good deal of Lucas CLP and brushing to flush out dirt.  I then follow up with blowing WD-40 off using air compressor, and once again spraying with CLP and applying Lucas Gun Oil or FP-10 gun oil.  I do not leave WD-40 on any of the gun surfaces for any duration, so it has no ability to form any residue as I can see (or experienced). 

There are number of products found in other industries, that find great deal of use in firearms cleaning / lubing.  Various automotive cleaners like BrakeClean, SeeFoam are very good solutions for dealing with stubborn carbon deposits.  Balistol was adapted to gun cleaning and oiling, although initially it was primarily used for leather cleaning, and do I need to say "KRoil"!  Mobile 1 Synthetic Grease is an excellent lube for high friction areas of the pistols.  Of course, all of the above is IMHO, and I've been using all named products for many years without ill-effects on my firearms.

AP

Just my 2c on the traditional WD40 not the degreaser. Whether race cars or arms I've always been taught never to use WD40. My recollection is that it traps in moisture against the metal. Water Displacement 40

This thread has me concerned about my practice of wiping down the outside of my guns with wd40 before putting them away. I don't drown them with the spray but spray on a cloth and wipe the outside to prevent rust.
Is there a better product/method I should be using?

Note I do not use wd40 for internal lubrication. Too many gun oils available for that.

Darrell

Oil is pretty much oil. I use LPS TKX spray lube. https://www.jdindustrialsupply.com/lps-tkk-lubricant.html

It’s as good as any and is non drying. Pretty reasonable at about $10 per spray can.

The SDS indicates that the primary active ingredients are alcohol and Laurel glucoside which is a surfactant.  It’s particularly nasty if it shoots back into your eyes, …. So … I’d tend to not use it or at least use it with safety goggles on.  https://www.chemicalbook.com/ChemicalProductProperty_EN_CB2965619.htm

Consider this alternative, it is essentially perchloroethylene (dry cleaning solvent) in a spray can. Still an eye hazard but I’m not sure which is worse. https://www.crcindustries.com/products/quick-clean-8482-safety-solvent-and-degreaser-19-wt-oz.html

Wow ! I didn't know all this. I been cleaning my guns with WD 40 for years ! It does a great job of dissolving the burnt gunpowder. I take em apart spray em down , then scrub with an old toothbush spray again and blow it all off off with 50lbs of air pressure. Spotless clean. I don't leave any residue at all. Then lube it with a good oil (Lucas). I use Hoppes cleaner on the bores , then run a snake through. I don't see any buildup and my guns run great. Hmmmmmm.

AP,
I haven’t used that particular degreaser but other degreasers haven’t appeared to hurt my guns. I used to also use carb cleaner, non-chlorinated brake cleaner, etc with no I’ll effect. However after that, the metal should get a light coat of oil to protect from rust. At least that’s my theory. Just a few drops on a soft rag and wipe it down.

I don’t like the chlorinated stuff. It’s a strong suspected [edited to correct myself] carcinogen. Worse if it is used to clean metal prior to welding, even the *tiniest* amount remaining forms phosgene gas in the presence of a welding arc. and a whiff can kill you. Rather not have it around.

Rodger Barthlow wrote:Though I do use WD 40 for drying out old style automotive ignition systems I prefer this product from CRC to deep clean delicate things that I don't want to use harsh chemicals on.

If I could Spell carbon tech,( dry cleaning fluid) i WOULD NOT A HARSH CHEMICAL? Maybe YOU THINK SO, but WE USED IT IN MARINE CORP Bootcamp to clean our rifles for the final inspection, Our dark green Marines were not allowed to dip the rifles in a tub of the liquid as it would turn their skin white.

I use brake cleaner to hose things, then a brush, then grease.  That said, I recently talked to someone who did formulation for CLP, and it turns out that is an elegantly simple solution, where they mix oil with faster evaporating solvent.  So when you apply it wet, it is mostly solvent, and you can use it to dissolve crud off your gun.  After you wipe the crud off, the solvents evaporate, leaving behind a coat of oil that both lubricates, and protects.

If you use CLP here’s a comparison of the contenders.

https://youtu.be/fibRewlndLg

Wobbley wrote:Consider this alternative, it is essentially perchloroethylene (dry cleaning solvent) in a spray can.  Still an eye hazard but I’m not sure which is worse. https://www.crcindustries.com/products/quick-clean-8482-safety-solvent-and-degreaser-19-wt-oz.html

RodJ

I don’t like the chlorinated stuff. It’s a strong suspected [edited to correct myself] carcinogen.

I'm digging a little bit deeper into this.  The interesting fact I came across is that most CRC products discussed in this thread have the same composition according to Safety Data Sheets.  Breakleen, Lectra-Motive, Quick Clean Degreaser all have 90-100% of tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene) and 1-3% of Carbon Dioxide.  However each SDS also has statement "Specific chemical identity and/or percentage of composition has been withheld as a trade secret."  I presume, this implies that each product has some different additives.  So, I wonder how much difference such additives make for basic gun cleaning function.


CRC also has Non-Chlorinated Breakleen product(s).  SDS for it shows totally different composition.  And from non-chemist point of view it is close to traditional WD-40 (petroleum/hydrocarbon based) in nature????



AP

djperry2 wrote:This thread has me concerned about my practice of wiping down the outside of my guns with wd40 before putting them away. I don't drown them with the spray but spray on a cloth and wipe the outside to prevent rust.
Is there a better product/method I should be using?

Note I do not use wd40 for internal lubrication. Too many gun oils available for that.

Darrell

Just about any product is a better rust preventative than WD-40. Eezox and Corrosion X to name a couple.

WD40 now has a specific corrosion inhibitor version.  But all this back and forth about various products led me to conclude that they all basically work to some extent or another unless one or more of the following: (a) you’re going to abuse your tools by spraying them with salt water and leaving them in the rain, (b) you don’t do periodic preventative maintenance (like check on them and give them another wipe), or (c) expose them to a harsh environment and not clean them afterwards.

Kind of like tire pressure. Sure you can use nitrogen and slow the process. But good old fashioned air works great. In either case, you ought to check your tire pressure periodically.

In the old days, a wipe down with used motor oil and a rag worked just fine.  And folks used gasoline to clean brushes.  Cheap too!

RodJ wrote:WD40 now has a specific corrosion inhibitor version.  

Yes, “Corrosion Specialist” and it works very well, but not inexpensive.

https://www.wd40.com/products/corrosion-inhibitor/

Dbl post deleted

Ouch!  None of these products are cheap. Love Boeshield t9 but it’s my blood pressure meds or boeshield. I just wipe down with a soft cloth and a light spritz (ahh refreshing!) of mineral oil.

Back to the original thread, I doused my Ruger MkII with brake cleaner. Dry as a bone. Then the internals got a good shot of Hornady One Shot. Quicker than nooking and crannying hoppes gun oil around the inside. Hadn’t done that in a while. No noticeable harm.

Well, one thing I've learned in another dreaded WD-40 thread is that they make a lot of new, different products. Since I already have about 30 different products under my work bench and most of them work pretty well, I'll hopefully resist buying more to add to the collection!