Gun Oil Corrosion Test

WillR · Feb 25, 2013

I'm a little surprised about the CLP having issues.

benjamin-benjamin · Feb 25, 2013

the clp surprises me also... this is really cool, thanks for doing this...

Scott Hearn · Feb 25, 2013

Me too. Especially since this isn't the aerosol version. Maybe I'm all wet on this but pretty much everything that I've ever used in an aerosol version (except for Ballistol) seems like it just isn't as concentrated as the non-aerosol version of the same product. They might be the same exact thing but that's just been my impression.

KurtM · Feb 25, 2013

There was a very funny thread on Enos about CLP. The first part is the C stands for cleaner, so maybe it self-cleaned the lube and protectant right off. Years ago when I went through scuba school, we used to use ATF on our K-Bars, worked better than grease or Vaseline, although I'm sure the it was bad for Manatees, or Flipper.

dennishoddy · Feb 25, 2013

KurtM said:
There was a very funny thread on Enos about CLP. The first part is the C stands for cleaner, so maybe it self-cleaned the lube and protectant right off. Years ago when I went through scuba school, we used to use ATF on our K-Bars, worked better than grease or Vaseline, although I'm sure the it was bad for Manatees, or Flipper.

So, your saying you don't hug trees?

Scott Hearn · Feb 25, 2013

KurtM said:
There was a very funny thread on Enos about CLP. The first part is the C stands for cleaner, so maybe it self-cleaned the lube and protectant right off. Years ago when I went through scuba school, we used to use ATF on our K-Bars, worked better than grease or Vaseline, although I'm sure the it was bad for Manatees, or Flipper.

Dangit! I knew I was forgetting one. I was going to mix up some of my synthetic oil/synthetic ATF blend to try. My gut feeling is that no better CLP type product exists. Oh well there's always another day when the temps are warmer.

KurtM · Feb 25, 2013

Oooohhhhh, thats my favorite Denis! Royal purple ATF and Mobil 1. Although I once used hand cream to get a recalcitrant M2 going..you know how tread heads are! The funny thing is it worked just fine. I think as long as you have ANYTHING on there you are probably fine, and how many of us "gun guys" don't do maintenance. I have tried to do the old torture tests, I have, but I always feel guilty well before it malfs or dusts.

bsdubois00 · Feb 26, 2013

Awesome thread Scott!!!!

kdf9511 · Feb 26, 2013

I really not surprised about the CLP. I don't like their stuff. I used some CLP Break Free from Wally World on my Ruger P95DC and managed to melt a fingerprint into the polymer frame. Since then I won't use any CLP on my firearms.

Scott Hearn · Mar 4, 2013

Now we're getting some action.

FL Paste shows one small spot in center just above the perforations. (no lube was applied below so disregard that area)

Eezox is showing a spot stated just above dead center.

Mobil 1 and all but one Frog Lube are still totally rust free as of today. Fireclean is not far behind.

Scott Hearn · Mar 10, 2013

Well after a little more than a month I think the results are in. And they are:

#1: Eezox
#2: Frog Lube
#3: Mobil 1 (a heavier weight than 5W20 may move this one up some)
#4: Fireclean (note that Fireclean started rusting almost the same exact time as Mobil 1 with the exception of one spot, and it's still not much worse than when it appeared)
#5: Remoil (almost a tossup with Slip2k EWL)
#6: EWL
#7: Ballistol (would be much higher in the list if not exposed to direct rainfall)
#8: CLP (the absolute worst by far, it started rusting almost as fast as the unprotected control panel)

jtischauser · Mar 10, 2013

Awesome test. You gonna keep it going?

Scott Hearn · Mar 10, 2013

Jesse Tischauser said:
Awesome test. You gonna keep it going?

It's still setting out there so I may update it. But I also may do it again a little differently. I suspect that the Mobil 1 ran or was washed down onto the control from looking at the rust pattern, so I'll move that to the top to keep that from happening. And I'll make the sample areas all vertical just to make sure they aren't contaminating each other which means I'll have to cut the panel in half or test a fewer number. I knew about this but I was in a hurry and wasn't thinking.

But the bottom line is I still know that most all of these are good to go in any "normal" use. Afterall it doesn't rain and snow in our safes. I was mostly curious as to how Fireclean and Froglube compared to others that I have used and both did very well in my mind.

benjamin-benjamin · Mar 10, 2013

this is one of the best, most informative threads i have ever read on a gun forum... makes me glad i coated all my guns in froglube!

dennishoddy · Mar 10, 2013

Afterall it doesn't rain and snow in our safes.

In reality it does with moisture and temps.
I agree it's a very good informative test. There is no doubt about the results.
I saw one similar with a guy testing black powder and the substitutes that were supposed to be less corrosive. At that time the standard black powder was less corrosive than any of the substitutes. 777 was the worst. Marketing works wonders.
Years later, there are new powders out there that are much better.

Scott Hearn · Mar 10, 2013

dennishoddy said:
Afterall it doesn't rain and snow in our safes. In reality it does with moisture and temps. I agree it's a very good informative test. There is no doubt about the results. I saw one similar with a guy testing black powder and the substitutes that were supposed to be less corrosive. At that time the standard black powder was less corrosive than any of the substitutes. 777 was the worst. Marketing works wonders. Years later, there are new powders out there that are much better.

Dennis let me put a little context to this. When I said that I was referring to the water solubility of the various products. For instance I know that Ballistol is totally water soluble, hence my comment about it would be higher in the list if not for being exposed directly to rain/snowfall. I also mentioned in an earlier post that I thought the Ballistol was probably totally washed off. The others maybe not so much, but this panel was outside in the open air exposed to whatever rain and snow fell and it got rained and snowed on directly on multiple occasions. Water is the most effective solvent on the earth. Maybe not the fastest acting but given enough time it will cut any oil based chemical there is. I will give you this though, the temps in our safes are certainly far more conducive to corrosion than what this panel saw. I figure that's why it took over a month to see what we did. It would have been quicker if I started it about now instead of a month ago.

kdf9511 · Mar 10, 2013

I wonder how this test would have went if instead of outside in the open elements exposed to direct rain/snow fall the test piece had been in say a garage or shed. Not in a conditioned space but out of the elements.

dennishoddy · Mar 10, 2013

Your correct. One of my safes is in the garage. When it got damp outside, I noticed moisture inside. Lots of it. I guess the guns/metal held the temps, and the moisture condensed. Wiped every thing down, and two days later, opened the safe with everything inside covered in mold. Freeked me out. Nothing permanently damaged.
That was why my comment about rain and snow in the safe. It's all water, not like rain though.
Golden rod has solved that situation.

Scott Hearn · Mar 10, 2013

kdf9511 said:
I wonder how this test would have went if instead of outside in the open elements exposed to direct rain/snow fall the test piece had been in say a garage or shed. Not in a conditioned space but out of the elements.

I think just about exactly like this one did with the exception of the Ballistol and the time involved would be much longer. I think the Ballistol would have ended up being in the top 2 or 3. I have a spot under the eave of my patio to do this and may do it a little "side test" just for curiosity.

twss · Mar 17, 2013

You could try letting everything cure for a couple of days after coating it then hit it with a bucket of salt water to speed up the test. Just a thought.