The Carbine Collectors Club

Click on the image above to learn more about the M1 Carbine


Forum Home Forum Home > The Club > General Discussion > Parts Markings
  New Posts New Posts
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Register Register  Login Login

Link Buttons to, & Searches for, our Websites:

   

Searches this Website & Forum


Searches the above Website only

Searches the above Website only
Note: To search the Forum alone use the magnifier icon in the toolbar on the upper right

Flip sight with some Cosmoline
 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message
  Topic Search Topic Search  Topic Options Topic Options
Superdort View Drop Down
On Point
On Point
Avatar

Joined: Feb 02 2020
Location: Netherlands
Status: Offline
Points: 231 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Superdort Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Flip sight with some Cosmoline
    Posted: Nov 29 2025 at 11:39am
I bought this flip sight last week and it arrived this afternoon. It has some Cosmoline grease on it that is very hard. In the photos, it looks like rust. Leaf is stamped U and on the left side, an S is very faintly visible. It was once removed with a punch, causing some damage to the right side. Does anyone have any tips on how to remove the hard Cosmoline without causing further damage? 






Regards Rico
Back to Top
Marty Black View Drop Down
Moderator Group
Moderator Group

Editor in Chief Emeritus

Joined: Dec 30 2015
Location: Pismo Beach, CA
Status: Offline
Points: 100542 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Marty Black Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 29 2025 at 2:01pm
Old hard cosmoline can be very difficult to remove. I'm hoping someone else will chime in with a better, less risky solution, but I've found that acetone is the best. It's available in hardware stores (In England, hardware stores are called Iron Mongers, which I find humorous. I have no idea what they are called in The Netherlands.)

The fumes of acetone are toxic (so use it outdoors or in a well-ventilated area), and acetone will eat rubber gloves and the hair on the back of your fingers! It will also eat the plastic bristles on the old toothbrush that you use to scrub the rear sight, so have a couple extra toothbrushes available.

But with all that said, acetone will also eat the old hard cosmoline without damaging the parkerizing. The sight will be left bone-dry gray, so apply some oil afterwards to restore the normal color to the sight.

Enjoy! :-)

Regards, mb
Marty Black
Back to Top
New2brass View Drop Down
Moderator Group
Moderator Group
Avatar
Dan Pinto, How Can I help

Joined: Nov 29 2015
Location: CCC
Status: Offline
Points: 5527 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote New2brass Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 29 2025 at 4:01pm
As a general cautionary statement, acetone is flammable. 
Nail polish remover contains acetone. So you may hove some on hand from the wife/girlfriend. 

If you heat the part the cosmoline will soften to the point you can wipe it down. Not too hot, just as much as you can still handle it.
My Wish List
Back to Top
DogDoc View Drop Down
Recruit
Recruit
Avatar

Joined: Feb 04 2022
Location: Arkansas
Status: Offline
Points: 91 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DogDoc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 29 2025 at 5:09pm
I’m with Dan on the heat. I use a little mini torch. Since I’ve started that, I’ve not used any chemicals at all. Good luck!
Back to Top
Superdort View Drop Down
On Point
On Point
Avatar

Joined: Feb 02 2020
Location: Netherlands
Status: Offline
Points: 231 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Superdort Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 29 2025 at 5:50pm
Thanks for the tips. We have a 4-oven AGA Cooker, each oven of which has a different temperature. I'll put it in the 100 degrees Celsius oven tomorrow for 10 minutes. Let's see if I can get it clean then.
Back to Top
New2brass View Drop Down
Moderator Group
Moderator Group
Avatar
Dan Pinto, How Can I help

Joined: Nov 29 2015
Location: CCC
Status: Offline
Points: 5527 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote New2brass Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 29 2025 at 7:56pm

not do sure I would do it in my kitchen stove. There will be fumes. 
Also start at 50 - 55 c
You want to warm it, not cook it. 

You could also boil water. Pull off heat and add a few drops of dish soap. Then soak the part. But then you would have to remove all water, and then oil part so it does not flash rust
My Wish List
Back to Top
Superdort View Drop Down
On Point
On Point
Avatar

Joined: Feb 02 2020
Location: Netherlands
Status: Offline
Points: 231 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Superdort Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 30 2025 at 2:24pm
The fumes won't be a problem. This is an English cast iron Aga Range Cooker that vents its fumes outside through an exhaust pipe. The flip sight has been in there for about an hour. After that, I was able to rub most of it off. Now it's sitting in Coca Cola to remove the little bit of surface rust on it. It may sound silly, but I've had the best experience with that for removing surface rust.
Back to Top
New2brass View Drop Down
Moderator Group
Moderator Group
Avatar
Dan Pinto, How Can I help

Joined: Nov 29 2015
Location: CCC
Status: Offline
Points: 5527 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote New2brass Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 30 2025 at 3:32pm
The leaf springs were blued. AKA black oxide
The rest was phosphate conversion (parkerizing)

Both are a form of oxidizating. AKA rust.

The Coca-Cola will remove all of the finish!

Note on the phosphate, it was designed so that it can hold oil on the surface in the noncrystalline finish. 
Things like acetone will remove these oils, so after cleaning a good oiling would be required. 
My Wish List
Back to Top
Jond41403 View Drop Down
Hard Corps
Hard Corps


Joined: Feb 21 2021
Location: East Tennessee
Status: Offline
Points: 874 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jond41403 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 30 2025 at 5:29pm
I would just let it soak in some good old kerosene. It will dissolve a lot and certainly soften up the hard cosmolene and leave a protective oily filmed behind when it evaporates once you take it out of the kerosene. Dan is correct, the Coca-Cola will remove all the bluing which is just another form of rust which you do not want to do if the leaf is blued
Back to Top
floydthecat View Drop Down
Hard Corps
Hard Corps


Joined: Oct 13 2016
Location: Mississippi
Status: Offline
Points: 2307 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote floydthecat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 30 2025 at 6:56pm
Leave it alone….it was on there for a purpose…😂.
Back to Top
Jond41403 View Drop Down
Hard Corps
Hard Corps


Joined: Feb 21 2021
Location: East Tennessee
Status: Offline
Points: 874 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jond41403 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 01 2025 at 4:43pm
thank you Dan for that explanation, I knew soda would remove bluing but I did not know it would also remove the parkerizing too. I didn't know that Parkerizing was also a form of rust
Back to Top
New2brass View Drop Down
Moderator Group
Moderator Group
Avatar
Dan Pinto, How Can I help

Joined: Nov 29 2015
Location: CCC
Status: Offline
Points: 5527 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote New2brass Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 02 2025 at 7:22am
Rico, any updates?
My Wish List
Back to Top
Superdort View Drop Down
On Point
On Point
Avatar

Joined: Feb 02 2020
Location: Netherlands
Status: Offline
Points: 231 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Superdort Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 02 2025 at 2:37pm
Hi Dan,

Yes, most of the old cosmoline has been removed. There is still some left in the damaged areas, but that doesn't bother me. The leaf still looks good, only the base is missing its parkerizing. But that was to be expected. The S is now clearly visible. I'm going to oil it some more over the weekend. I'm very busy with work at the moment. Now you can also see how much it has been damaged by time.






Regards Rico
Back to Top
New2brass View Drop Down
Moderator Group
Moderator Group
Avatar
Dan Pinto, How Can I help

Joined: Nov 29 2015
Location: CCC
Status: Offline
Points: 5527 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote New2brass Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 02 2025 at 4:28pm
Rico, thanks for the update. Someone sure banged up that base. 

@ JonD, next time you are enjoying a cola product, take a look at the ingredients. 

Coca-Cola contains carbonated water, sugar (or high-fructose corn syrup), caramel color, phosphoric acid, and natural flavors, along with caffeine. 

Yep the same stuff that created a phosphate coating, though with a little more chemistry to it. 
the amount of acid is watered down by the carbonated water, but I bet if you warmed the coke up it would remove "rust' faster. 
Some rust removers, like navel jelly, have a higher concentration of phosphoric acid and will remove "rust" much faster.  
My Wish List
Back to Top
Jond41403 View Drop Down
Hard Corps
Hard Corps


Joined: Feb 21 2021
Location: East Tennessee
Status: Offline
Points: 874 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jond41403 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 03 2025 at 2:47pm
thanks for the explanation Dan!
Back to Top
Smokpole View Drop Down
Hard Corps
Hard Corps
Avatar

Joined: Oct 21 2019
Location: Madison ohio
Status: Offline
Points: 1484 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Smokpole Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 03 2025 at 6:12pm
For years my father used coal ash and coke in a sack to remove rust from car bumpers. it worked very well! It left the steel clean and bright.
OGCA Life member
NRA Life member
Ashtabula Rod and Gun Life member
Back to Top
HARLEY08 View Drop Down
On Point
On Point
Avatar

Joined: Feb 24 2019
Location: Raleigh, NC
Status: Offline
Points: 176 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote HARLEY08 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar 23 2026 at 2:08pm
After it is dry, 
try to put some blue on the sides to darken them. 
(just an idea)
Keep collection!
M1DB
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.08
Copyright ©2001-2026 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.084 seconds.