How to remove Molybdenum Disulfide Grease from a Revolver Mechanism?

[Oyeboten]

Hi everyone!

I recently got a very early S & W Model of 1905, who's Mechanism looks to me to have been liberally slathered in what may well be 1950s or 1960s "Moly" ( something my Dad would have done, Lol...he was in Aerospace / DOD related, and lots of those guys kind of leaned that way ) and my usual Solvents ( Aerosol Carburetor Cleaner, Aerosol Brake Cleaner ) do not dissolve it.

Some of it is hard as a rock and or crusty, most of it is a sort of soft slimy consistency.

What is a good Solvent for getting all that cleaned out of there so I can re Lube with preferred Lube?

Mechanism is same as the Model of 1902, serial Number is in the official Model of 1902 range, but the Heavies at the S & W Forum insist that the Model of 1902 can only be a Round Butt, and if it is a Square Butt is has to be a Model of 1905, even if the Mechanism and Serial Number are all Model of 1902.

So, I am calling it an early Model of 1905, in trying to be a good boy.

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[SHOOTER13]

I would give it a 24 hour soak in WD-40...then scrub remains off with a old toothbrush.

{ Rinse & Repeat... if necessary. }

Then Ballistol all after re-assembly.

Just my 2 cents...



.

[oberon]

When I get an old gun home, I nearly always strip it down, remove the grips, cylinder & crane, & side plate, and inspect the engineering space. Then I boil a big ol' kettle of water and boil the bleep out of the metal parts. It usually gives up all the caked on gruk & crud, and when it comes out, it is plenty hot enough to drive off the water. Then it gets a good shot of WD-40, and more inspection. After that, I go after any cracks & crevices with a bamboo skewer whittled down to accommodate the tiny spots. That usually does it. It gets reassembled with good lube in moderation. On S&Ws, I'm not afraid to go down to the bare frame and cook up the small parts along with it.
On Colt revolvers, I have an aversion to takin' it down to the small parts, on account they have given me apoplexy in the past, tryin' to make it run right afterwards. I get it right, OK, but it gives me quite a jolt before I have it right.
And, of course, there is always the ultrasonic cleaner. That gets 'em clean as a whistle with no hassle. I don't have one.........
I have boiled up a few hammerless' as well, but I don't tear 'em all the way down for the same reason as the Colt revolvers.
I will do it if I have to; like if it needs parts, but if it ain't screwed up, I leave it alone and just do like I described above.
Saves a lot of wear & tear on my fragile sensibilities.
I have always got 'em back in good working order, but not without a struggle.
Compressed air is a useful adjunct to all of this.

[trains2planes]

If you have access to MEK methyl ethyl ketone that's a solvent widely used in aviation industry. But nasty stuff, if you can get some use it outdoors and do use proper ppe personal protective equipment. Nitrile gloves, respirator with appropriate filter. There may be other suitable less hazardous solvents that may work, but none that I am aware of.

[Kerz]

Brake cleaner. Remove grips first

Yelp, should work just fine.
There's always acetone (finger nail polish remover) if something a little extra is needed.
Vic

[73shovel]

Acetone.

[oberon]

MEK = liquid cancer in a can. That is, if the liver failure doesn't kill ya first.

[saintclair]

It dissolves in strong oxidizing agents (aqua regia and hot, concentrated HCI, H2S04 and HNO2) by oxidation to the hexavalent state~ It dissolves in KCN solution by complex ion formation.

Of course, the strong hot acids will do severe damage to the gun's metal and KCN in water will produce deadly hydrogen cyanide.

The best bet is probably scrubbing all affected parts with a brass bristle brush using a solvent like acetone/MEK or transmission fluid to get rid of the hydrocarbon-based binder.

[Celtgun]

Simple Green and boiling hot water.
Do over and over.
Won't hurt you or the gun.
Air dry
Apply something quick.
Rust will follow

[po18guy]

If you are really adventurous, you can pick up some methylene chrloride (dichloromethane) which is a very powerful solvent. It evaporates extremely quickly and boils at 112ºF, so soaking something like a Midway USA "Shooter's Swab" (Midway item #350379) in it would do the trick. It is used in fusing and repairing plastics. Both heavier and thinner than water, it "was" an ingredient in most aerosol paint strippers. I think it has been removed due to potential health concerns. Try automotive aerosol gasket remover, as it is intended to dissolve dried Permatex and will almost liquefy the gasket itself. Too dangerous, you say?

Tell that to coffee roasters, who routinely use methylene chloride to decaffeinate coffee beans.