21 shooter Posted November 11, 2002 Share Posted November 11, 2002 I was told by a Bullseye shooter that Varsol was a good cleaner, and was safe to use on a Glock. Has anyone used this, or have an opinion? I do hate paying a bunch for Gunscrubber,etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted November 11, 2002 Share Posted November 11, 2002 What's Varsol? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Custom Glock Racing Posted November 11, 2002 Share Posted November 11, 2002 Goto Walmart they have $.072 a can brake cleaner that works well and is safe on glocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted November 11, 2002 Share Posted November 11, 2002 Simple Green and warm water. Heresy, I know.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted November 12, 2002 Share Posted November 12, 2002 Varsol is a petroleum product made and marketed by ExxonMobil Chem. Rather like kerosene, and is used in the automotive industry as a cleaner, degreaser. used it for years on my 1911, but don't know how it would react with a polymer gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted November 13, 2002 Share Posted November 13, 2002 Thanks TL. I thought it might have been one of those home-made cleaning concoctions. 21 s, I ahve used the brake-clean method (wear glasses and go outside) and the Simply Green method (use hair dryer, then oil/lube) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos Posted November 14, 2002 Share Posted November 14, 2002 Brake cleaner - very mild stuff that acts as a degreaser and is highly volatile. It has to be formulated to be so mild that it will not affect the things it is expected to drip on like tires, brake pad materials, wheel paint, etc. It will not hurt your guns but it could make a mess of wood grips. Carb cleaner - bad juju. It will dislove many plastics, remove paint and some gun finishes, ruin wood, swell rubber, do God-knows-what to a Glock frame. Be sure you do not confuse the two when you go to the auto parts store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dick W Holliday Posted January 11, 2003 Share Posted January 11, 2003 a while back i went looking for Varsal and couldn't find any but had two or three people tell me that it was mineral spirits so i bought a ccouple of gallons that i poured into a five gallon buck with a lid and now i dip all my glocks and 1911 slides in it with no problems whatsoever.....Dick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcmios Posted May 12, 2004 Share Posted May 12, 2004 Dupont Pre-Sol is an automotive metal and paint degreaser and wax remover that is used to prep surfaces prior to painting them. I buy it by the gallon and pour it in an old ammo can with a good or well sealing lid. Strip down the gun and place the parts in and clean with an old tooth brush. As for the barrel just use a brass brush and let soak. Remove parts, and re oil. It does evaporate so make sure your ammo can has a good lid, has a low odor so the Misses won't complain and is safe on all surfaces, plastic to metal. Only thing I don't use it on is my camo hunting shotgun, I think even simple green will remove that stuff. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geezer-lock Posted May 13, 2004 Share Posted May 13, 2004 I'm with EricW, Simple Green does the job. Safe, non-flammable and when you're done with your gun you can wash your socks in it. geezer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn jones Posted May 13, 2004 Share Posted May 13, 2004 Varsol is the most smellest crape around. the place next door to my office uses the stuff all the time. i can smell them coming in the our front door. i just use brake parts cleaner. lynn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted May 13, 2004 Share Posted May 13, 2004 It all smells, brake cleaner, varsol, all of it. Hoppes smells but no body complains about it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Habicht Posted May 13, 2004 Share Posted May 13, 2004 It all smells, brake cleaner, varsol, all of it. Hoppes smells but no body complains about it... Actually, my better half gets migraines from the smell of Hoppe's. My cleaning got evicted to the backyard or garage. Of course that's only a yearly project.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn jones Posted May 13, 2004 Share Posted May 13, 2004 Varsol lingers and lingers and.....for days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Carter Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 I used varsol for years in my shop before I tried simple green. Now i use a 50-50 mix of simple green and rinse in warm water for about anything. Varsol does work good but it does stink, especially if you air blow the part off, don't miss it at all. Funny thing was that the simple green ate the paint right off the tank that had been holding varsol forever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyro Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 I have been using the Brake Cleaner method for a few years now. That stuff is great (except the smell), what I like is that it evaporates so quickly you don't spend time drying the parts. A Question for those of you using the Simple Green method of cleaning... I have used the stuff for other cleaning around the house so I know its user friendly as far a the smell and other things go, SG seems like the best stuff to use indoors (when cold or rainy outside, the best place and time to clean guns), but I wonder about using it on gun parts, how much time you spend on drying and how you dry (hair dryer, rags, air compressor etc.) ? The thought of rinsing with water just doesn't seem right to use on metal parts. Water + Metal = Corosion, especially in my high humidity state.... I haven't used the SG method because of the above stated concerns. Any TIPS, thoughts or ideas are greatly appreciated... Thanks TYRO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the duck of death Posted May 16, 2004 Share Posted May 16, 2004 Here's how I clean. THE FRAME Spray with Simple Green and scrub with a toothbrush. THE SLIDE Take it apart and spray with Simple Green then scrub with a toothbrush. Clean the Striker hole with a Q tip. Look down the striker hole to make sure none of the Q tip remains. It is important to take the slide apart so it can be properly dryed. THE BARREL Spray with Simple Green & run a paper towel patch down the barrel soaked in Simple Green. Then a couple of patches with Hoppe's #9. THE RINSE Use moderately hot water and rinse in the sink. THE DRYING Use a hair dryer to dry the parts DO NOT get the plastic too hot. Push a dry paper towel patch down the barrel until dry. THE OILING Follow the outline in the manual. I use synthetic motor oil for lub. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin c Posted May 18, 2004 Share Posted May 18, 2004 I like the way Simple Green leaves my cleaning brush cleaner AFTER cleaning my guns than before. It still has a strong odor though. Perhaps not as bad as Varsol (can't say from experience), but strong enough that some woman sued the manufactururer successfully because she developed repiratory problems after standing in her shower stall while cleaning with the stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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