I picked up some NOS 1950s Chevy Chrome pieces. They have a coating of, what I think is, Cosmoline on them. This stuff is tuff. What can I use to remove this stuff without scratching the chrome undernieth? Thanks in advance Vincent
I think we used av gas in the army when we were issued new weapons covered in cosmoline. Probably any solvent including WD40 will take it off.
I worked in the wash rack of a Limey car distributor as a kid, cars came off the boat totally coated with cosmo. Stodard solvent w/a little diesel applied with a weed sprayer was the first step, then washed down by had with same stuff, then hot water and soap. Cleaned right up.
We used to clean up new Honda cars back when they were all imported across the ocean coated in cosmoline. We would spray the engine compartments and door jambs down with engine cleaner, let it soak and then high pressure soapy warm water and rinse. Cleaned it up 100%. If the stuff has been on there for many, many years, it may be tougher to get off. The thing to avoid will be wiping in circles with a rag that gets dirty. I think the key might still be spraying it with a cleaner or dipping it and then washing off car wash style. Perhaps try some cans of spray engine cleaner first and then rinse.
If those parts are, indeed, NOS; that means the coating was applied by the GM Parts Division. I'd bet that coating is "plastisol"-not cosmoline. Try to cut it somplace incon****uous and see if it will peel off. When is it was fresh, it was like a rubbery co**** or skin on the part and came off readily. Worst case, cut and peel a small area then immerse it in solvent (like lacquer thinner) and hope it creeps between the coating and the part to loosen the bond.
I tried Gumout Carb cleaner..did'nt touch it. I will try some of these other methods. I'll let ya know how I made out Vincent
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