Ammonia

[versifier]

Thanks, OTH, you make a good point. I wouldn't get the concentrated stuff near the steel (or me) anyway, and it serves as a good warning to be aware when leaving any solvents in the bore for long periods of time. My electrolyte solution is 50/50 household ammonia and white vinegar, and I have left the cleaner running overnight on severely fouled milsurps without any problems, but the vinegar (acetic acid) in it serves as a buffer to balance acid/alkali. I assume the pH is around 7 (neutral) but I have not tested it. Now you've gone and gotten me curious. I should send a sample in with my daughter to her chemistry class to find out.

[lovedogs]

In my own home experimenting I've found Barnes to be slightly faster and stronger than Sweet's. Better yet is the new one... Montana Extreme 50 BMG solvent. It's really smelly but very fast. All of these will etch if left in too long. I always use acetone to swab before using anything else. It takes out a lot of stuff to let the solvents do their job. It will mess up any plastic and some finishes though so use with care. A couple patches of acetone after the solvents will also clean out all residue leaving the pores open to receive rust preventative oils, too. And it evaporates faster than alcohol and other cleaners so you're not waiting for it to dry up before applying oils, etc.

[versifier]

Hmmm. With three daughters, I bet I can scare up some acetone (nail polish remover) pretty easily.

[lovedogs]

I've heard that some nail polish remover has other ingredients in it so you might want to check that out and see what they are. Some things we don't want in our bores. Acetone isn't expensive. A $3 can from the hardware store will last you a long time.