Coleman Fuel For Cleaning Changer?

[Andy Beisel]

I am planning to take down my MSA Classic's changers and clean and lube them (with dry teflon lube). Is Coleman Fuel an appropriate solvent to clean the fingers and axle?

Thanks for your help!

[Bobby D. Jones]

Coleman Fuel used to use NAPTHA as its base, It is a good degreaser and cleaner.
BUT, ONLY OPEN OR USE IT OUTSIDE. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS OF FIRE OR EXPLOSION IN A BUILDING OR AROUND ANY SPARKS/SMOKING OR OPEN FLAME.

Another quick cleaner and degreaser is cheap grade Starting Fluid. It evaporates quick, BUT MUST BE USED OUTSIDE ALSO.
Part of my job as a police officer was District Armor. I worked on officers firearms. This is a picture of the cleaning setup I used. A baking pan, a box with Hardware Cloth and screen bottom, Brushes and plastic scrapers. Now that I am retired it is for cleaning steel guitar parts and other small items. Keeps little parts like pins and springs from getting lost.



Good Luck, BE SAFE and back Happy Steelin.

[Larry Dering]

I use mineral spirits because of it's flash point, but still needs to be respected as a flammable. Most parts washers for automotive use suggest spirts mixed with water. I won't use water and use it as is. I recommend gloves for handling.

[Ron Pruter]

I have found lacquer thinner to be the best. Then Blow out with compressed air.Use all common sense precautions.

[Bobby D. Jones]

Lacquer Thinner and Brake Cleaner are good cleaners.
But I do not recommend them.
They will destroy some finishes and destroy some plastic washers and fittings and turn them to Goop.

[Dennis Montgomery]

Don't know about Coleman fuel but I've always used Naptha solvent and it does a great job

[Jim Pitman]

Works good..I have big supply I keep for for my Coleman television.

[Thomas Stone]

They don't sell naphtha in paint stores anymore in California but you can still buy Crown Camp Fuel or Coleman Stove & Lantern Fuel, which is basically the same thing. Naphtha is nice because it's a good grease cutter but -- unlike lacquer thinner or acetone -- is also safe around all common finishes.

[Larry Allen]

This is a good one.....

[Andy Beisel]

Thanks for all the input, everyone!

[George Kimery]

My dad used to soak all kinds of car and lawnmower parts in gasoline.I just soaked all my keys and some other parts in gasoline for three days. Everything came out looking brand new.

[Patrick Huey]

Ronson or Zippo lighter fluid both use naptha as their base and will work well and evaporate quickly. Remove changer first to ensure you don’t get anything on lacquer. I use it at the funeral home regularly to remove spots on clothing as well.
Breaking changer down n soaking, then cleaning parts and re-assembly is the best bet.

[Patrick Huey]

Ronson or Zippo lighter fluid both use naptha as their base and will work well and evaporate quickly. Remove changer first to ensure you don’t get anything on lacquer. I use it at the funeral home regularly to remove spots on clothing as well.
Breaking changer down n soaking, then cleaning parts and re-assembly is the best bet.

[Henry Matthews]

Just go to your auto parts house and get you a gallon of chemtool carberator cleaner. Soak parts for 24 hours and you done. No elbow grease needed. Then I flush with hot water and wipe with clean rag.

[Tony Glassman]

Just go to your auto parts house and get you a gallon of chemtool carberator cleaner. Soak parts for 24 hours and you done. No elbow grease needed. Then I flush with hot water and wipe with clean rag.

+ 1

[Darrell Criswell]

How do you dispose of the solvent after use?

[Dave Mudgett]

Naptha is great for your regular garden-variety scooge on a guitar. But I have not found it effective for a really gunked up changer. For me, the gunk has often penetrated the nooks and crannies too much. A serious (and obnoxiously toxic) cleaner like Blaster PB-50 has taken down any changer I've encountered, and I've encountered some seriously hung up changers. There are undoubtedly some other solvents that work well too, but I can't comment on them.

This stuff is noxious - poisonous - and should only be handled outdoors (unless you have access to a serious fume hood) and you should dispose of it at your local chemical waste depository. Did I make it clear - this stuff is nasty! Use gloves, steer clear of the fumes, and wear a respirator if possible. I just dump a changer into a sealed bucket covering it, and let it sit for a while - probably a day or two in most situations. Then I may need to briefly scrape off some of the loosened up scooge, and then rinse again.

[Henry Matthews]

How do you dispose of the solvent after use?

If you are talking about Chemtool, it comes in a gallon paint type can that you can reseal. You can use it over and over so no need to dispose of any time soon.

[William Carter]

I have always been curious if bicycle chain cleaner fluid would work. Anybody tried it? Seems to be the right stuff, but not sure if it hurts finishes. Never hurt the finish on my $3000 bicycle.

[Dave Mudgett]

In my experience, the nasty stuff that will remove serious, built-up hardened-on gunk from a changer will definitely harm guitar finishes. The changer must be removed from the guitar to use this stuff.

If it works, naptha is nice because it is generally safe on finishes. I've used it on lots of different type of guitar finishes and never had a problem. And it does remove lots of different types of everyday scooge. But there are limits to its usefulness.

But Blaster PB-50, any carburetor cleaner I've used, serious solvents like acetone and xylene, and anything else like that, will eat right through a finish. I've experimented with little places on guitars that don't show - PB-50 and other heavy-duty solvents just took that little piece of finish right off. Guitar finishes don't have a chance with something designed as an organic solvent.

I have always been curious if bicycle chain cleaner fluid would work

You need to figure out what's in it and do some research on whatever chemicals/solvents are in it. You can get an idea by experimenting on a small piece of finish somewhere that doesn't show, on a guitar whose value won't be hurt if a small place loses its finish. But I would only use that to verify that something IS a problem. I would not take that as final evidence that something IS NOT a problem.

My attitude is - if naptha doesn't get the gunk out, I have to remove the changer or other parts I want to clean. I'm not interested in further experimentation with unknown solvents. Most everything I've tried that does more than naptha has dissolved the finishes I've experimented with.

[John Drury]

I am planning to take down my MSA Classic's changers and clean and lube them (with dry teflon lube). Is Coleman Fuel an appropriate solvent to clean the fingers and axle?

Thanks for your help!

Andy,

I stumbled up on this product a few years ago and it is the best cleaner and lubricant I have ever used. I originally used it for my various firearms.

A friend of mine called me one day and said the changer on his Zum was froze solid and I recommended this to him. He turned the steel over and sprayed this into it and it immediately freed the mechanism up. It washd out all the scum from years of cigarette smoke, dust, spilt beers, etc. from playing in roadhouses over the years.

It dries and leaves no residue, leaving no film on anything.

I have worked on pedal steels for many years and this has become my go to cleaner, lube, protectant.

Another plus is it will not harm the finish on the cabinet, or discolor the aluminum.
Also the best gun cleaning solvent that there is.

Warning: It ain't cheap! That 2 ounce bottle is 7 bucks! I buy it in much larger bottles and refill it. I also strain it one time and reuse it for bore cleaning my match rifle barrel.

www.strikehold.com

[Johnie King]