And I like it. I used the lanolin adder to the recipe. I took my M's17, 14, and 625 to the range and shot 100rnds out of each of lead (smoky) bullets. I can say the cleanup was great. even the slight lead deposits on the cylinder face came off clean with a short soak and a little brusing.

I'm sold on the stuff. My is not red, though. I had 1/2 quart of semi-senthetic BMW, VW, Audi trans fluid that is actually amber in color, so my "red" turned out kind of yellow.

It cost a small fortune to by a quart of paint thinner and acetone and a gallon of K-1 Kerosene. A 14oz jar of lanolin was $14. I used 1/2 the lanolin and a quart of everything else. The lanolin took a while to melt. It took a day or so of shaking the can and waiting. I melted the lanolin in a pot of water on the stove, but as soon as the liquids hit it, it turned back into a thick paste (goo).

I poured off a pint in a mason jar. After a little while the mix will separate. Shake it up a bit and it's good to go. The stuff smell pretty good. When I was done, I didn't have to clean toxic chemicals off my guns. I just wiped them off and ran clean patches down the bores and charge holes.

Welcome to the fold.

That's pretty much what happened the first time I made ER. I had been a die hard Shooter's Choice user, but at one tenth the cost ER quickly became a mainstay. That was almost 20 years ago and I have never looked back. I have never added lanolin but I have added industrial ammonia for copper fouling. I use it for many things besides just a gun cleaner, it works well on auto parts, and other machine parts. I used it just the other day to clean up my planes, saws, and chisels. A gallon only last me about a year.

__________________
Regards,
Guy-Harold Smith II

I saw this line on an Ed's Red recipe page.

"This formula is based on proven principles and incorporates two polar and two nonpolar solvents."

Does anyone know what it means?

Is there a problem with keeping the acetone from evaporating off when a batch last a year?

Ed's Red' Bore Cleaner

It's bears, polar and grizzly, that do the cleaning, small bears.

__________________
S&WHF 366

I keep it sealed tight in an old tin gallon paint thinner container without any problems. The old used bowls of ER I use for parts cleaning do turn from into gunked up tranny fluid after a day or two sitting on the bench.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_polarity

__________________
Regards,
Guy-Harold Smith II

I have been using ER formula without the lanolin, mainly because I couldn't find a local source for the lanolin.

The stuff works great. It is even removing some of the cold blue that someone slathered on my M15.

CR/JPG

Brownells sells a version of this, Premixed!

I still have some 1969 vintage GI bore cleaner from when that was dirt cheap, but have been using ER for at least ten years now. I don't bother with the lanolin, though. Expensive, more fuss, and I just slather something else on my hands if I want to later.

I'm not so old that I don't remember cleaning corrosive ammo residue with hot soapy water. Now there are a thousand miracle products out there that we all need to run out and buy. Or else.

Interesting post, Smith357

For my mobile cleaning kit I use an old pint sized GI bore cleaner can. and on my bench I keep an old 4oz shooters chioce jar full of ER it uses a cardbord and foil seal. The Acetone will eat through most generic plastic jar gaskets, or at least it ate through baby food jar seals rather quickly. Other ways to store ER that I have used with success is in old wine jugs with corks, and paint cans that you can find at your local home improvement store.


I use the regular K1 that come right out of the gas pump, it's the same stuff that I use for my space heater in the garage, come to think of it the K1 at wally world comes in a nice 1 gallon tin can.

__________________
Regards,
Guy-Harold Smith II

The Wiki info on polarity is over my head. ;-))

I have used Ed's Red for years. Never used the lanolin as I could not find it. I mix it up in a 5 gallon gas can but use a 6 gallon Harbor Freight wash tank with a pump that I have on a metal stand in my basement. I fill the tank about half full, 3 gallons. I change it out when it changes color. It does not smell up the basement and I add to it from the gas can when needed but it does not evaporate much in a years time. Most of what is missing will be found on my cleaning rags or on the floor after I blow the parts off with compressed air. I found a metal mesh basket that stays in the tank all the time and just put all the small parts in that for a soak. The pump in the tank can be handy sometimes but I would not miss it if it was not there.

I use it without the Lanolin and have been happy.

Safest way to store is metal cans:

Metal screw top containers can be obtained from WASCO -- Wildlife Artist Supply Company under | Products | Molding and Casting | Containers, Cups and Tools.

This came from: Home Made Cleaners

Even though it's not recommended, I haven't had any problems using it from PE dropper bottles. The bottles shape is Ok after more than a year.

I've used Ed's Red for over 20 years, never used the lanolin.

The portions are even, you don't have to make up a large amount. I use a small drink cup, (4 oz) to pour into, end up with 16oz. That's enough to last quite a while. I put it in a small glass jelly canning jar.

I was going to make up a batch but realized I would not live long enough to use it up.
One of bottle of Shooters choice and a large spray can of Ballistoil will last me for years.

I'm trying to... I made up 3 gallons of the 3 part version: K-1 kerosene, mineral spirits, Dexron ATF. Gets used in my sonic cleaner too. I just drain and filter what's in the sonic cleaner once in a while.

About the only thing it isn't is a copper remover.

If you have trouble finding kerosene, look for Lamp Oil, the stuff used in Hurricane lamps, and Tiki patio torches. It's nothing but highly refined odorless kerosene. I have one can that says Early American Lamp Oil and another that is labeled simply Lamp Oil . No where on the containers does it say kerosene but it is a refined kerosene so it will burn cleaner and it is odorless. K-1 kerosene is dyed red and meant for use in farm equipment and generator's...it's cheaper but not made for burning in lamps . Regular kerosene, made for kerosene heaters and such is an amber color. I'm not sure why red dye is added to regular kerosene , then called K-1 , and sold cheaper. But I don't have an easy place to get kerosene, so I buy the hurricane lamp oil now that I know it is just refined kerosene, every big box store sells it .
Gary

I have a 1933 colt det spl in the box with literature. I had been using Ed's Red for 10 yrs when I pull the literature out to read and saw the formula for Ed's on the Colt literature.

Charlie

Ed's Red really works. Discovered the stuff within this forum about six months ago.
Little goes a long way.

Kerosene and diesel fuel are related, and this explains the red color. Diesel #2 is used in the summer in diesel vehicles, in the winter they change to thinner diesel #1. K-1 and D-1 are the same except for history, taxes and additives. You can burn K-1 in your diesel engine in the winter ("can" as in "it is possible"). But...D-1 is low sulfur and has highway use taxes added, thus it is more expensive.

The red dye is added to K-1 prevent you from using the cheaper (untaxed) and higher sulfur stuff in your car or truck - if they catch you with a tank full of red fuel they will fine you.

Jet fuel is also a close cousin to kerosene. That is Jet A and JP-5 are. JP-4 has a higher flash point (not sure if it is still used) and I would NOT use it in Ed's Red.

Lamp oil is the same basic stuff and you could use any of these - K-1, D-1, D-2, Jet A, lamp oil or citronella oil to make Ed's Red. D-2 is a bit thicker, but not very much. The real viscosity difference shows up at low temperatures.

Pondoro,
Thanks for the information, I hadn't thought about being able to tell the difference between diesel. I've no experience with diesel anything. Years ago we had a kerosene heater and only one place in town sold it. It wasn't red but amber, must have been the low-sulfur stuff....the heater still smelled a bit, I thank the Lord for allowing us to finally afford central heating and air-conditioning.
After checking the shed, I've got everything to make up some E R , think I'll try it out. Always trying to pinch a penny.
Thanks for the post guy's ....Gary

I've had a 3 gallon plastic bucket with a lid holding my Ed's Red for years. I get a lot of WWII bring back pistols with old grease and oil in them from 60 years ago. I night or two soaking in Ed's and it cleans up in jiffy. Got to be careful as it will remove painted safety dots such as are on Walther pistols.
Make you own. It's cheaper and last years.

I don't mix E.R. anymore.

I use automatic transmission fluid straight.

It's especially good for soaking dirty barrels

overnight, or for swabbing barrels with a quick

swipe while still at the range, to break up the

dirt, and cool the barrel.