Fireclean is Vegetable Oil?

Llando88 said:

Infrared Spectroscopy of FireClean and Crisco Oils | Vuurwapen Blog


"FireClean is probably a modern unsaturated vegetable oil virtually the same as many oils used for cooking.

The professor had something to say about the formulation and its relevance as a gun oil. “I don’t see any sign of other additives such as antioxidants or corrosion inhibitors. Since the unsaturation in these oils, especially linoleate residues, can lead to their oligomerization with exposure to oxygen and light, use on weapons could lead to formation of solid residues (gum) with time. The more UV and oxygen, the more the oil will degrade.”

Thoughts?

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My thoughts: This "controversy" is made up. There is not a controversy. Fireclean did nothing wrong. And I don't use Fireclean; never have, so I have no dog in this fight. But the Internet reaction is childish, to say the least.

Here are the facts:


1) Fireclean has a public record patent - that anyone can read - that describes vegetable oil blends as a firearm lubricant. The patent has been published for TWO years.

2) Fireclean touts certain advantages using their product, and apparently the advantages have apparently been proven.

3) A blogger ran a test on several oils that confirmed that Fireclean has properties similar to - you guessed it - Vegatable oils.

4) The blogger ran with the headline "Fireclean is Crisco."

5) Now the headline has been changed to "Fireclean is Vegetable Oil," a fact that is been public record for at least two years. But the URL of the blog still states "http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2015/09/13/yes-its-true-fireclean-is-crisco/"

6) There is no explanation from the blogger why he changed the headline. (I surmise because the headline was false.)

7) People are now questioning the integrity of the company that markets Fireclean because its product is made of vegetable oil. (to me, this makes absolutely no sense).


This is the result of a sensational headline that has since been retracted without comment, and now a company's reputation has been damaged. Yet nobody is asking questions of the blogger. Such as: Why did you change the title after alleging Fireclean was Crisco?

Shameful how many have taken out the pitchforks (not here, but elsewhere).

^^^ Finally, a voice of reason.

Besides, what's the difference what it is made of as long as it meets the manufacturer's claims?

Doesn't matter what it is made of bottom line is it does better at specific tasks than the vast majority of other available lubes. Those tasks include maintain carbon residue in suspension and remain in place. Is it the best choice for every gun, no, but it excels at DI suppressed sbr use or any high round AR use. I know of too many serious shooters whom I respect that use it to let a ginned up interwebs controversy change my opinion. In particular one started by someone pushing a competing product weaponshield.

Yes......

Llando88 said:

Infrared Spectroscopy of FireClean and Crisco Oils | Vuurwapen Blog


"FireClean is probably a modern unsaturated vegetable oil virtually the same as many oils used for cooking.

The professor had something to say about the formulation and its relevance as a gun oil. “I don’t see any sign of other additives such as antioxidants or corrosion inhibitors. Since the unsaturation in these oils, especially linoleate residues, can lead to their oligomerization with exposure to oxygen and light, use on weapons could lead to formation of solid residues (gum) with time. The more UV and oxygen, the more the oil will degrade.”

Thoughts?

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Vegetable oils WILL gum up in not too long of a time. They just aren't stable.

Doesn't surprise me at all.

Daniel W. said:

Lol. I have no clue what's in froglube, but I called their customer service once and mentioned that their MSDS information contained absolutely no warnings of any kind and he replied that it didn't need any. I then asked him, so I could eat it or actually spray the solvent in my eyes without any harmful effects and he said "yes, it's completely non-hazardous."

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I believe that! I can, also, say that when it's been allowed to coat one of my guns for months at a time Ballistol - of which I've used many a can over the past several decades - has become significantly, 'gummy'. However it hasn't been noticeably destructive of any metal surface(s) I've kept it on; and I still continue to do a lot of my cleaning with it.

For protection, however, and especially for external protection, I've yet to find anything I like better than FrogLube Paste. I use it on the outside of my EDC's; and FL can go for months and months without needing to be touched up. (Unless, like some people, you really enjoy polishing one of your pistols while you're watching the telly, or something!)

I'm not so crazy about FL as a bore cleaner, though. For bore cleaning I've never found anything better than Flitz Metal Polish. This being said, as an external protectant for the outside of my guns, and Randall-Made knife blades I am 100% satisfied with FrogLube Paste, and doubt that I'll ever find anything better.

Oh, yeah, when it's properly applied according to the manufacturer's directions, FL is slippery; but you've got to be careful to hold the gun upside down and prevent the, 'drips' from getting into the action while you're, 'baking' the gun.

'Why'? Because any coagulated FL runoff can get tacky; and, once it's been allowed to congeal, FL won't do the job for ya, and especially not in cold weather - That's, 'Why'.

Inside a gun's action I prefer to use any number of Sentry Solutions products: e.g. Hi-Slip Grease, Smooth-Kote Bore Treatment, and, of course, Tuff-Glide Lubricant. (All of which I'm careful to avoid direct skin contact with, OK! Which is exactly the same reason, 'Why' I don't lubricate any of my firearms with motor oil.)

That's it! Everything I've learned about: gun cleaning, maintenance, and staying healthy in one short post.

44wheelman said:

Yep, pharmacy isle of your big grocery store is the place to buy mineral oil, store brand of course. Last time I bought it was $2/pint, on sale. Primary use is for the cutting board.

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You can use it on Ivory also to help keep it from drying out.

... whats wrong with CLP

talkabout fixing it till its broke

younggun22 said:

... whats wrong with CLP

talkabout fixing it till its broke

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I used to use CLP and various solvents, but noticed after I cleaned my guns, I always felt nauseous and a little jittery, plus my wife complained about the stench. I started thinking exposing myself to this stuff this can't be healthy, so I did some research and found a lot of these products contained some pretty harsh chemicals(neurotoxins and carcinogens). The whole purpose I own guns in the first place is to protect myself and my family, so slowly killing myself with hazardous chemicals pretty much contradicts that goal. If something will work while being non-hazardous, it makes sense to me to choose it over something that could negatively impact my health.

I have been using Gunzilla for a number of years now with great success...except it makes my eyes itch after I use it. I think it consists of vegetable and plant extracts so I must be having an allergic reaction. My son and I wandered into one of those snake oil sales demonstrations at a sports show and we drank the KoolAid - and we have never looked back.

Pef said:

Yet nobody is asking questions of the blogger. Such as: Why did you change the title after alleging Fireclean was Crisco?

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I would imagine it is simply that Crisco objected to being compared to a firearm cleaner/lubricant chemical product.

FWIW, I have no dog in this fight, I had never even heard of Fireclean until this bit of internet excitement.

For anyone seriously interested in this dust-up, head over to www.m4Carbine.net "General Discussion" section for the epic thread roiling on this matter; Fireclean's an especially AR-centric product, so there are many interested parties on both sides of the divide.

Lots of insightful back-and-forth, plus plenty of entertaining squabbling.

I use fireclean. It works as described. That's all that I care about.

speedyquad said:

I use fireclean. It works as described. That's all that I care about.

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But, if you could buy the exact same thing for a fraction of the price, wouldn't you do so?

Daniel W. said:

But, if you could buy the exact same thing for a fraction of the price, wouldn't you do so?

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Any reasonable person would, but based on the available information -- including that posted by FC's detractors -- no one knows what FC is, only that it's vegetable based...like virtually every other non-toxic lube.

Hapworth said:

Any reasonable person would, but based on the available information -- including that posted by FC's detractors -- no one knows what FC is, only that it's vegetable based...like virtually every other non-toxic lube.

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Even if it's positively confirmed at some point that it's contains nothing more beyond ingredients you can buy at any grocery store for a fraction of the price, there will still be some folks who refuse to believe it. I've told countless people that Hoppe's #9 lubricating oil is nothing more than 100% mineral oil, but some simply refuse to believe it and will continue to needlessly waste their money.

I wonder if its organic ...... lol

Daniel W. said:

But, if you could buy the exact same thing for a fraction of the price, wouldn't you do so?

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It's most likely a mixture of several vegetable-based oils.

Most lubes are mixtures of fossil or mineral based oils. No big surprise here, especially with FC, which has a published patent application that describes mixtures of vegetable based oils.

If you have the recipe for any lube, you can certainly make it yourself for cheap. But then that's what companies do - they come up with a recipe and sell the product.

Ever hear of Coca-Cola? Fructose, water, some coloring and flavorings. Are they ripping us off? Nope. People like Coke.

Pef said:

It's most likely a mixture of several vegetable-based oils.

Most lubes are mixtures of fossil or mineral based oils. No big surprise here, especially with FC, which has a published patent application that describes mixtures of vegetable based oils.

If you have the recipe for any lube, you can certainly make it yourself for cheap. But then that's what companies do - they come up with a recipe and sell the product.

Ever hear of Coca-Cola? Fructose, waters, some coloring and flavorings. Are they ripping us off? Nope. People like Coke.

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I think you have a misconception of where I'm coming from. I never said a word about them ripping people off or doing anything unethical. I do love the prospect and find it extremely interesting that many supposedly advanced, high tech gun care products are really just common readily available non-toxic products. Hoppe's #9 oil is just mineral oil, nothing more, nothing less and it works, but if I like and use Hoppe's oil, I can buy a bottle of USP mineral oil at the pharmacy(which is actually also better) for a fraction of the price, so why wouldn't I let others know the truth?

Something like making your own Coca-Cola is a little more complicated and involved than that and perhaps Fireclean is as well, but if I like and use Fireclean and if it's just a matter of literally buying a couple of vegetable bottles off the grocery shelf and mixing, I'd do and recommend that instead. I like saving money and non-toxic products and this Fireclean supposedly works well, so I would be thrilled to find out it's actually nothing more than a simple, easy to make blend.

Liberal Tears!

$79.99 for a 6 oz bottle.

Best lube in the world.