Armor All bad for guns?

Maximumbob54

Maximumbob54

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I tried searching for an answer to this before posting and I couldn't find a definitive answer. I use a little bit of Armor All to keep rubber grips looking good and I'm curious if getting any on stainless or bluing or any coating could harm anything. Could it cause rust if not wiped off steel? The rubber gets a white powder build up after a while and it's easy to get rid of with some Armor All sprayed on a rag. I have trouble enough with rust in Florida and don't need to add to my worries.
 
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Well, for one thing your "rubber" grips aren't actually rubber. They're a Neoprene compound. They don't need any sort of "treatment". All you are doing is wasting your dollars and forming a slick buildup on the part of your gun you realy need to be NOT slippery. They need to have a "tacky" finish for control (which is why they were invented in the first place). It's not a bad idea to clean them thoroughly once in a while because your hands will transfer oil to them. And I have to agree with the previous post regarding "I wouldn't use ArmorAll on my lawnmower." I am guessing that you are one of those guys who sprays "tire dressing" or "tire shine" on your wheels? If you are ask yourself, why? These materials do not dry out like a piece of leather or wood. These materials have been used for a many years before all of these "protectant" manufacturers showed up and convinced everyone they "need" to use this stuff. You really don't. It's junk science at its worst. That white powder is coming out of the Neoprene and is harmless. It washes off. Take your grips off and wash them with hot soap and water. Use a scrub brush. While they are drying OIL your gun all over. That's all you need to do.
 
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Perhaps I should have been more specific. They are Pachmayr Presentation grips. And this is why I say they are rubber.

Pachmayr&reg Pachmayr your primary source for quality handgun grips and recoil pads

And no, I do not spray anything on my tires. And no, I'm not doing it to make my grips look pretty. I use heat and desiccant in my safe and I try to make sure none of the wood goes bad or that the rubber begins to break down. I take them all out and wipe them down with fresh oil as needed. Anything I take out shooting I strip the preservation oil off as well as wipe dry the grips. Then I lube minimally as needed for shooting. And I don't care what the white is, I just wipe it off. This was a question of is there any known chemical in Armor All or similar that should be avoided. I don't care of the yes or no war on does Armor All destroy your dash in your vehicle. The sun eats your dash. So whether the white powder is either exuding or adhering to the rubber, I want it gone. So I'm trying Armor All and just wanted to know if I'm making something worse. Now I will leave everyone and their unkempt lawn mowers to their own maintenance. If anyone knows an answer or uses a different product then feel free to share. Thank you.

:cool:
 
As I recall, Pachmayr themselves recommend Armor-All for their grips.

This is probably best used only on the outside, but I've seen no problems with it in years of use to restore Pachmayr grips.
It does a good job of cleaning off dirt from the checkering, and removes the white stuff.

This is from the Pachmayr FAQ's:

Q: I have some Pachmayr grips. What is the best way to keep them looking their best?
A: We recommend wiping them with Armor All.
 
dfariswheel said:
As I recall, Pachmayr themselves recommend Armor-All for their grips.

This is probably best used only on the outside, but I've seen no problems with it in years of use to restore Pachmayr grips.
It does a good job of cleaning off dirt from the checkering, and removes the white stuff.

This is from the Pachmayr FAQ's:

Q: I have some Pachmayr grips. What is the best way to keep them looking their best?
A: We recommend wiping them with Armor All.
Click to expand...

I really need to learn to read to the bottom of the page. I didn't even see that. So as long as it doesn't eat bluing or other finish then this is the way to go. And I doubt they would say that and not have a disclaimer if it hurt your gun any. So I guess this is solved for now unless something comes up.
 
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