need help cleaning

[Prime Winner]

I need advice on cleaning my 12-4. the hinge where the cylinder rolls out is sticking and Hoppes isnt working well to free it up. A friend suggested spraying brake cleaner in the crack and working it free. What's the best way to clean this?

Also, the hammer is showing rust. Whats the best way to clean the hammer.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Dragon88]

Try a good penetrating oil, such as Kano Kroil.

Hoppe's and a brush works good on the rust.

 

[srgvaz]

Take the screw off from the other side of the gun -remove the cylinder & yoke and clean all those areas with your toothbrush and some oil.

 

[borntoraisehogs]

Ditto on the Kroil . The oil that crawls . Be sure to swab it all out , so it can't crawl into your rounds and contaminate your load . I use Fitz to remove suface rust . Amazing stuff , No abrasive . It does not remove factory blue , makes nickel so clean and bright you will not believe it , but I don't think I have ever used it on colored case hardened surface . ??

 

[Prime Winner]

Try a good penetrating oil, such as Kano Kroil.

Hoppe's and a brush works good on the rust.

what kind of brush? brass bristle? thanks

Take the screw off from the other side of the gun -remove the cylinder & yoke and clean all those areas with your toothbrush and some oil.

I removed the screws (3) and it wasnt easy to pull apart, didnt want to force it and have pieces flying everywhere. should the cylinder and yolk come off easy? thanks

Ditto on the Kroil . The oil that crawls . Be sure to swab it all out , so it can't crawl into your rounds and contaminate your load . I use Fitz to remove suface rust . Amazing stuff , No abrasive . It does not remove factory blue , makes nickel so clean and bright you will not believe it , but I don't think I have ever used it on colored case hardened surface . ??

thanks, I will find some Fitz.

 

[n4zov]

Check out this video produced by Midway on disassembly and cleaning of an S&W revolver:

YouTube - Gunsmith - Clean and lubricate a Smith & Wesson revolver

 

[Prime Winner]

ok, I got the cover off. I could not figure out how to remove the yolk and cylinder. are all the parts inside easy to disassemble and re-assemble? or should I leave that to someone with experience and special tools? I sure would like to clean all of it myself.

also, when holding the 12-4, in aiming/firing position, if tilted side to side you can hear a light "tink" sound. is this the black piece that runs from top to bottom of the hammer (see pic)? is it normal to hear it moving around? I guess this is a safety feature?

 

[cptdco]

I think what the poster above was recommending was that you remove just the furthermost screw (opposite the crane), not all three of them. But the sideplate is off now and it looks like you need a little cleanup work in there anyway. At a minimum, and to avoid disassembly, this is a good place for the brake cleaner you mentioned. Spray the heck out of the interior parts then re-lube and reassemble. Yes the black thing (hammer block) will rattle around some and yes, it is a safety feature. Regarding your original problem, the cylinder and yoke should slide forward. Unlatch and swing the cylinder out as you normally would then pull the cylinder and crane forward. If it's gunked up you may have to shimmy it back and forth a little but it will come. We all would have advised you to read the FAQs regarding removing the side plate, but let's hope you didn't pry it off and that you removed the screws with a good hollow-ground screwdriver blade. The disassembly and re-assembly of the interior parts is not difficult, but I didn't do it the first time without a good guide book in front of me. Good luck. There are probably instructions on the internet somewhere (and maybe in the FAQs here) on the disassembly and reassembly of your basic S&W revolver.

 

[CT Smith Fan]

Yes the sound is the hammer block (Black flat rod resting on the hammer),the internals are rusty so it will be a little harder than normal to do the disassembly.Check out n4zov's link or look for step by step instructions on the web.Also apply a few drops of oil to the whole assembly before you start, that will loosen things up.Just a side note,loosen the strain screw that puts pressure on the mainspring before you start.

 

[cptdco]

I agree that a little oil will make the parts move more easily, and yes, the next step is to back off the strain screw and remove the main spring. I checked the FAQs and member 500 Magnum Nut has posted disassembly instructions. A good parts diagram off the net somewhere would probably be a help.

 

[Prime Winner]

thanks for all the help, and patience, everyone. I was able to get the yolk and cylinder off. cleaned it up, put it back on, and it flips in and out much much easier now. instead of disassembling it myself, I think I will let someone else do it. I feel much better now knowing that the yolk just needed cleaning, and that the tinking noise was just the hammer block and not anything damaged.

thanks again for all the great help.

 

[srgvaz]

You don't necessarily need brake cleaner but you should use some rem-oil or break free clp. ---keep your gun clean---

 

[Prime Winner]

ok, I found rem-oil at wally world, and also bought a cleaning kit, and cleaning brush kit. so just a few questions before I clean:

1. is it safe to use the hoppes 9 and rem-oil everywhere on the nickel plated gun?
2. is it ok to scrub the hammer & trigger with the bronze brush while some of the bristles rub the nickel?
3. after cleaning, I should just spray the rem-oil in the bore, cylinders and all cracks?
4. will the hoppes 9 or rem-oil hurt the grip?

thanks!

 

[buckbeans]

STOP! STOP! STOP!
DO NOT USE HOPPES #9 ON ANY NICKEL FINISH.
IT WILL QUICKLY DESTROY THE FINISH.

 

[CliffH]

Probably the easiest and best thing to do is box that thing up and send it to me- Great little revolver.

Seriously without taking parts out just spray it down with some penetrating oil let set then put a drop of oil on all moving parts and close her up and you should be good for another 50 years.

 

[Pisgah]

>I use Fitz to remove suface rust . Amazing stuff , No abrasive .

This is a common misconception. Flitz most certainly is abrasive, but it is "micro-abrasive" -- in other words, the abrasive particles are teenie-weenie. If it were non-abrasive, it wouldn't be a polish. Polish is, by definition, abrasive.

When you use Flitz on a blued gun, you ARE removing bluing -- just not much. But if you rub too long on one spot, or use it to clean a cylinder face too often, you will end up with white metal.

 

[srgvaz]

ok, I found rem-oil at wally world, and also bought a cleaning kit, and cleaning brush kit. so just a few questions before I clean:

1. is it safe to use the hoppes 9 and rem-oil everywhere on the nickel plated gun?
2. is it ok to scrub the hammer & trigger with the bronze brush while some of the bristles rub the nickel?
3. after cleaning, I should just spray the rem-oil in the bore, cylinders and all cracks?
4. will the hoppes 9 or rem-oil hurt the grip?

thanks!

The hoppes 9 can damage the nickel finish IF not cleaned off after cleaning your gun. I've never heard this for the break free or REM both are cleaners / lubricants so you will be fine using either one in place of the hoppes. With the side plate off you can spray the REM or CLP on the internals to clean them off. The brush should be fine just don't get to aggressive with it use a nylon brush for the shinny areas. They will not hurt the grips if you clean them off but it can make the wood soft and easier to splinter.

f.y.i. (as per the pm's)- I personally do not like using automotive cleaners on my guns I'm sure carb. cleaner and brake cleaner work well but it was not designed for a gun. I would compare it to: using dishwashing soap in place of your favorite shampoo-no thank you

--clean your gun already--

 

[tomcatt51]

I personally do not like using automotive cleaners on my guns I'm sure carb. cleaner and brake cleaner work well but it was not designed for a gun. I would compare it to: using dishwashing soap in place of your favorite shampoo-no thank you

Many products are repackaged with different names and uses listed. Electrical Contact Cleaner works well on guns too, removes all the old lubes/solvents. FWIW Consumers Reports did a (blind) shampoo test and threw in "Dawn for Dishes" as one of the shampoos. It ranked way up amoung the best liked "shampoos".

 

[buckeyeshooter1]

I would not only not use hoppes on nickel, but in my book break cleaner is a no go also. I have been using breakfree on my nickel guns from the late 70's on. If it were going to damage nickel it would have shown by now.