All About Pocket Knives

My two NOS Camillus 717Ys arrived today. The bags they were placed in seem to have been treated with corrosion preventative compound or something along those lines. Can anyone definitively say what that is, suggest a way to safely remove it, and/or say if any other manufacturers used similar treatments?

I had purchased some Italian Army surplus clasp knives, and the things were coated in a similar substance. I think the trade name is "Cosmolene". Took a lot of scrubbing with blue Dawn (seriously, the best non-caustic cleaner one can buy) and a stiff bristled toothbrush (I buy the "USA Made" stiff-bristle basic Oral B toothbrush with the white handle with colored rubber grip specifically for use as cleaning brushes) to get it off.

Cosmolene is one trade name that stuff is sold under. I will pick up some toothbrushes and blue Dawn (that stuff is indeed a great cleaning agent) tomorrow. I'm just glad I didn't attack it with isopropyl alcohol or Zippo fluid. Thanks for the advice, Cody!

Fingernail polish remover, unless the handles are composite.

Charlie

If you read about "Cosmoline" on wikipedia it states that if it is in a sealed bag it should still be relatively soft and wipe off readily. If it has solidified,you can either use WD-40 or mineral spirits to soften it or you can heat it(the melting point is very low;under 125 degrees F)to soften it and then wipe it off.
I would try leaving it in the bags and running them under hot water to see if that will soften it.If the handles aren't synthetic I would try soaking them in mineral spirits.JMHO

RobesonsRme.com wrote: ↑Sat Apr 24, 2021 2:52 am Fingernail polish remover, unless the handles are composite.

Charlie

Definitely WOULD NOT recommend fingernail polish remover Charlie;it is way too "hot" a solvent.

If you've ever collected any Curio & Relic military firearms or Bayonets, a lot of them are preserved with true cosmoline. It was used for many years and was a great long term storage protector, but it will thicken and harden depending on the conditions they are stored in. A lot of us older collectors used to soak bayonets in a aluminum baking pan with a mixture of WD-40 (from the gallon can) some mineral spirits with some denatured alcohol. About half and half on the WD-40 and mineral spirits and maybe 1/4 of denatured alcohol. Put some aluminum foil over the pan and put an office lamp pointed at it or a shop lamp. Just so you can heat it. I have also just set them outside in the sun during July or August here in the south. It heats them up enough. Take a bristle synthetic bristle brush or tooth brush and and brush it from time to time. It will usually remove all of the cosmoline. Plus if the wooden handles on some bayonets have some dings, it sometimes will pull the dings out, or lessen them. Then flush with some fresh wd-40 or soak in mineral oil and your all good.

Cosmoline is no longer produced or used for storage of military firearms especially in the U.S. Now they use a type of Rust Inhibitive oil that is very similar to the modern synthetic motorcycle chain oil or R.I.G. Preservative grease. Also cleans off very easily with mineral spirits or heated oils. Several years ago I picked up some 12031L Case electrician knives with wood handles and a couple of Case 1199 Rope or Whaler Knives. These were from someone who had bought them from a Disposal auction from a military base and they all had the preservation coating on them and wrapped in a heavy brown wax paper. All were from the 70's & 80's. I used this method above to clean them. They turned out great. The 1978 was like new and I polished the blades with some .

Thanks to all for the replies. I've decided to try warm water first, add Dawn if that doesn't do the trick, and move on to other methods as necessary.I

Edit: they have been cleaned. Warm water didn't quite cut the mustard, so I added some Dawn. They are now much better; not quite 100%, but at least 95%. The carrier 717Y has rotated into my pocket.

I use isopropyl alcohol and if this does not clean off residue i go to acetone.
Is mineral spirits more effective or 'safer' than acetone ? By "safer" i mean less likely to damage other surfaces.
kj

kootenay joe wrote: ↑Sun Apr 25, 2021 5:34 pm I use isopropyl alcohol and if this does not clean off residue i go to acetone.
Is mineral spirits more effective or 'safer' than acetone ? By "safer" i mean less likely to damage other surfaces.
kj

Yes, especially on some plastics and composite material. Plus a little safer to breath. Acetones and keytones can be harsh. But depending on what's coating your knife, heated WD-40 will do good, and won't harm wood, plastics or synthetics. Just don't heat with an open flame.

Thank you Smitty.
kj

Rubbing alcohol should take off any left over oil residue.