Kroil-Use & Effectiveness

I first saw Kroil mentioned when I was in Varmint hunting in god's country (Ohio). Lately I have seen it mentioned here. Is it particularly good for removing leading? Used for regular cleanings, or for particular circumstances?

Thanks,
Ron

Kroil is one of the best penetrating oils out there.  I was turned on to it by an antique car restorer who had tried everything and Kroil was by far the best.  Like any penetrating oil it  works by getting under the deposits and breaking them free.  I use some heat from a heat gun or put the part in my heated ultrasonic cleaner filled with Kroil  to help the process a long.

Yes, Kroil is great stuff.

Chip

I use it a lot for quick barrel cleaning.  Also great when cleaning the front of a revolver cylinder (put some on and let it soak in while you are doing something else).

Does Marvel Mystery Oil even come close?

I can't find Kroil on the shelf anywhere here. MMO seems pretty good, based on it getting dark patches after bore cleaners like Sweets or Hoppe's are coming out cleaner.

I have used a penetrating oil similar to Kroil, only nastier.  It is a Milspec penetrating oil.  Made by an ink company if I remember correctly.  With soaking it will get the carbon and lead out and copper stains and leave the bore cleaner than clean. 

This Milspec stuff probably has stuff in I do not want to know about.

Kroil is available from Brownell's and Midway (on sale there right now).  But like all other mail order/internet stuff, you will need to order more than that to make up for the shipping.  I've never seen it in a store around here.

Everyday price is still lower than others sale prices

https://www.modeltford.com/pl.aspx?t=s&v=kroil&page=1

Last I checked the company did not 'encourage' any retailers about reselling it (obviously some do) and they would not ship to any non-business address. Things may have changed in the year and a half since I have purchased any (still have a sealed gallon to go). The Aero-Kroil is handy but mostly I just pour the liquid into a spray bottle. When I had to get a very rusted set of exhaust manifolds (attached with what had been 12 point bolts before they rusted away leaving nothing (and no room) to grab) off my boat engine, I cut the Kroil about 50% with Acetone. It really did improve it's penetration but I would not use it indoors to clean a barrel.
If you have any business address to have it shipped to (I have used a Pizza place and a Campground), it might be better/cheaper to get it right from the company.

Bruce

I wonder if most any penetrating oil will do the same as Kroil or my Milspec product.  I have some Permatex or Chesterton at work to try.

No Jack,  Kroil really is something special.  I think second best penetrant is PB Blaster.

I get mine at gun  shows>

Kriol is so useful, and effective I buy it in 5 gallons cans... I just received an industrial flyer, that Kroil now offers a silicone enhanced product that will penetrate one millionth of an inch..and improves lubricity. I haven't tried it yet, but I will..
Jerry

Rob Kovach wrote:No Jack,  Kroil really is something special.  I think second best penetrant is PB Blaster.

Better than Kroil for penetrating and loosening stuck parts is a 50/50 mix of ATF (DEXRON VI) and Acetone; it works wonders and is better than Kroil.  With that said, I've never used it for firearms except to remove a screw that was stuck with rust.

PB Blaster=ok. A 50/50 mix of acetone & ATF=Best Ever! Here's the cold, hard facts from the April/May 2007 edition of Machinist's Workshop. They did a test of penetrating oils where they measured the force required to loosen rusty test devices. Buy the issue if you want to see how they did the test. The results reported were interesting. The lower the number of pounds the better.

Penetrating oil . Average load .. Price per fluid ounce
None ................. 516 pounds .
WD-40 .............. 238 pounds .. $0.25
PB Blaster ......... 214 pounds .. $0.35
Liquid Wrench ... 127 pounds .. $0.21
Kano Kroil ........ 106 pounds .. $0.75
ATF-Acetone mix.. 53 pounds .. $0.10

Midsouth shooters supply sell kroil.
Use in shop all the time.

Regular Kroil all the time and JB bore paste about once a year are about all I need for bullseye guns.  On the subject of silicon, there was some mention a few years back (Precision Shooting I think) that silicon lubes and lead bullets did not get along very well, at least for the precision smallbore crowd.  I used some silicon based stuff in the past, and I was always dealing with some leading in the bores.  With Kroil and bullseye loads I don't seem to have a problem.  Maybe coincidence, maybe just luck.  

Cecil

I have found that Marvel Mystery Oil to be similar in action to Kroil-- any auto supply store sells MMO.

Doesn't the ATF and acetone sound like half of the Ed's Red solvent /cleaner combination of four ingredients ?

Well, I was wondering about Marvel Mystery Oil.

Besides actually smelling okay, my use of that for deep cleaning in rifle bores shows that it cleans out stuff that Sweet's 7.62 leaves behind, and to a lesser degree what Hoppe's #9 and Butch's Bore Shine also leave behind (yes, those two ARE sold as including bore cleaning properties that Sweet's doesn't claim to have). Maybe a third bore cleaner but I don't remember.

So far, combined with any bore cleaner that includes copper solvent(s), MMOil picks up at least a little gray for at least three patches after those others are coming out with nothing more than traces of rubbing on bare steel. Sometimes for 6-10 patches (including soaking for 10+ minutes after swabbing the stuff in with a very loose patch) more before the MMOil appears to be picking up nothing more.

This includes cleanup after Moly-coated bullets in one barrel, also.

I've just never laid eyes or hands on Kroil to compare the two. Has anyone here tried both???

I have used both...I still use Kroil but don't use MMO anymore.
Kroil does smell awesome....like that USMC Pine Cleaner....mmmmmm

I think Kroil penetrates and has a stronger solvent than MMO. I haven't used MMO for awhile and never used it on guns.

Seriously you guys are spending to much dry fire time cleaning your guns--just get the mud that the bullseye left behind off and make sure your bore isn't fouled and you are done! Go back to dry firing.

I use Kroil in an aerosol can for regular use and also purchased the gallon size for dipping gun parts. Works great and does not kill you with chemical odor. I purchased mine directly from www.kanolabs.com, but you can also purchase it from Amazon.

LongSlide wrote:

for penetrating and loosening stuck parts is a 50/50 mix of ATF (DEXRON VI) and Acetone; it works wonders

I went and bought DEXRON VI and Acetone and mixed it in a small clear glass jar.
I wanted to try it with lead buildup.
I was about to call BS because the ATF settles to the bottom unless shaken up.

then...
I decided to change the spark plugs on my old 86 Toyota truck this morning.
Number three plug would only turn the tiniest amount and jam hard.
I said what the heck, I shook up my 50/50 mix and dribbled it into the spark plug recess.
Wiggled the plug back and forth quite a few times and then started backing it out.
All came out well and no damage to the cylinder head.

Now I cant wait to see how it will do on my revolvers

I will buy some Kroil and Ballistol to try as well.

If you're going to use the Dextron and Acetone, you might as well go all the way and make up the Ed's Red.

James,
I was recently instructed to go where you live. Would you mind helping w/ instructions?
Thanks,
Ron

varmint243 wrote:

LongSlide wrote:

for penetrating and loosening stuck parts is a 50/50 mix of ATF (DEXRON VI) and Acetone; it works wonders

I went and bought DEXRON VI and Acetone and mixed it in a small clear glass jar.
I wanted to try it with lead buildup.
I was about to call BS because the ATF settles to the bottom unless shaken up.

then...
I decided to change the spark plugs on my old 86 Toyota truck this morning.
Number three plug would only turn the tiniest amount and jam hard.
I said what the heck, I shook up my 50/50 mix and dribbled it into the spark plug recess.
Wiggled the plug back and forth quite a few times and then started backing it out.
All came out well and no damage to the cylinder head.

Now I cant wait to see how it will do on my revolvers

I will buy some Kroil and Ballistol to try as well.

For really stuck parts that don't move at all, mix it up, saturate the parts, and let it sit for a couple of hours.  It will penetrate on it's own.