Cleaning grenades

[timmymac]

Hey guys,
I'm sorta new at this, seriously anyway, but i have a question for y'all. When ya get a new addition to the collection, do ya clean it up, or leave it "as is," in the condition you recieve it, good or bad.
A friend and fellow BOCN'er, said what i suspect many of you will say. To clarify, I don't mean a complete referb, but maybe something as simple as a soft bristled brush water. I don't see how this could be a bad thing, but it would'nt be the first time I've been set straight by this forum.
TIMMYMAC

 

[highlandotter]

Cleaning with a soft brush and soap and water is OK. If theere is a lot of rust, soaking it in WD40,for a couple of days, then following up with soft brush and soap and water.Dry with heat gun(be sure to be absolutely sure, that it is inert!!!) or heat lamp. Check occaisionly for rust. repray with WD40. Sure to do the trick.

 

[timmymac]

Sounds like good advice 2 me. Thanks HiLander!

 

[paul the grenade]

in my early years of collecting i would religiously clean up grenades and repaint them the correct colours, but now i tend to leave them as i find them. unless they are in very poor relic condition, then i will have a go at refurbishing them. or in the case of my last repaint, the British L109A2. It is impossible to get so i repainted a Swiss HG85 in British livery. (its the same grenade, just different markings)
http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/threads/81944-L109A2-Grenade-repaint?highlight=l109a2*
cheers, paul.

 

[pointblank0]

Ah yes. I remember when you posted that. Great job by the way.

 

[timmymac]

Thanks for the wisdom fellas!

 

[outlurking]

Personally, I would NOT repaint a grenade. Especially if it's a rare one. What I would do is take a wire handled bronze hole cleaning brush - not a bore brush for a weapon. Usually 1/2 inch fits most. Only do this if it was poorly cleaned of original energetic filler, otherwise leave it alone. Squirt in some WD-40 or Break >ree/CLP. Lightly wet brush with it. Clean threads first. Then bend brush to fit inside contour of body. Also, you might have to take a grinder to the tip of the brush so any excess handle material(steel) doesn't scratch anything. Do a few revolutions & then carefully rinse. It's importont to use a bronze brush for several reason. Most importantly it's non-sparking (not a huge concern - but better to be on safe side). Secondly it won't mar the original finish. When cleaning exterior, first clean with WD-40 or CLP (these two are safe on 99% of painted finishes) to remove any extranious residues, adhesives, etc.. then rinse with HOT soapy water. My theory is, if it's re-painted or altered, then it's NOT "original" & authentic.... As far as preservation, DO NOT use WD-40 as a rust preventative ! WD-40 was formulated to attract moisture ! Seriously. "WD" stand for water displacer. If you use it for rust protection, especially in a humid area - it will actually cause rust. Plus it leaves a glossy sheen. Use CLP instead, just lightly so it's not glossy. If you heat the piece with a heat gun & then apply CLP, it sucks the CLP into the pores of the steel for long term protection. Trust me, it works. That's what you do to weapons that will be immersed in sea water.

A note on matte/ flat finishes (such as that super matte finish on some U.S. M67's. DO NOT rub it or handle it excessively. It will get shiny.

I also do award winning restorations on old Shelby's/ Ford Mustang's. Just some of the things I've learned over the years. It just kills me when I bust my tail to paint the "correct" flat black on say the hood of a Boss Mustang, and then some idiot rubs it too hard or waxes it...

Brian