Use of Kerosene?

[TerryMiller]

Pardon my ignorance, but when I was in the Army, I wasn't exposed to any situation such as this. However, I read somewhere that in some units in Vietnam, there was a "tub" of kerosene where the GI's gathered to clean their firearms. So, I want to get a feel as to whether kerosene is really a good substance to use instead of the commercially available products.

What say all of you that may have been exposed to the use of both kerosene and "other" commercially available products? Are there reasons for the use or non-use of kerosene?

 

[dennishoddy]

I never saw that, but it could have very easily happened.
Kerosene is a really good cleaner, and as a light distillate, it evaporates fairly quickly, leaving a light residue that wipes right off. I clean parts around the shop with it at times.

 

[Sanford]

From a bottle of Hoppe's No. 9 Gun Bore Cleaner:
DANGER. HARMFUL OR FATAL IF SWALLOWED. CONTAINS KEROSENE. (etc.)

I presume there's also some other stuff in there, but it's not listed on the label.

 

[nofearfactor]

I drank some kerosene once when I was a stupid little kid. Still living. Maybe it cleaned out my innards.

(I was hiking in the woods near our house and I went home to refill my canteen. At the same time my dad and some neighbors were burning a field by our house and there was a tub of kerosene in our back yard, me thinking it was water I filled up my canteen and went back to the woods. I remember my throat burning and feeling sick after drinking some of what was in the canteen so I went back home and when I walked into the kitchen my mom chased me out saying I stunk like kerosene, then she grabbed me, smelled me, and yelled for my dad. He came, smelled me, asked me if I drink what was out in the tub and I said ya, they called the Dr, my mom gave me a big glass of milk to drink on the way to the ER. Got my stomach pumped and went home. Dumb kids. I think they color it these days because of that dont they? It was clear as water back then.)

 

[dennishoddy]

Still clear. We have a gas station that sells it on the highway. I keep a gallon around.

 

[ronny]

Kerosene was "the" solvent of the day when I was a kid. Used it to clean guns, fishing reels, bicycles, engines and anything else that came down the pike. Actually, I still use it.

nofearfactor, I can distinctly remember that my Grandma had a number of home remedies which used kersosene as one of the ingredients; mostly topical but, as I recall, some may have been oral.

 

[travisstorma]

I use it to clean transmission parts.

 

[nofearfactor]

Kerosene was "the" solvent of the day when I was a kid. Used it to clean guns, fishing reels, bicycles, engines and anything else that came down the pike. Actually, I still use it.

Yep. My dad always kept a jug of it in the garage for cleaning anything and everything. I think after my little trick though he started labeling containers...

 

[ronny]

That takes all the adventure out of it.

 

[cowzrul]

When I went through USMC Infantry Training School in 1985 we had 55 gallon drums cut in half at the armory we would dunk our rifles and crew served weapons in. I was told it was JP5 but it smelt like kerosene to me.