Is Kroil/AeroKroil as good as people say?

[Cypher]

I searched this topic before posting and got zero results so forgive me if this question has been asked to death.

From what I've seen on other forums Kroil has a very good reputation as a cleaner/lube. I want to know if it's really that good.

It's getting to be winter and I have one of those jobs where I have to be out in it regardless of weather so I'm wondering if wiping the gun with Kroil would be a better protectant than Breakfree or Starrett light tool oil (What I use now).

PS the gun is an M&P if that matters

[Colt191145lover]

I sell it at my work and its great for rust, cleaning and breaking stuff loose . Most have found it to be a very poor for rust prevention and lube , and it has a strong odor . I would stick to known performers like Eezox and Slip 2000 , Lucas oil or Mobil 1 for a lube . If you need a general purpose oil for everything Ballistol is a good way to go. YMMV

[UNK]

For breaking stuff free yes its good.

[Al T.]

Agree with Colt. I'd look at cold weather tolerances of the lubes he mentioned in making my choice for your environment.

[Luke]

Another vote agreeing with colt. Also look into Wurth film. Stuff is amazing. I use it on tools that previously had issues with rusting.

[Cypher]

I've never had an issue with rusting but Tuesday night it was raining sideways and me and the gun were soaked. I'm afraid water will get down where I can't get it out and rust so I was thinking about spraying a little Kroil down in the the nooks and crannies

PS just so we're clear, every single one of you has told me Kroil isn't proper for this application and I'm going to take your (collective) word for it

[UNK]

WD (40) stands for Water Displacement.


I've never had an issue with rusting but Tuesday night it was raining sideways and me and the gun were soaked. I'm afraid water will get down where I can't get it out and rust so I was thinking about spraying a little Kroil down in the the nooks and crannies

[Cypher]

WD (40) stands for Water Displacement.

I've been told that WD 40 gets gummy and turns to a varnish. I've never cared to risk finding out. I cleaned the gun as normal with Breakfree this afternoon

[1slow]

Kroil is very good at penetrating. Keep it away from optics, primers electronics etc....

It can be good for removing fouling as it will get between the fouling and the barrel and lift it off. I used it a lot when I was shooting at 500 Yards.

A gallon was about $48. Smaller containers were a lot more expensive by the ounce.

[Eric_L]

Kroil is a very good penetrating oil, not a very good lubricating oil. Essentially what was said above by others.

[farscott]

Kroil is VERY good for cleaning as it gets under fouling. I use it in rimfire suppressors to get lead off of the baffles and tubes as well as for getting under corrosion or loosening choke tubes and flash hiders.

It is not a good lubricant and is not suitable for protecting against corrosion. The Break-Free CLP you have now is much better for wet weather.

[LittleLebowski]

It's good for carbon removal and for use as a penetrating oil but believe it or not, oil of wintergreen (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GM2PCCG/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=ratio07-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B00GM2PCCG&linkId=5742d4d6e24a44eca4434b1fc67e6c76) works just as well for penetrating oil use.

[41magfan]

I've never used Kroil, but a friend of mine (a gunsmith, machinist, Engineer and Class III Manufacturer) turned me on to HILCO Lube many years ago. He had used Kroil for years in his shop and found this to be much more to his liking. He says it's the bomb for cleaning suppressors. I find that it displaces moisture as good or better than WD-40 and doesn't build up or become sticky in cooler temps. It also seems pretty benign when it comes into contact with plastics, stock finishes, glass, etc.

In a pinch, I've used it as a one-step product for cleaning and lubing and I've found nothing better for that purpose. The wipes are especially handy for field maintenance and one cloth will readily clean the dirtiest weapon. The only downside to using this stuff is the fact it can be pretty hard to find. It's an industrial product that's offered by the gallon and by the drum, but it isn't marketed at all towards the retail customer.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/911/leI3VQ.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/pbleI3VQj)

[JAD]

I have had good luck breaking in some rifles, and I had better luck with the rifles I broke in with kroil than with sweets. I have never found a good way to keep kroil, it's hard to contain; but fortunately I like the way it smells.

It is also my first choice for unfreezing a threaded part in non-electronic applications.

[UNK]

Don't use it as a cutting fluid. The fumes are 100 times worse than the smell.

[GuanoLoco]

Don't use it as a cutting fluid. The fumes are 100 times worse than the smell.

Kroil is flat out nasty with respect to fumes. I occasionally but rarely use it as a penetrating oil. It works well for this, and this is all that I use it for.

If you want a protectant, choose Eezox. Do the homework. Aromatic, but not gross like Kroil. It's a relatively 'dry' lube if you don't over-apply it.

If you want a wet lubricant, Slip2000 EWL seems as good as any in my experience.

If you want a cleaner, lots of choices. 99.9% isopropyl alcohol works surprisingly well, I buy it but the gallon (or 4) on Amazon.

Trying to find a 'one size fits all' for a penetrant/protectant/lubricant/cleaner is where things go south.

[Tensaw]

FWIW, I read a looong time ago (on FALFiles I think), that Eezox is hellaciously carcinogenic. Proceed with caution.

[GuanoLoco]

FWIW, I read a looong time ago (on FALFiles I think), that Eezox is hellaciously carcinogenic. Proceed with caution.

http://www.eezox.info/msds.html
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichloroethylene

[Greg]

Kroil is amazeballs as a penetrating oil.

[jeep45238]

Kroil is an amazing penetrating oil, especially if applied to heated parts (we used it on jet engines after test runs for disassembly), but I won't use it for anything else.

[Cypher]

Kroil is an amazing penetrating oil, especially if applied to heated parts (we used it on jet engines after test runs for disassembly), but I won't use it for anything else.

I occasionally have to open padlocks that have been closed for years and left to the elements. Kroil is excellent for that. I used to take a can once a month and spray every lock on every gate on site and every single one of them stayed working fine.

[UNM1136]

When the Mythbusters were writing for Popular Mechanics, they said that Kroil was always within reach, that one time the poured it into the cylinders of a siezed engine, let it sit overnight, and then they pounded the cylinders out with a rubber mallet. They were then able to rebuild the engine.

And because of how it penetrates, you be careful in storage. I also use it for removing fouling, in barrels and on suppressors, and an 8 oz can has lasted me years, but as I stored it it developed an oily exterior that attracted dirt, and while in storage it was knocked over, and I lost 2/3 of the contents as it penetrated the threads on the cap before I picked it up and set it upright. Very careful in the house because of the smell and the fact that i don't want to leave oil rings on places where I set it.

pat