Anyone used a Dremel for cleaning your firearms?

[THE BIG SITT]

I'd considering Duracoating the slide on my pistol. All the little nooks and crannies need a good cleaning but my fat fingers aren't doing it. I thought a Dremel with a soft wheel may help. What do you think?

 

[chezuki]

I'd considering Duracoating the slide on my pistol. All the little nooks and crannies need a good cleaning but my fat fingers aren't doing it. I thought a Dremel with a soft wheel may help. What do you think?

Please step away from the Dremel....


Q-Tips, a toothbrush and a Nylon pick set are your friend.

 

[Trigger Time]

No dremel! Even a dry soft wheel WILL take off surface and even metal

 

[BiscuitNaBasket]

Please step away from the Dremel....


Q-Tips, a toothbrush and a Nylon pick set are your friend.

No dremel! Even a dry soft wheel WILL take off surface and even metal

Don't use the dremel. Just use the tools Chezuki recommended and you will get it clean.

 

[Trigger Time]

Also that's a great way to round off sharp corners. I can always tell when I see a re-blued or refinished gun if the person who did it was either lazy or not competent to do it. Sharp edges are gone and you'll see divets, especially where screw holes and pin holes are.

 

[Trigger Time]

I'm not trying to insult you OP. I'm trying to keep you from doing something you can't change. And I'm using my personal observations to do it.
you can always take metal off but you can never put it back on. Well we won't get into that

 

[THE BIG SITT]

Ok I have put the Dremel down. I have asked the wife where we keep the q-tips and toothbrushes (what kind of man needs those anyhow?). I think everything will be ok.

 

[churchmouse]

Ok I have put the Dremel down. I have asked the wife where we keep the q-tips and toothbrushes (what kind of man needs those anyhow?). I think everything will be ok.

Some of the better cleaning kits come with good nylon and brass brushes. Also include some nice nylon picks. I also have an old electric toothbrush the wife pitched. Took it apart and cleaned it up real good...new battery and it it the real deal for the work you mentioned.

 

[level0]

I also have an old electric toothbrush the wife pitched. Took it apart and cleaned it up real good...new battery and it it the real deal for the work you mentioned.

I use the old heads from my Sonic Care toothbrush just for gun cleaning.

 

[LarryC]

I have seen several firearms damaged by improper use of a Dremel tool, a couple of handguns with the feed ramps so damaged they could not be repaired without part replacement. All the above advice is good. I use tooth brushes, swabs, Q-tips and nylon or brass picks (even brass can damage/scratch areas if used improperly). As has been said even a dry polishing wheel can remove bluing and other coatings. A good soaking with solvent and a little patience using the tools mentioned above will remove all contamination.

 

[Jeremy1066]

Dremel for chopping/smoothing off the front sight base of an AR15 to make a low profile gas block?

Dremel for cleaning the slide of a pistol?

 

[Cemetery-man]

I have used a Dremel to polish feed ramps and that's about it.

 

[Mark 1911]

I have used a felt wheel, the one that's cylindrical like a pencil with a round tip, to polish the feed ramp on an xdm. Had great results. But I could see how using the wrong attachment would quickly do damage.

 

[NHT3]

How about just dropping it into an ultrasonic cleaner for a few minutes?

[FONT=&quot] [/FONT][FONT=&quot]NRA Life Member[/FONT][FONT=&quot]-- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]GSSF member[/FONT][FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]Ruger MK III, M&P & 1911mechanic [FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]NRA Basic pistol instructor[FONT=&quot] –[/FONT] Certified Glock armorer

 

[Shrek1980]

I've use a small battery powered spin brush. It really didn't clean as good as the toothbrush I used last time. Everyone is right about the simple cleaning tools. I tried to overcomplicate it too.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

Somebody gave me a box of little fiber patches for 22's, I like to wrap them around a plastic pick to clean inside the tight spaces.

 

[jamil]

Ok I have put the Dremel down. I have asked the wife where we keep the q-tips and toothbrushes (what kind of man needs those anyhow?). I think everything will be ok.

Be careful about the q-tips. I've used the cheaper knockoffs where the cotton wasn't wound very tight. Left cotton fibers in places I didn't want cotton fibers.

Some of the better cleaning kits come with good nylon and brass brushes. Also include some nice nylon picks. I also have an old electric toothbrush the wife pitched. Took it apart and cleaned it up real good...new battery and it it the real deal for the work you mentioned.

I use the old heads from my Sonic Care toothbrush just for gun cleaning.

Huh. Never thought of that. I have an old Sonic Care toothbrush that works fine. I just don't like it. Never crossed my mind to re-purpose it and get some use of it.

Somebody gave me a box of little fiber patches for 22's, I like to wrap them around a plastic pick to clean inside the tight spaces.

That's what I do to get into those spaces. Works really well.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

Variable speed Dremel run slow with the right tip and some lube or solvent shouldn't be a problem. It's just a matter of having the right touch. Yeah, if you put a diamond burr on it and crank the rpms, you'll rip your stuff up. Don't do that.