Cleaner for deap cleaning Frame/metal parts.

[Slackdaddy]

Wrapping up dis-connector fitting, polishing, etc.
Before final assembly and lube, What generic spray can cleaner is not going to harm the finish on the frame?
Carb cleaner?, break cleaner? ,
Or are spray can cleaners gen a bad idea?

I thought I read somewhere using acetone? soaking and brushing ?

[Wobbly]

You may be confusing solvents with detergents. Of the solutions you mentioned, all those are solvents... able to cut through oil and grease. But I think what you are asking for is something that lifts out and removes metal particles left by filing and fitting. That's the job of a detergent. If that's what you want, then try Dawn dish soap in a ultra-sonic bath.

[SI VIS PACEM PARRABELLUM]

If it's really cruddy I wash it out in hot Dawn water and blow dry with compressed air. For general gun cleaning solvent I use CRC Electronic cleaner which is plastic safe and even today is still cheaper than buying Gun Scrubber.

[jwc007]

If it's really cruddy I wash it out in hot Dawn water and blow dry with compressed air. For general gun cleaning solvent I use CRC Electronic cleaner which is plastic safe and even today is still cheaper than buying Gun Scrubber.

+1, Same here!

[Slackdaddy]

Looking to do both,, clean and dirt and/or metal out.
And get all the old grease/oil out, so I am starting with a clean slate

You may be confusing solvents with detergents. Of the solutions you mentioned, all those are solvents... able to cut through oil and grease. But I think what you are asking for is something that lifts out and removes metal particles left by filing and fitting. That's the job of a detergent. If that's what you want, then try Dawn dish soap in a ultra-sonic bath.

[Slackdaddy]

Thanks,
I'll soak/scrub with dawn/water,, dry, then flush with CRC

If it's really cruddy I wash it out in hot Dawn water and blow dry with compressed air. For general gun cleaning solvent I use CRC Electronic cleaner which is plastic safe and even today is still cheaper than buying Gun Scrubber.

[jimiguens]

Non-Chlorinated Brake Cleaner is just as good as any other gun specific spray cleaner and much cheaper. Walmart brand works great. Only caution is to avoid extended contact on fine finishes and or questionable quality plastics to avoid finish degradation.

[M1A4ME]

I boiled an old Colt revolver in a pan of water (after removing the grips) with dish washing detergent added several decades ago.  The boiling water bubbled all kinds of old crud/oil/grease out of the insides of that old Trooper.  When the crud stopped bubbling out I let it boil another 5 or 10 minutes and pulled it out to sit on a towel and cool some before pulling the slide plate off it.  It was dry before it was cool and clean as a whistle inside.  Lubed it up and wiped it off real good on the outside and put the side plate and grips on it and carried it to work the next day.  If you use water, dry it ASAP and get some lube on the metal surfaces to prevent rusting immediately.

Same goes for the spray cleaners that strip all the oil/lube off/out of it.  It will rust if you don't get some oil/lube back on the metal as quickly as possible. 

If you look at a can of gun scrubber/blaster stuff and a can of carb. cleaner you'll be surprised at how many of the same chemicals are used in both.

Not sure about the brake cleaner, hardly even use it for brakes, just now and then over the years.

Don't get the brake cleaner on rubber/plastic parts.  I've got a Ruger Mk1 with a nice smear in one grip panel where I switched my hand from the barrel to the frame/grip while spraying it out.

No matter what you spray it with wear safety glasses or monogoggles.  You don't want that stuff to splash into your eyes.  Believe me.  If you think it burns in a cut/scrape on your hands/fingers you won't believe what if feels like in your eyes.  I prefer military CS in my eyes to carb. cleaner.

[SoCal]

And be careful using oils such as WD-40 and PB blaster on blued guns.  Bluing is actually rust bluing and "anti" rust chemicals and oils can attack the finish, I don't want to tell how I learned this.