How safely to remove adhesive from metal, wood?

[JBubba57]

Hello, this is not (LOL) related to my other thread asking for which glue to use to put medallions on my pistol grips!

No, instead, I have a Browning BPS 12 gauge I hunted deer and turkey with for 7 years, then moved to a different state where, I'm embarrassed to say, I haven't hunted either for the last 7 years, and I had the shotgun wrapped/stripped in that commercial camo tape, especially to help with wily turkeys, the tape that says it leaves no residue when you go to unpeel it. Well, that might have worked if I had taken it off each year and reapplied as needed, but now, 14 years later, with the tape having never come off until last week when I wanted to check the chamber size markings, it's left a yucky sticky mess on the wood and metal. I can rub and rub and get a lot off, but I'd like a complete and easy way, and I'm afraid to use any solvents at all, including rags lightly treated with alcohol or gas, as I fear that will kill my wood and metal finishes (right?).

So, any suggestions for how to remove that ugly adhesive buildup and not throw out the baby with the bath solvent?

[roland]

WD-40 is a great cleaner for removing the goo. It shouldn't hurt the finish on the wood stock, as long as you clean off the 40 from the stock.

[jahwarrior72]

Hello, this is not (LOL) related to my other thread asking for which glue to use to put medallions on my pistol grips!

No, instead, I have a Browning BPS 12 gauge I hunted deer and turkey with for 7 years, then moved to a different state where, I'm embarrassed to say, I haven't hunted either for the last 7 years, and I had the shotgun wrapped/stripped in that commercial camo tape, especially to help with wily turkeys, the tape that says it leaves no residue when you go to unpeel it. Well, that might have worked if I had taken it off each year and reapplied as needed, but now, 14 years later, with the tape having never come off until last week when I wanted to check the chamber size markings, it's left a yucky sticky mess on the wood and metal. I can rub and rub and get a lot off, but I'd like a complete and easy way, and I'm afraid to use any solvents at all, including rags lightly treated with alcohol or gas, as I fear that will kill my wood and metal finishes (right?).

So, any suggestions for how to remove that ugly adhesive buildup and not throw out the baby with the bath solvent?

believe it or not, vaseline, or WD40 would work. most petroleum distillates would work, actually. it'll take a bit of work, but most adhesives are latex based; pertroleum eats away and dissolves latex (no vaseline for condoms, get it?). i've used vaseline, or lighter fluid, or WD40, to get rid of glue on glass tops, metal, wood, you name it. plus, these won't eat away at the wood finish, or the metal.

[mauser]

I've used baby oil and cooking oil with moderate to good success to get stickers, tape and such undesirable things off of items that I was afraid to use solvents on. It seems to work well but slow, you aren't going to wipe it on then wipe it off, you have to let it work for a good long time.
I haven't had the time to try to get the camo tape off of the Winchester Model 12 that my dad gave me. He told me to try kerosene. I'm not so sure I want to try that, I'll try something less aggressive first.
I strongly suggest testing anything you decide to use on a small inconspicuous spot before you saturate the whole gun.

[bloomautomatic]

If the milder stuff doesn't do it, the best solvent i've found for removing adhesive residue is electrical contact cleaner or brake parts cleaner. both are very strong solvents, but they shouldn't attack the bluing on your gun. they may affect the finish of wood, so use carefully. one advantage is that they work very quickly, so you may be able to spray it on the rag, and rub the goo off before it has any effect on the wood finish. as always, spot check in an inconspicuous place.

Vince

[nijwnfi]

Look for a product called goo gone. It works, won't harm finishes. Can leave an oily residue, but it washes off.

[emsjeep]

zippo fluid...works even on plastics.

[JBubba57]

Those are terrific suggestions, guys! I've already tried the WD-40 to remove adhesive from stickers on several blued magazines, and it works like a charm--even wets the left over pieces of paper sticker and makes them easier to peel/scrape with fingernails--so I look forward to using it and baby oil and other gentle household agents as noted above to get the goo off the shotgun.

Thanks again. It is a wonderful resource to have all of you out there pitching in suggestions and comments, especially since you're all PLU.

(PLU= people like us !).

[Frenchy]

http://www.magicamerican.com/googone.aspx

I should not even need to mention this, I thought it was already in every house in America...

[mauser]

http://www.magicamerican.com/googone.aspx

I should not even need to mention this, I thought it was already in every house in America...

I never even heard of the stuff until I saw it in the reply by nijwnfi.
(See #6)
That looks like something I may have to get.