Cleaning with air

I am rethinking using compressed air to clean guns.

It's a boon.  Spray/wipe on your solvent, brush some.  Blow off the dirt and solvent, and it gets in the nooks and crannies.  I learned this from Eugene Stoner. (6:30)


But I also learned from Mr. Pete when he was refurbing and Atlas lathe.  The air blows bits of stuff into places you don't want it to be.  Use a brush.  In the machine shop


Now, shooting air at dirt is different from blowing metal shavings around.  Not nearly so damaging.  The worry-wart in me still worries about blowing debris deeper into the innards.  A tiny bit.  The firing-pin hole on a 1911.  The same and past the hand in a revolver and down into the lockwork.  Or past the hammer.  I'm a little less worried with 1911 lockwork because that area is a bit more open.

I should really just relax.  Especially after seeing Tam torture test her custom 1911 with her 2000 round without cleaning challenge.

"Why T-Bolt?  Tam was getting lots of jam-up failures near the end!"

True.  But her gun has tight tolerances (like mine) and she was mostly able to restore functionality by just a few drops of lubricant.  Even tight guns can be reliable with just a tiny bit of attention.  And I can give mine a tiny bit of attention.  Heck, how many people can detail strip their 1911?  Get the side plate safely on and off their revolver?  THAT was the primary purpose I went to beginner gunsmith classes.  I had no idea how to get a 1911 back together once the disconnector and sear fall out.  Nor how to get that sideplate off without munging it all up royal.  Well, it is super easy to get a good cleaning done if you do that.

But then that makes me want to get a parts washer or ultrasonic jewelry cleaner, again...  You know I say that, but I really don't know how well that'd clean a detail stripped gun.