The burner parts on my latest acquisition (Optimus 111B) is VERY carboned up (exterior). This is a first for me, all my other stoves were reasoanably clean. Anyway, is it best to start cleaning dry with a brass wire brush or use some sort of liquid (Coleman fuel? Carb cleaner? Other?)? Got my parts from Fettlebox, waiting for a friend to loan me their NRV tool. Thanks.
Light agitation with a nylon or brass brush will help to get things moving. Try carb cleaner but you won't get much more than the loose carbon off, if its baked/entrained it'll be difficult to remove. But that saying, it depends how far/clean you want to take it... People have various methods for doing it, some aggressive, some gentle. My preferred method is to use Tartaric Acid (cream of tartar). I'm a minimum-intervention person but sometimes I do it just to establish a baseline for the fettle (or if the burner is hopelessly choked and needs de-coking internally as well, may as well clean the outside at the same time). A tablespoon in a pan of water and simmer your components in that for 5-10 minutes. Take them out, scrub them lightly with a soft wire brush or wire wool under running water, and the vast majority of crud will be removed. Only do it just as long as you need to, keep an eye on it, light stuff will be cleaned first, fish out gland nuts/spindles with a spoon as they finish and scrub them off while the heavier stuff keeps steeping. Repeat if its heavy crud but don't boil it indefinitely, it will eat it away the same as any acid, any pitting will get eaten quicker and theres a risk to burner tubes etc. Always thoroughly flush with clean water afterwards. Here's a Primus No.0 burner which was gunked up internally and lightly filthy externally: If you are unsure, don't do it, see how you get on with a good brushing, if its only light-ish gasoline soot it may clean off pretty well. Avoid the use of overly-vicious wet & dry paper/tape, or mechanical means, tread lightly Alec.
