Have you ever heard of a product called Clenzoil?

The Clenzoil company president, Mr. Chris Hoffman, sent us the whole product lineup to test. Here’s what we found.

First off, I have to inform all of my readers that in this case, I may be a bit biased in my review: I have been using Clenzoil for well over two decades. However, the facts about these products should speak for themselves. Let’s take a detailed look at what they can offer the shooter and outdoor enthusiast.

Clenzoil
Clenzoil

The beginnings of Clenzoil were way back in 1948. A genius named Ellis Christian Lenz decided he needed a better product for cleaning and protecting firearms, tools and machinery. With that goal in mind, he invented a product that cleans grime, lubricates, and prevents rust on metal surfaces.

That’s not all it does. It will also:

Condition the leather on your slings and holsters

  • Keep your gun stocks from drying out (as the trademarked words of Mr. Lenz himself go, “Clenzoil Field & Range is great for lock, stock and barrel.”)
  • Work wonders on your fishing reels, machinery, and even bicycle chains.

Personally, I have used Clenzoil Field & Range for over 20 years as a cleaner and preservative, especially for heirloom and vintage weapons. For weapons that need to be protected at all costs but also remain readily usable, this treatment allows me to just load and shoot right out of storage.

That’s not possible with barrel-plugging grease, which can rupture a barrel upon firing. That is not good for the gun, or the shooter, of course. This is not a problem with Clenzoil at all.

Many old-timers talk about their love of the gun solvents of their youth. Well, Clenzoil has that appeal for me: the closest comparison I can come up with for the scent is “mint-like.” My wife thinks it smells better than my regular cologne, which I wish I’d known while I was dating her, as courting might have been much quicker.

Clenzoil Field & Range has a standard bottle available in various sizes with an optional sprayer. There’s also a foaming aerosol can that has a neat trick: when sprayed 4-6 inches away from a surface, it allows a consistent surface coating. When sprayed at 2 inches from the surface, it forms a foam that penetrates those hard-to-reach places. That certainly can come in handy for thorough gun cleanings.

A product I was not previously aware of is the Clenzoil Hinge Pin Jelly.

As you can surmise, this product finds a great place for hinge-action weapons. I tried it on the hinges of both a vintage Stevens 5100 double-barrel shotgun and a Stoeger Coach Gun. After application, the shotguns open and close much more smoothly. Wish I knew about this product sooner. It does not have a strong smell and can be used anywhere you need a long-lasting gun grease without the mess. Clenzoil Hinge Pin Jelly really stays in place instead of oozing out, like products from other manufacturers.

clenzoil
Clenzoil

A handy way to carry Clenzoil out to the range or back in the woods is the Clenzoil Field & Range Solution Pads. These approximately .30 caliber-sized round cleaning patches are soaked thoroughly, but not to the point of being messy, with Clenzoil. No need to carry a sloshing bottle in the woods along with separate cleaning patches. It is an all-in-one product ready for easy use.

Clenzoil
Clenzoil

Applying Clenzoil to the outside of your weapon could not be any easier than using the Clenzoil Lambs Wool Applicator pad. This real lambswool patch has been vegetable tanned, allowing much safer use than the chromium-tanned hides that can damage your weapon’s finish. A bit of Clenzoil Field & Range on this pad allows you to wipe down all outer areas of your weapon, including the stock and sling. Can gun cleaning get any easier that this?

clenzoil
Clenzoil

I will continue to use Clenzoil Field & Range, as it indeed is a superior product. A special thanks goes out to Mr. Chris Hoffman for the great customer service and the samples we were supplied to review. Why not give this incredible product line from a veteran-owned, made-in-the-U.S. company a try for yourself?

Do you like articles about the outdoors? You can follow him @ericthewoodsman on Twitter, The Classic Woodsman on Facebook, and @theclassicwoodsman on Instagram.  Visit the Classic Woodsman’s storefront on Amazon