The art's belgian blue from brownells works as advertised. boiling hot DISTILLED water in a fourteen dollar plastic goat feed trough from tractor supply does the trick. Brake cleaner (TCE) like brakleen for degreasing, latex/rubber gloves, and the fine grade of scotch brite pad (white) means no worry with oils in gun steel, fingerprints or steel wool. to hold it, concrete tie wire (soft black iron wire) and rubber stoppers for the bore with stainless screws in the stoppers. those pretty white "t-shirt material" cotton rags for application. lowes, home depot etc. / auto parts house / tractor supply. prep, prep, prep. degrease everything. you will know when to change out water when the steel quits air drying quickly. i keep a gallon of water boiling on a coleman stove while doing the carding and application.