We know you’re used to getting a detailed and focused product review here at Spotter Up, but we also realize that you have many options in what kind of information to get and from where. We appreciate that you rely on Spotter Up to get you the first-hand, reliable and vetted facts. Few venues will go beyond the product itself to give you a more engaging story on where it came from or who put their blood, sweat, and tears to make it great. For me, like a lot of people, that plays into the purchasing decision and brand loyalty. The thought process and drive behind the product is what often speaks to its applicability.
When it comes to weapon cleaners and lubricants, everyone who is anyone got their hands dirty at one point. Last month we brought you the first of several Ogre products briefs. I was introduced to Ogre recently, and it didn’t take much to become a fan. Ogre gun cleaner is called Enviroclean FA. It has a mild and pleasant odor, and tackles big and small jobs easily. Sometimes it’s either one or the other. For a cleaner to be effective, many expect it to be harsh on your hands and surfaces, but it doesn’t have to be. I used Ogre on hard spots of an AR bolt, and with a little brush action they were sparkling. I used it on several weapons, and it was consistently effective, easy to wipe off, and I didn’t need a large amount per project. A little-known fact is that Enviroclean FA also helps prevent rust and removes it without harming the bluing of the gun.
John Thompson, owner of Enviroclean showed me a cutaway of a rusted M-1 Garand barrel. The side where he used Enviroclean FA by applying it, letting it sit, and dedicating some elbow grease and scrubbing, was like a newly-issued weapon. We will have a follow-up video to this at a later point. With all that capability, Enviroclean FA is environmentally friendly and completely biodegradable. While a lot of products have that claim, do we really know what that means? When it comes to Enviroclean, the evidence was impressive. John actually showed me written proof of the testing. With an allowable 10 day window in which to reach a certain percentage of biodegradable level, Enviroclean accomplished it in about 3.
The Ogre HP Gun Oil stood up to the tests equally impressive. It isn’t too greasy or heavy, which becomes more important depending on your weapon platform and the manner in which you use or carry it. The oil can really become a dust magnet, and quickly counterproductive. Ogre HP is a synthetic, which is meant to be used on the moving parts of the weapon. There is no need to soak everything like hot sauce on a chow hall chicken fried steak.
I enjoyed chemistry, but flashpoints and specific densities are above my pay grade. Whatever John came up with in 2002 in regards to the formula for his products is working beautifully. The composition of the oil is on point. I tried it with several platforms, which all required different amounts of oil to function properly. For example, most AR platforms will need more than Glocks. Ogre HP Gun Oil truly lived up to its name “Strong as a Giant, Gentle as a Lamb.” While this is an accomplishment on its own, what you should know is how John came up with his products and the humble, down-to-earth genius that makes them so cool.
An avid outdoorsman and hunter, John enjoyed cleaning his weapons on the kitchen table at home. No different from many of us. You put down a rag, and start your gun cleaning meditation. He soon discovered that his daughter had asthma, and the fumes from the cleaners bothered her. A garage in Wisconsin winters is usually more of a wind shelter, than a comfortable place to work. So John, with a chemical engineering background, went to work and Enviroclean became a reality. He describes it much better on his website, and I urge you to check it out. But when some companies look for the cheapest bulk bidder, John kept the work right here. 
The shop which mixes his formula is minutes away from the office, and all Ogre products are made in the USA. Like with most geniuses, one idea leads to another, and Ogre is more than just weapon cleaner and lubricant. With his love to fish, John came up with Here Fishy Fishy – an attractant made of natural oils and good for all types of fish. You don’t have to tell your friends what you use, but now you can pretty much bet you’ll come home with more than a tangled up line and a sun burn.
At one point the test for the attractant oil was done on a bare hook, and “look at there… I got a bite.” There is also Dry as a Duck synthetic polymer, designed to give fabrics a durable water repellency and Ogre Boot Oil, to impart water repellency on leather shoes and boots. The boot oil is VOC (volatile organic compound) free. That standard also utilizes independent third-party verification. We’ll have videos for this with a trusty ‘ol M65 field jacket and some jungle boots.
It’s comforting to know that you can get all of these products from one solid reliable source. Once you’re hooked on one effective source for what you need, you can trust that the next idea from the same place will be worth your time. It’s rare that we get to break bread with someone who supplies a test product. I thank John for his hospitality and an explanation of Ogre magic which are grunt-friendly. Stay tuned for more.