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Unlike what one reader of ours recently stated, field-stripping of a handgun is not − and should never be intended as – an "art for very few people to master". Simply put, ALL gun owners should be able to at least perform a basic field-strip of all the firearms they own, as guns should always be stripped for thorough cleaning every time they are brought back home from a day spent at the range. Stripping and deeply cleaning a firearm after each use is also necessary to check the key components – to see if they're all in perfect working conditions or if any problem has emerged that may require the attention of a professional gunsmith.
Field-stripping a firearm poses a series of challenges, though, which all gun owners should be ready to face – particularly those who own technically complex models: small (and fundamental!) parts may often spring or roll away and go missing, rendering a gun useless until they're found again or until a replacement is procured. That's what actually makes field-stripping operations more difficult in improvised conditions (e.g., to solve a sudden issue at the range), and that's why these operations should be carried on preferably in a neat, ordered and... clean environment, which should remain in said conditions after it's done. And that's easier said than done, as gun cleaning products and gun lubricants seem to be somewhat prone to get everything they get in contact with hopelessly dirty and messy.
German-based Carl Walther GmbH, a global leader in sporting, service and defense firearms – and accessories thereof – tries to address these common issues with a new product for 2014: dubbed the Oil Pad, that's a neat, rollable working mat whose dimensions allow it to be carried along in a very small package and yet become quickly available to perform field-stripping, cleaning and basic maintenance operation on any handgun, making work safe on any surface, even in improvised conditions.
The rugged, porous, shag synthetic textile the Walther Oil Pad it's made of will prevent gun parts (even the smaller ones) to roll away and get lost, and will retain any trace of dirt – including carbon residues and chemical fluids for cleaning or lubrication – in a honeycomb structure that will remain easily washable. The Walther Oil Pad will retain up to two litres of fluid, protecting shooters from unpleasurable inconvenients for just a couple of bucks. Still less expensive than a divorce, ain't it?
