I've read various posts over time about people having trouble removing cosmoline or other rust protectors.
This may already be known, but brake cleaner works excellent, like the stuff just wipes off.
I bought a miter trimmer from a antique store. Pretty sure it was unused as it was literally caked in yellow cosmoline (or I assume thats what it was). I was sitting there with alcohol trying to get rid of it. The alcohol was working but very slowly and I had to use a bristle brush. So I went to my cabinet with all my solvents and seen the brake cleaner. I've used brake cleaner before and it's removed anything I've ever asked of it so I thought why not... Sprayed it on and literally wiped it all off.
Just FYI.