I think you have to accept though that in the world of shooting the two go hand in hand. Damage is either worried about from ammonia based solvents, some think that the bore will be etched. So the Alkaline and Acid based solvents need to be tested for damage as well as cleaning power. Then there are the very water based solvents again a potential source of damage if used alone. So it comes down to do they damage the bore if used by themselves? Is a cleaning regime needed ie more than one product needed to either neutralize the first and then protect with an oil.
Bit late here but, @Oldbloke, soap and water is the ultimate blackpowder solvent with regards cleaning, the water dissolves the powder residue and the soap breaks down your lube residue. Best way to clean a blackpowder handgun is to disassemble it and chuck all metal parts in a bucket of hot soapy water. Scrub clean, dry, oil it up and reassemble.
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@juststarting. Testing with burnt powder on a plate of steel isnāt going to tell you much. You would need similar pressures of your barrel under fire to get the same adhesion and intence heat (which vitrifies the powder residue onto the steel) in order to test what is really the most effective solvent/cleaner for the application.
Ummmā¦ what about a barrel and a bore scope!!!
Donāt think youād get the detail, no? 
If your aim is to test what is best for cleaning a barrel with a particular powder, or whathaveyou, the best test is to take a new barrel and conduct a controlled test. For example:
Fire 20 rounds and pick a control substance to clean. Clean using a set regime, say one patch of solvent, 20 strokes of nylon brush, patch out goo with 3 patches. Check if clean. Repeat until bore is shiny again. Record number of cleaning cycles (must be identical) until your bore is nice and shiny again.
Fire 20 rounds, follow method and record how many cleaning cycles until bore is shiny with next substanceā¦
Is it a stainless or a carbon steel barrelā¦ Maybe you would want to lap the bore first so you are working from a pre-conditioned barrelā¦ etc, etcā¦
Look, geniuses, all Iām after is a damn ss plate
Lol
I agree with both arguments. A few dirty jags isnāt particularly scientific. But nor will be a test on some powder burnt on a plate. in the too hard basket really.
PS. Noticed on a SDS That sodium hydroxide. When wet, attacks metals such as aluminum, tin, lead, and zinc, producing flammable hydrogen gas. Severe corrosive effect on brass and bronze.
Interesting. A common cheap chemical
Ok, go to your local scrap metal dealer and buy some. Should be around $9 a kilo to buy. Iād give you some but all I have is bar (which Iāve already offered). Or you could pick up a sink from the side of the road, do your testing and scrap it afterwards.
I am having the most stupid moment, I am actually 5 min from oneā¦ Why didnāt I think of that!
Again let me throw another twist into this. Dont stop your testing but another one of the reasons I look up the MSDS sheets is to see what brands are actually the same or very similar. It is very easy to get caught up with the opinions and trends of others. When in actual fact you are using basically the same product or you Home made DIY product.
It is important to understand these things and many others at the most basic level it really helps understand or untangle the industry.
Thatās exactly what I did LOL And then sent it to a friend who know a lot more about these things than I do and he suggested some other additives. 
Did you end up testing that stuff on SS? Just asking because I came across some roughly 12g SS tube at work the other day. Pretty sure a few short cuts off it wont be missed.
No, not yet, but if you got some to donate for science, Iāll test it next week. Even have new Hoppes to baseline.
Sure, 3 pieces about 100mm long ok?
Perfect! 50mm per tube would be even better, easier to see inside.
I was thinking you could burn some powder in them- like a chimney to get them dirty.
Thatās pretty much what I was thinking. Thatās why I thought 50mm would be a lot more convenient and easier to see, than 100mm.