lacquer thinner as cleaner

peddler

I soaked an old SW model 10 in some lacquer thinner for 3-4 days to remove 50 odd years of dried oil and dirt. Seems that it may have removed some of what was left of the blueing. Anyone else ever used lacquer thinner and had that trouble? Thanks

nononsense

peddler,

Lacquer thinners frequently contain alkyl esters like butyl or amyl acetate, ketones like acetone or methyl ethyl ketone, aromatic hydrocarbons like toluene, ethers such as glycol cellosolves, and/or alcohols. The content and proportions can vary by manufacturer and degree of recycling.

3. Composition/Information on Ingredients
Hazardous Components (Chemical Name)

Methanol {Methyl alcohol; Carbinol; Wood
alcohol} 10.0 -30.0 %

1.
Toluene {Benzene, Methyl-; Toluol} 5.0 -60.0 %
2.
Acetone 7.0 -13.0 %
3.
Methyl ethyl ketone {MEK; 2-Butanone} 1.0 -15.0 %
4.
Ethanol, 2-Butoxy- {Ethylene glycol n-butyl
ether, (a glycol ether)} 1.0 -5.0 %
5.
Acetic acid, Ethyl ester {Ethyl acetate} 0.5 -15.0 %
6.
Hexane, Light aliphatic naptha {Light aliphatic
solvent naphtha (petroleum) 1.0 -39.0 %


As to removing bluing, old or otherwise, bluing is a form of oxidation or rust if you will. The blackening is just a form of oxidation. The aggressive nature of lacquer thinner can most certainly neutralize the color of the oxidation due to the chemical activity of the components.

Best.

ADDED:

There are some brands of toilet bowl cleaners which will damage bluing also along with muriatic acid.

Best.


For the benefit of those questioning where the breakdown comes from, it is the official MSDS sheet at this link:

http://www.wsc.edu/facility_services/msds/lacquer_thinner.pdf

Note, as I did in the post, that it is contained in section 3.

Also note as I did above, since there is no absolute 'recipe' for lacquer thinner:

quote:The content and proportions can vary by manufacturer and degree of recycling.

Now as to which other, I'll call them liquids, will remove bluing, here are a couple of the most common. White vinegar will remove bluing/rust; as will muratic acid and naval jelly. Also commercial products such as Birchwood Casey Blue and Rust Remover and Evapo-Rust will work as well.

http://www.evapo-rust.com/

Best.

peddler

Thanks for the info, I will remember to not wash any parts with lacquer thinner again, I really messed up a nice old revolver.

MIKE WISKEY

I use lacquer thinner for a cleaner all the time...........but not for days. It does a very good job of removing old oil/grease/cosmoline, jus don't leave it soak for days on end.

Bill DeShivs

Lacquer thinner should NOT harm bluing. It will strip all of the oil off of the finish- making the bluing look lighter. A little oil should bring back the color.

competentone

quote:Originally posted by Bill DeShivs
Lacquer thinner should NOT harm bluing. It will strip all of the oil off of the finish- making the bluing look lighter. A little oil should bring back the color.


That is my thinking too. The only "bluing" it might strip off would be if someone had applied "cold bluing" to it -- that is more of a "stain" on the metal than the oxidation the factory hot bluing is.

I'm also not sure where "nononsense" got his list of possible ingredients in lacquer thinner. I do not think "acetic acid" would normally be an ingredient in it, but since there is no "official" designation for what "lacquer thinner" should contain, I guess it is possible. If a lacquer thinner did contain acetic acid, I could see it attacking the oxidation the bluing layer represented.

peddler

I left the pistol in the lacquer thinner for 3 days soaking, it did take spots of the blueing off. They are bright spots of metal showing. When I got pistol it looked like it had been in a drawer for the last 50 years and finish was about 75% now its maybe 10%. I never had any idea that lacquer thinner could affect the finish like that. Pistol went from being a $300 gun to maybe $150 in 3 days time. Its fine to shoot but I like my guns to look good too. Anyone know what I could do to help the finish!!!!!! Thanks

peddler

Oil has not worked. I will read the can and try to list whats in the lacquer thinner and maybe post a picture.

peddler

My can of lacquer thinner has petroleum distillates along with alcohol, acetone, toluene, and glysol ether. Who would have thought that. Can says its good for washing parts.

navc130

There was an article in the American Rifleman 10 or 15 years ago that cautioned against using ANY automotive product to clean firearms. The chemical content was unknown and it could damage / remove the finish.

beantownshootah

Just as clarification here, bluing is Fe3O4 and is chemically the same as magnetite with a blue-black color.

Yes, like rust, bluing is a form of oxidized iron, but bluing is NOT the same as ordinary rust, which has the familiar orange brown color and is chemically Fe2O3.

Given the right time/exposure bluing certainly can turn into ordinary rust, but that's sort of a different question/issue.

Anyway, as far as I know, ordinary bluing is NOT soluble in any conventional organic solvent, and SHOULD not be. If that were true, it would be unsafe to clean guns with conventional gun cleaners.

I agree with the others above.

This gun was probably re-blued with a "cold blue" which is really more of a coloring agent, and the lacquer thinner stripped THAT off. A good cold blue really can be hard to tell from regular bluing, though its far less durable.

Is it possible that this lacquer thinner had some sort of corrosive agent in there? It "shouldn't", but I suppose you might have ended up with a contaminated or bad batch. If you have any left, you could try leaving a nail or other "normal" steel item in there and seeing what happens. If the thinner etches the steel, well, then you have your answer.