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Rifle with old varnish on metal

MBK
Hi,
I got an old 1903 Springfield which has varnish or some type of honey colored wood finish on the barrel on top of the blue. Do you folks think I can remove it without hurting the ( already crappy ) blueing?

What is weird is that this finish is not on the wood, but it is an original stock.
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Comments

10 comments

Date Votes
  • mrbruce
    0000 steel wool will not hurt the old bluing if you don't get real crazy rubbing on it.....
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  • spryor
    I would think mineral spirits would cut the varnish, without effecting the bluing..
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  • p3skyking
    Acetone, brake cleaner are cheap and work quite well. Outside.
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  • 11b6r
    If it is SHELLAC, denatured alcohol. You might try a smidge of Formby's Refinisher- wipe with a clean soft cotton cloth-
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  • rider
    quote:Originally posted by p3skyking
    Acetone, brake cleaner are cheap and work quite well. Outside.

    +1
    Acetone...Used it many times on such an application. [:)][:)]

    rider
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  • Floyd621
    Cosmoline?
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  • givette
    Cosmoline (old-dried up) or shellac. Don't matter. Use acetone. Ever hear the story "and if XYZ doesn't work, you can always use acetone"??? That tells me to go straight to acetone, and avoid all the weaker crap.

    Remove the barreled action before you do this. Have a can of your favorite oil (Eezox, etc) to spray on the metal immediately after stripping with acetone. Use in well ventilated area. Basement is a no-no, because as soon as the furnace kicks-on, you'll get a big KA-Boom!! from the fumes.[:0][:0] Best, Joe
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  • moonshine
    because as soon as the furnace kicks-on, you'll get a big KA-Boom!! from the fumes. Best, Joe

    have you experienced this?
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  • 11b6r
    Shine- I have not experienced it, but had a neighbor that set self and house on fire by using large amounts of acetone in a poorly vented basement that he was sharing with a gas water heater- with a pilot lite. Acetone (and tolulene, another common solvent) are easily flammable, and have high vapor pressures (evaporate rapidly).
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  • givette
    Hey, moon. Saw it happen, in an abstract sort of way. Guy was rowing out to his boat moored at anchor. Cigarette, or he lit one up. Fuel was leaking into the bilge, unable to dissipate due to the boat being closed up. Saw him rowing out. Less than a minute later, heard the KA Boom!!, turned to look, and all that remained were wooden pieces afloat. I've since learned that one pint of completely atomized gasoline equals one stick of dynamite in blast force. Joe
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