My Pre-B refinishing and modification diary

[Earl Keese]

Oil will float on top of the acetone, so if it's there it will get back on the parts as you pull them. I think all the back and forth is catching up to you at this point. You can always throw a paper towel on top of the acetone and remove quickly to catch most of the oil.  Then wipe the gun with a towel saturated with clean acetone.
 This is why I pre-clean with water and  degreaser before putting the parts in acetone. The pre-clean is only necessary before the first rust cycle and then again if I've oiled the gun to take a break from bluing. Acetone is used as the final cleaning step, and shouldn't be contaminated quickly if the parts were clean to begin with. I think I've been using the same tub of acetone for the last three jobs I've done. I've never struggled with oil on pistols, but did have a check of a time with it on a Winchester model 70. I didn't think I'd ever get that one clean enough to blue, had to start over 3 times.

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[sberres]

I did the same as Earl with respect to degreasing. Folks' methods vary a bit whether they use something like Simple Green in an ultrasonic cleaner or boil using a heavy duty dishwasher or parts prep solution.  I opted to boil with a bit of TSP detergent that can be found in the paint section at the hardware store since it is the basic ingredient of commercial dishwasher detergents and doesn't contain any surfactants that I need to worry about rinsing or leaving residues. A boil in the detergent, a boiling water rinse, dry, and acetone bath just to make sure.
I've been using nitrile gloves around the acetone and they hold up as long as I need them to. It looks like latex should be a good choice for acetone, hydrochloride acid, and limited service with nitric acid. This should cover pretty well what you're using them for. What about any sort of powder coating on them?  Are you washing your hands after putting the gloves on?  Fresh pair every time?
You'll get this!  And you'll be richer for the experience.   

[Underwhere]

I did the same as Earl with respect to degreasing. Folks' methods vary a bit whether they use something like Simple Green in an ultrasonic cleaner or boil using a heavy duty dishwasher or parts prep solution.  I opted to boil with a bit of TSP detergent that can be found in the paint section at the hardware store since it is the basic ingredient of commercial dishwasher detergents and doesn't contain any surfactants that I need to worry about rinsing or leaving residues. A boil in the detergent, a boiling water rinse, dry, and acetone bath just to make sure.
I've been using nitrile gloves around the acetone and they hold up as long as I need them to. It looks like latex should be a good choice for acetone, hydrochloride acid, and limited service with nitric acid. This should cover pretty well what you're using them for. What about any sort of powder coating on them?  Are you washing your hands after putting the gloves on?  Fresh pair every time?
You'll get this!  And you'll be richer for the experience.

No powder on the gloves. I'm not washing my hands after putting the gloves on, usually before.

I now have 2 bins with acetone in it. A pre-soak and a clean-soak. One of them has yellowed a bit. My guess is from placing stuff that I had used EvapoRust on.
Eh. I'll do something tonight. Not sure what. A boil, a wipe, scotchbrite. I dunno. Something

[sberres]

I was serious about the gloves. Maybe a little wipedown with some acetone after donning?


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[Underwhere]

I was serious about the gloves. Maybe a little wipedown with some acetone after donning?


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I tried that last night and that's when I saw the oil come off.
The gloves get "loose" and I can feel them getting thin. If I were just handling the parts it would be fine, but I'm using steel wool and I think the gloves would rip.

[sberres]

Yeah, I notice similar but it usually doesn't happen. Sometimes I'll rip a finger on the steel wool hand but during carding I don't care so much as I'm going to rinse parts in acetone again and put on fresh gloves while I dry the parts and re-apply the acid. That stuff I don't want on me! 
Now, that aircraft stripper was another story on the gloves. Whatever is in there is wholly incompatible with nitrile!  I had to switch to latex or pvc or something until I could get the parts sufficiently rinsed.


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[Earl Keese]

Yeah, I notice similar but it usually doesn't happen. Sometimes I'll rip a finger on the steel wool hand but during carding I don't care so much as I'm going to rinse parts in acetone again and put on fresh gloves while I dry the parts and re-apply the acid. That stuff I don't want on me! 
Now, that aircraft stripper was another story on the gloves. Whatever is in there is wholly incompatible with nitrile!  I had to switch to latex or pvc or something until I could get the parts sufficiently rinsed.


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This^^^^
The process is sensitive, but nothing crazy.

[Underwhere]

The oil didn't work. The blemishes are still there.

I'll hopefully finish the slide tonight and the scotbrite and re-rust the frame.

[Underwhere]

I don't really understand why I keep getting glove marks.

I dipped my gloved hands in acetone as well as washed the gloves in the sink. There should be no oil...however they still left marks on my slide a little bit.

So I just tried to clean them off as best I could. I boiled the slide for 30 min instead of neutralizing which left some water marks for some reason. I carded them off without touching the slide with my gloved hands.

Then I oiled the slide. It turned out ok.

The frame: I re-scotchbrited it. My gloves were still making marks. Even after more acetone and a dawn dish washing rinse.

So I out my hanging wire on the frame and just held it with the wire, roughing it up.

I wiped with acetone, rusted it and it's boiling now.

For carding I'm going to use another pad of steel wool to hold the frame. I can't risk holding it with my gloves anymore. Too much wasted effort.

[Underwhere]

The frame is out of boiling. I started to card it while holding onto another pad of steel wool. I slipped and the glove touched the front strap. Now there a blemish somehow.

I grabbed a paper towel and held the frame with it. No more issues.

Then going to boil for 30 min, clean and oil. It's a late night but I really want to finish this up.

My Cajun parts arrive tomorrow so there will be plenty of polished and other small tidbits to do.

[Underwhere]

Finally!

The frame is out of final boil. I grabbed it with a paper towel and hit it with the steel wool. Dried it with a heat gun and oiled it up.

No blotchiness that I can see at this moment. We'll see in the morning.

Hopefully tomorrow night I can wipe the oil off and really see how this gun will look.

It may take a bit to get all the parts in the. Having issues with the barrel not fitting in the 10X bushing but the crown has been peened and needs to be fixed.

I have yet to polish the action so I'll need to do that before putting things back together. It should be straight forward. I've done that quite a bit.

[Underwhere]

Wiped of motor oil

I'll do some parts assembly tonight.
USPS is really horrible and I always get delayed delivery so I don't have my Cajun order in yet.

[Mccian]

I hope you are very proud.......turned out great!

[sberres]

Sure does look nice!  Now I can't wait until I can get the blue going on mine. It's only going to happen in the garage and it's just way too cold at night still.

[Underwhere]

I don't remember the last time I was this fond of a gun I completed.

It's definitely not perfect. Some smudges here and there. The frame is slightly lighter than the slide and controls. I hope it darkens a bit over time.

This particular gun will be a non-classic look. More of a fun gun.

It's getting:
* polished 10X bushing
* black SAO straight trigger
* blued CGW race hammer
* CGW EZD sights
* haven't decided on grips