Soaking handguns ... solvent solution?

Waveski · Aug 16, 2018

I know that this subject is well trodden... I have searched in vain.

I wish to soak an old revolver in the hope of improving the action without being the first guy to remove the side plate (after 90 years). I am pretty sure that someone here (Driftwood Johnson?) has recommended a home brew of ATF and kerosene , or mineral spirits , acetone or something ; I cannot find or remember it.

Help would be appreciated.

Thank you.

GBExpat · Aug 16, 2018

Why don't you want to remove the side plate?

ColtPythonElite · Aug 16, 2018

I do it with Ed's Red, minus the acetone....I use kerosene, ATF and mineral spirit's.

George P · Aug 16, 2018

Ed's Red is what you want to make, but it will work better with the sideplate removed

Kp321 · Aug 16, 2018

Take the screws out and hit the grip frame repeatedly with a screwdriver handle. The side plate will pop out eventually with no damage.

Blue68f100 · Aug 17, 2018

Like said Ed's Red is what you want. I would recommend using Syn ATF for it does not have that bad odor. The Acetone/MEK are needed only if your working on shotgun, to remove wadding plastic.

Jim Watson · Aug 17, 2018

George P said:
Ed's Red is what you want to make, but it will work better with the sideplate removed

Kp321 said:
Take the screws out and hit the grip frame repeatedly with a screwdriver handle. The side plate will pop out eventually with no damage.

Best to back out the strain screw and relax the mainspring first so as not to put a load on the hammer stud while not supported at both ends.

GBExpat · Aug 17, 2018

GBExpat said:
Why don't you want to remove the side plate?

Perhaps there is some obscure Judeo-Christian prohibition regarding the removal of the sideplate of an old revolver?

Mizar · Aug 17, 2018

What's wrong with plain old Diesel fuel as a solvent? Apart from the obvious side plate removal apostasy and the grave consequences of it...

jaguarxk120 · Aug 17, 2018

Ed's Red works better because of the four different solvents. They all work together, but in different ways.
The mix of Dextron and acetone is a classic rust buster solution.

Waveski · Aug 17, 2018

Man , what a tough room. Thank you all for the tips on side plate removal , but I already know how to do that. I did not foresee that the simple mention of not removing the side plate from a recently acquired 100 year old I frame would cause religion to be brought into the discussion. What I said ---

Waveski said:
I wish to soak an old revolver in the hope of improving the action without being the first guy to remove the side plate

Please note that I did not say that I won't remove the side plate , only that I hope to avoid doing so. Now , if I would prefer to avoid the risk of marring a 100 year old screw slot , that does not make me a pajama boy , does it? And , if it turns out that plate removal is necessary , wouldn't it likely go better after a good soak in some good old Ed's Red?

Waveski · Aug 17, 2018

GBExpat said:
Perhaps there is some obscure Judeo-Christian prohibition regarding the removal of the sideplate of an old revolver?

Maybe that was covered in Commandments 11 through 15 which were lost when Moses (Mel Brooks) dropped the 3rd stone tablet...?

Blue68f100 · Aug 18, 2018

Waveski said:
Man , what a tough room. Thank you all for the tips on side plate removal , but I already know how to do that. I did not foresee that the simple mention of not removing the side plate from a recently acquired 100 year old I frame would cause religion to be brought into the discussion. What I said ---

Please note that I did not say that I won't remove the side plate , only that I hope to avoid doing so. Now , if I would prefer to avoid the risk of marring a 100 year old screw slot , that does not make me a pajama boy , does it? And , if it turns out that plate removal is necessary , wouldn't it likely go better after a good soak in some good old Ed's Red?

There is no harm in soaking it with the side plate on. Doing so may make the screws come out easier.

Are you going to use a ultrasonic cleaner for this? If so it would greatly speed up the cleaning process.

Waveski · Aug 18, 2018

I do not have access to such a cleaner. I do have plenty of time.

BSA1 · Aug 18, 2018

Waveski said:
Now , if I would prefer to avoid the risk of marring a 100 year old screw slot , that does not make me a pajama boy , does it?

And , if it turns out that plate removal is necessary , wouldn't it likely go better after a good soak in some good old Ed's Red?

It depends on what kind of pajamas you wear.

As for not wanting to remove the sideplate I agree with you. There is no way to know what is going to happen when you turn the screwdriver. Soft head, rusted threads, tighten by Hugo the gorilla 100 years ago.

I use about a quart of mixture a sold by Cylinder and Slide. Similar to Ed's Red. I have drained it through a filter a couple of time s to remove any gunk that settles to the bottom.

Soaking handguns ... solvent solution?

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