Gun cleaning with acetone

[Constrictor]

The other day i was in the field and my stainless S&W .357 was getting dirty, and i always have acetone in my truck because of my job. I used some and damn that stuff works awsome on cleaning. Is there any possible damage that could occur from using acetone or laquer thinner? it sure does work well!

 

[Vern Humphrey]

"Ed's Red" was developed by Ed (E. C. Harris) to duplicate the old Frankfort Arsenal cleaner and lubricator. Some of the original components, like sperm whale oil, are no longer available.

To make Ed's Red, mix equal parts of:

Acetone
AFT (Automatic Transmission Fluid) III
Stoddard's Solvent
Deoderized Kerosene.

If desired (and recommended for black powder guns), melt and add in one pound of anhydrous lanolin per gallon.

 

[Standing Wolf]

I'd be real cautious about using acetone on a plastic gun.

 

[dfariswheel]

Acetone and Lacquer thinner can remove painted highlights and may damage front sight inserts.
It usually won't harm the polymers that are used in pistol frames, but other plastic parts may be attacked by it.
It has no effect on bluing, parkerizing, plating, or stainless.

On the up side, they make great gun cleaners and degreasers, and have a "brightening" effect on brass.
Of course, the fire risk is high since the fumes are explosively inflammable.

I've used lacquer thinner for many years as a small gun parts cleaner and kept a small lidded cup on my bench at all times.

 

[Oro]

As usual, Dfariswheel had about nailed it. As someone with organic chemistry and medical training, I'll add this:

1) it is a highly, highly volatile organic solvent. It's like MEK on meth.
2) Never breath vapors or handle without gloves (its' carcinogenic)
3) Keep very much away from eyes
4) all that said, it is awesome for gun use. It's a flash solvent of unparalleled efficacy.
5)if you refinish grips, this is what you need to strip out old oils and finishes.

It evaporates very quickly, so if you want to soak something, do it in a shallow, covered container.

Like he said, mineral spirits or thinner is your first "go-to" solvent. They are safer and much less toxic. MEK or Acetone are the next levels of attack. But should be used wisely.

Have none of you taken college Organic Chemistry?!!

No, seriously, that's why these forums are great - we can try to share knowldege from either experience, school, or both, and keep things safe and useful.

 

[greener]

Kraemer, I have some minor quibbles. Good advice except for 1 and some of 2. Neither acetone nor methylethyl ketone (MEK) are classified as carcinogens. Acetone has no IARC classification. MEK has a 2B classification so it is considered by that body as "possibly carcinogenic to humans."

The main hazard for any of these "cleaners" is flammability. Acetone and MEK have pretty high vapor pressures (evaporate quickly), so an open container used to soak parts have a greater potential for fire from a spark or even static electricity. It's not a great idea to smoke when using any solvent.

Both acetone and MEK are irritants. MEK generally rated a 2 on health hazards and acetone a 1. (The scale is 0 for none and 4 for severe). Acetone tends to dry the skin and irritates the eyes by drying out the eyeball. Many years ago, I opened a 5-gal can of acetone in a very warm lab. The can had enough pressure to give me a face full around the safety glasses. I couldn't close my eyelids until after a session in the eyewash. I had a little eye irritation, but nothing serious. It's common in laboratories to put acetone in plastic squeeze bottles to rinse glassware to remove water after the wash and to speed drying, so it isn't that hazardous.

It is always a good idea to use rubber gloves and were protective safety glasses when using any kind of solvent.


MSDS for acetone: http://www.bu.edu/es/labsafety/ESMSDSs/MSAcetone.html
MSDS for MEK:
http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/m4420.htm

Have none of you taken college Organic Chemistry?!!

I taught organic chemistry in college and have a little time (20 years) being responsible for industrial hygiene in chemical plants.

 

[Virginian]

Sorry, I hated chemistry. Nuclear physics wan't great, but better than chemistry.

 

[Constrictor]

Thanks guys.
I did ask my local range attnedandt and he said it could leave the metal so bare as to allow it to rust, however i always spray my guns down with a light mist of spray gun oil so that should not be a problem.
You dont have to tell me about the dangers of Acetone and laquer thinner, ive been using the stuff daily for 25 years. I do kitchen formica countertops and use the thinner to remove old formica ( dissolves the glue) and to clean extra glue off the new formica that always gets plenty of places.
Ive been breathing the stuff for years, dont care for it but i feel fine. And ive had it splashed in my eyes 100's of times it just stings for about a minute.
I was very surprised how effective it was on cleaning my gun, and since it evaporates so quickly, your not left with a nasty smelling AND feeling goo on your hands while cleaning with it. Thanks for all the info!

 

[Oro]

Greener,

I respect your comments. But I also see the effects of this compound when used without safeguards in India, and other third world countries. We also have data from massive numbers of animal trials. The issue is, like many things, do we want to go ahead and scare people, or keep it on the QT until a lawsuit makes us do it? That's how the FDA works these days, you know.

My OC faculty in pre-med was fortunately progressive, and taught us not to trust the government when simple physical reasoning made it look silly. And acetone is one, like MEK, of other easily available chemicals that are just dangerous. They throw off hydroxyl groups about as effectively as household bleach. Most people know bleach isn't in their favor to touch or drink. While the chlorine attached to the bleach usually irritates folks and draws their attention away from the fumes, pure evaporative OH- doesn't. The number of epithelial carcinomas now crippling folks in the third world where acetone and benzene type aromatic carbon use is unregulated is now almost laughable, if it weren't tragic. That we let folks buy these crippling and carcinogenic compounds without warning is a serious mistake.

I don't want these compounds regulated. I don't want us into a nanny state. But I want folks to take precautions so the "grabbers" have less grounds to strip us of our rights and freedoms. IF we just put usage warnings on acetone and MEK like we do on household bleach, we'd be safe. What I worry about is them being stripped away from us in a "Nanny state" environment without us being able to stand up and say "OK, we'll take our warning and act as adults."

 

[grendelbane]

For reasons already mentioned, I prefer to clean firearms the 19th century way. I use hot water and soap. (OK, I realize I am using detergent, and not soap).

Lots of hot water. I drink water all the time, so I am pretty sure it is safe. (Except when it is hot). I clean my dishes with Dawn dishwashing detergent, so I figure that is pretty safe also.

The combination works really, really well. I do not understand why it fell out of favor.

 

[alexanderplatz]

so could you use acetone to clean the bolt and bolt carrier from an SKS to make sure it was clean enough to prevent slam fire issues? i've been thinking of cleaning mine with acetone and then oiling it up again with Rem Oil.

 

[Oro]

The combination works really, really well. I do not understand why it fell out of favor.

It never fell out of favor. You youngsters just look at ads in magazines and fall prey to it, and ignore the wisdom of your elders, like Steve Martin:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEoP8q5-3Jc

Poor sods.

 

[greener]

Kamerer: You are absolutely right about prolonged repeated exposure to many of the chemicals we use in ordinary life. However,

Probably not the place for a prolonged discussion of toxic affects of acetone or other chemicals. If you have data supporting your contentions you can send them to [email protected].

You are seriously misinformed on the chemistry and dangers of these chemicals. First, while your observations of injury and illness from prolonged and uncontrolled exposure to acetone in the third world could be valid, I'd have to ask what other chemicals were they concurrently exposed to? The only information on acetone toxicity from "massive" animal trials is the potential for liver damage and cellular necrosis. This comes from feeding animals with concentrations up to 50,000 ppm (5%) acetone for long periods. Note also, human metabolic processes produce acetone in small amounts. Check also ATSDR for the effects of exposure to acetone. Acetone is used for lots of things, including nail polish remover.

Ketones do not form hydroxyl anions (or OH radicals for that matter) without some serious chemistry steps. Your chemistry is dead wrong. When they evaporate, the whole molecule, not some reactive part evaporates. Also, you cannot evaporate just an anion (OH-). You have to take the cation with it as a neutral chemical compound. Your example of household bleach (sodium hypochlorite) is correct in that it generates hydroxyl anions. These are not the active, potentially dangerous component. The dangerous component is the hypochlorite anion. Which is the bleaching agent. Hypochlorite is corrosive and, if acid is added, can generate chlorine (Cl2). Note: hypochorite is commonly used for disinfecting swimming pools and can be used for disinfecting drinking water, but chlorine gas is generally used for disinfecting large volumes of drinking water. Chlorine gas reacts with water to form hypochorous acid, the bleach and disinfectant. Try household ammonia for creating hydroxyl anion: from the reaction of ammonia gas with water to form ammonium hydroxide. Both laundry bleach and household ammonia are more damaging on contact than either acetone or MEK.

If your "progressive" chemical education taught you this, then they did you a serious disservice. The chemistry you are putting out would get an F in any freshman course I taught for being just plain wrong. No political slant involved.

 

[kentucky_Dave]

Your wife / girlfriend uses acetone every time she changes nail polish.
It has a retardant, to slow evaporation, but is acetone.

If you like the paint job, don't use acetone.

I like acetone, because as it flashes, it cools

 

[Peter M. Eick]

I always enjoy these chemistry questions. I call up my dad (50+ chemistry as a prof and researcher) and talk about things. Quite entertaining to have a discussion with the old man and it is always a conversation starter to discuss the latest "insights" from the web.

What he taught me is that simple protection like Greener proposed is reasonable for "most" household goods like acetone and also don't drink the stuff or smell a lot of it.

Also I will always remember "the solution to pollution is dilution".

Keep up the good work greener. My dad would agree with your analysis.

 

[Joe the Redneck]

As for the chemestry debate, I will say my cat's naem is mittens.

I will saw that do test a small area before you use it on a blued gun. I have a very old RG revolver that I used acetone on. Iy didn't strip the bluing off, but the q tip just kept turning black. I have to believe that small amounts of the bluing were being worn off. So check just to make sure.

 

[Library Guy]

In California, acetone will cause cancer, birth defects, global warming, and spontaneous human combustion.

Everywhere else it just stings to get it in a cut.

Disclaimer: Not a doctor but I do their homework.

 

[bluetopper]

Immersing and cleaning with diesel is my favorite gun cleaner!!!