Removing blueing without damaging park underneath?

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Ratzinger_p38

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One of the final steps for my M1 Carbine restoration is something that annoyed me since I got it. The first 5 or so inches of the barrel (including the front sight) are blued. I read this was common with gun dealers in the 1960s, to 'improve' the appearance of some milsurp arms.

The park on the rest of the barrel is still OK with some wear, so I am wondering if its possible to remove the blue without also removing the parkerization under it? I dont want to have to redo the park if I dont have to.
 
I didn't think that you could blue over parkerizing, since the park would chemically react with the steel and ostensibly form a barrier to the bluing salt.

Can you post pics of what you have?
 
It's far more likely that the parkerizing(if there ever was any) was removed and the bluing added. Bluing doesn't go on parkerizing. Bluing is a controlled rusting process. Parkerizing is for stopping/inhibiting rust. Any rust remover will take bluing off. Vinegar does it too. You'll likely be re-parkerizing though.
 
Sunray: Thanks. Guess what? I tried using vinegar, and it came right off. The park underneath was fine. Obviously then, this was not blueing. But it wasnt grime or dirt. I dont know what it was, but it gave the barrel a blue like 'shine'.
 
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