Factory finish and Acetone

[redlightrich]

Hello all, has anyone used acetone on the factory finish? I am wondering if it will strip it? I am considering using acetone to remove a rear sight on a Kadet, which was red loctite in place. Yes I realize heat will work too, but the rear sight also has a small set screw, which is easily stripped. If I can get the set screw to release ( the screw itself was held in with blue, but may have reacted with the red that I used on the bottom of the sight base) I am home free.

Maybe someone has crossed this bridge before. If the acetone will damage the finish, I will use heat, or if that wont work, I will cut the sight.

My goal is to remove the sight without damaging it, or the slide of course. Cutting will be a last resort.

Thank you

Rich

[viking499]

Not sure on the acetone.

Do you have a soldering iron?  If so, use it on the top of the set screw to heat it up enough to remove it.  This also might work on the sight.

[DWARREN]

I would not use acetone on any firearm, it will strip just about everything.
Use some heat, soldering iron or similar.

[schmeky]

Acetone won't touch the Loctite.  Neither will it harm the frame, but it will remove the little painted red "dot" on the frame on manual safety CZ's.

We use acetone by the gallon all the time in our shop, won't harm the polycoat finish at all.  Polymer framed CZ's are also not affected.

[redlightrich]

I am going to take Schmecky's answer, as he seems to have the most experience. Yes, I have heat gun, propane, oxy/acetylene, and soldering irons a plenty.

Acetone does dissolve Loctitie. I used loctite for years in the auto world, but never concerned myself with the way acetone reacted to the metal. The cosmetic result was usually hidden. Although, if it can't soak, it wont release, so that may not work.

So we all know what I am doing, I had my Kadet sight fall off one day ( it is simply staked in place thru the forward hole) and it was a poor job. I took the LPA sight, and drilled and tapped it for a hex set screw. I then used purple loctite on the screw, but red on the base. The red may have touched the screw threads.. I was very proud of my repair, until now, when I need to remove it ( to install a CGW dot sight mount).

If the screw won't budge with heat or other methods, I can always cut a score line thru the sight, but I hate ruining parts. I will probably try heat, then heat with a left hand bit, then a tiny end mill bit to cut thru the set screw, and if all that fails, then cut the sight.

Thank you all for the help

I will post follow up after I get this done

[redlightrich]

I do apologize, I hope I didn't come across as rude, by saying I take Schmeky's advice. I didn't mean I don't value other people's opinions. I meant in regards to the acetone, and how it reacts to the finish. A man who uses gallons of this would know. I also think he runs CGW, so he probably knows more than many of us do.

Schmeky, if you do indeed run ( or work at, or own CGW) then, I want to especially  thank you for sharing with all of us, instead of carefully guarding your hard earned methods.

I realize that experience takes time to obtain, and many shop owners will not share their knowledge as freely as you do.

Thank you from all of us!!!

[ernie_h]

Acetone .... Polymer framed CZ's are also not affected.

Thanks David....good to know, given the effect of acetone on some plastics/polymers. [I wonder if plastic sights or plastic components of certain sights would be a problem]

[redlightrich]

I am sure the polymer of that wrench is a different composition that of a CZ pistol, but I would certainly use caution putting acetone on any item, and would recommend trying it in a hidden, non critical area of the item that was to be wet with it to see if there was any negative reaction.

I was able to remove the sight without much drama. I heated the underside of the upper slide to "warm" the red loctite, using a heat gun, and at the same time, used a soldering iron to introduce heat directly into the set screw. It came out with no drama. I could even re-use the set screw if I wanted. The sight was not harmed at all. Please note, I used PURPLE loctite on the set screw, not red. The red was used at the site base, and looking at how it came off, I was careful to apply it in a way that kept it away from the set screw area. I used it mostly in the v angles of the sight cut.

Thank you all

Rich