For these older guns, i.e. pre-WW1, is acetone safe for the blueing?

Most reports are that acetone is safe for modern blueing on steel (not alum), but when I de-greasing a patch on my Hopkins Allen / Rev-o-Noc, it seemed like it was thinning the blue.

I bought a Ballard Pacific that two sons had coated all the metal with varnish 60 years ago to protect their father's rifle. Nothing would touch that varnish except acetone. So I removed the wood and began the long task of soaking small areas and quickly wiping the varnish off before the acetone dried and the varnish hardened again. Took me 8 hrs., but the acetone had no effect on the 140 year old rust bluing, or the case colors.

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not to stray far but years ago I read about using easy-off oven cleaner to pull grease and oil out of old military rifle stocks. I have used the technique often, takes more than one application most times. Seems like this was written up in one of the old NRA gunsmithing books.

What thread drift!  So, is acetone a threat to old blueing, or not?

Mass Patriot wrote on Jun 26^th, 2024 at 6:03pm:


No it is not.  If you are removing patina from the old rifle, it is probably dried oil/grease that is coming off.

Mass Patriot wrote on Jun 26^th, 2024 at 10:14pm:


The internet is a nice thing, but often someone who answers a question is simply passing along a myth they heard vs. actually having hands on experience to know their answer is correct.