Gold Lode Kit Removal?

[the spank]

I acquired a beautiful trap gun with a spare barrel, both in 99.9% condition. It appears the previous owner may have used on of those Gold Lode Kits to embellish the printing on the barrels and receiver. I am 99% sure its not original gold fill, it's too canary yellow and I have never known of these guns to have gold embellishing except in the pigeon and higher grades. What can I use to remove this without harming the bluing? The gun is almost 40 years old and was NIB never assembled or fired until last fall so the bluing is 100% still.

 

[Tharjoe]

Try a bit of paper towel or a cotton swab with some acetone on it. If it is paint-based gold material filling in the engraving it might soften it (don't get it near the wood as it will likely strip the finish). If it works, a fine nylon bristle brush with acetone might work to remove the gold colour. The acetone shouldn't hurt the bluing at all.

 

[guntech]

Lacquer thinner may work better...

 

[trevj]

Nail polish remover, if you have a Missus around that you can steal some from. Main ingredient in most of it is Acetone.

Acetone flashes off really fast, so you pretty much need to saturate a pad of some sort with the stuff and hold it in contact with the painted area so it can soften the paint. Chances are, if you got a Missus, and she has nail polish remover, she also has makeup and nail pads you can steal from her too.

Lacquer thinner will be a better choice if you gotta run to the store to get it.

I have used brake fluid to remove paint in the past. Should not touch the bluing, but try it on an old part first, eh.

Cheers
Trev

 

[Ian Robertson]

You may be looking at an epoxy based paint. Acetone etc will not touch it. Paint remover may have a better chance but I am not sure what it will do to the metal. I would do a small test where it won't be noticed. The remover I have says it will work on epoxy and I know it does have an effect from stripping an epoxy stock (quickly!) Actually brake fluid, good idea, is well worth a try. Anyway if it gets loosened up a stiff brush might help