removing paint from bolt

[soonerfan66]

Chapter 3 ? Been helping a friend with a K98 and now after he made be a very cheap deal It's mine now . Needs some work and one thing I would like to take care of is that it has a very worn black paint job on the bolt (Russian capture maybe ?. it's #s are nonmatching but no X stamp seen on receiver .

, it's very spotchy . I would like to remove the paint and have nice and shiny . What is the safest and easiest way to remove the paint from metal with doing any damage to it . I have save a few old rifle stocks from someones Krylon Camo paint jobs but that was wood .

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Singer B]

Are you sure it is paint and not old bluing? My limited research indicates that Kar98k bolts came from the factory with a blued finish. My all original AR 41 has a blued bolt. Mitchell Mausers is known for polishing the bolts on their refurbished rifles. If it is paint, any paint remover will take it off with some light rubbing since the bolt itself is made of stainless steel. If it is bluing, I would leave it as is since that is what was on the rifle originally. If you want to remove the bluing, Birchwood Casey makes a product that will remove bluing from gun metal surfaces. Good luck and enjoy!

[soonerfan66]

The way it looks I am pretty sure it's paint . I never have seen bluing wear like this before . The bare spots are clean and shiny underneath . I heard the Russian k98s were painted in this way . All the metal on the rifle has same looking paint job . Anyone else that has more knowledge on this please speak up .

[Singer B]

Could be for sure. If you could post a photo of the bolt, that would be very helpful for anyone trying to come up with an answer.

[usabaker]

You can heat part of it up with a heat gun if it gets soft its paint. I would use any paint remover, but brake fluid can be used as a mild paint remover if you are worried about the finish but it will take time to make it soft (unless it urethane)

[browningautorifle]

Why not just use a rag saturated with acetone and see if it's paint or just blue? All the garbage will come off immediately. Use a stiff toothbrush to get into corners. It'll come clean.

[soonerfan66]

Got a little paint thinner on a rag and after a short time rubbing easy on the knob of the bolt the rag had quite a bit of black on it . So does seem to be paint . I read somewhere someone suggested white vinegar in a ultra sonic cleaner . I have a ultra sonic cleaner and may pick up some vinegar and try that , may save a little bit of scrubbing in the nooks and crannie areas of some bolt pieces . Getting arthritest in my hands and scrubbing sucks . Will give update after see how it goes .

[usabaker]

read somewhere someone suggested white vinegar in a ultra sonic cleaner

Careful with that, you can etch some metals turning them gray. What's wrong with Bob's suggestion of just using acetone?

The vinegar removes rust, I've not seen it remove paint.

[browningautorifle]

What's wrong with Bob's suggestion

Pardon? Bob?

white vinegar in a ultra sonic cleaner
Careful with that, you can etch some metals turning them gray

Agreed, don't use vinegar...certainly don't soak in it.

[usabaker]

Pardon? Bob?

LOL sorry, Bob, I mean Jim, I meant to write Jim not Bob... and certainly not Jimbob...