Nail Polish Detailing gone bad.

dzrout · June 27, 2013, 10:04 AM

I have don't this on all of my handguns and never had a problem, I have used the same polish and remover. I attempted it today with my SR-22 Rifle and this it what I get. (see pic) Does anyone have any solutions that they think might work? Thank you so much.

dgludwig · June 27, 2013, 11:15 AM

I'm not sure what you're referring to. Do you mean what appears to be a slight discoloration immediately under the "eagle" logo? Welcome to The Firing Line.

Brian Pfleuger · June 27, 2013, 11:22 AM

The frame is polymer (plastic), nail polish remover is primarily Acetone. Acetone typically eats (dissolves) plastic. You dissolved your gun and embedded white nail polish in the molten plastic, which then rehardened.

dzrout · June 27, 2013, 11:26 AM

The gun is Metal. Kind of a textured finish. and yes the Cloudy white areas around the engraving. The nail polish remover is not cleaning up the cloudy areas.

dzrout · June 27, 2013, 11:29 AM

On my other guns this came right off leaving the engravings very detailed and defined. I assume its because of the textured finish. I was just wondering if there was anything else I can try that will not effect the finish. Thanks guys.

**44 AMP** · June 27, 2013, 11:51 AM

Sorry I got no help for you with cleaning up the area. You used compounds with volatile solvents in them, and got a reaction. It might be the rough surface, trapping the light color in the "dips" and not allowing the remover to do as good a job as it could on a smooth surface.

It could be a chemical reaction to the finish, or the underlying metal or polymer. I just don't know. My guess would be tiny bits of pigment in the low spots of the rough finish, giving a lightened color.

I don't know the correct name (or where to get one) but many years ago a friend of mine had a color "pencil", (about the size of a carpenter's pencil) made up of a (fairly hard) waxy material and pigment. No volatile chemicals. He had Gold and white. Told me the gold one was expensive, because it was "real" gold flecks in it.

One just rubbed it over the lettering, and then rubbed off the excess. I had lovely gold lettering on one of my S&Ws for years with a single application. OF course, this was on a smooth surface, as well. A rough surface would likely make cleaning up the excess tougher.

Good luck!

Brian Pfleuger · June 27, 2013, 11:57 AM

Ah, sorry, my quick search failed me, or I failed it.

Still, I'm guessing that you're either got some reaction to the coating or as 44AMP said, the grooves in the finish are trapping the polish.

dzrout · June 27, 2013, 12:08 PM

Thanks guys. I will play around with it. I have wanted to duracoat it anyway. Maybe this is a good time to do that.

"JJ" · June 27, 2013, 12:36 PM

I don't know how to get it off but I know what I would do if I were you and can't remove it!
Make the rest of the gun match!

I think if it were all over the gun sort of in patches here and there it would resemble marbling.
Just a thought!

Good luck!

James K · June 27, 2013, 12:51 PM

Those wax pencils are called "china markers" and are made for marking porcelain. The white ones do a good job of bringing out stampings and are easy to remove (gasoline) and touch up. They should be available at hardware and stationery stores.

As to dzrout's problem, I can only suggest using acetone and a toothbrush. If that doesn't work, try a soft steel or brass brush. It would be best to try this on a hidden place if possible in case the acetone dissolves the finish.

Jim

Dragline45 · June 27, 2013, 07:04 PM

Try mothers mag polish or flits. I just used this on old bike and it took off the surface rust without removing the paint/finish.

dzrout · June 27, 2013, 08:56 PM

Well the nail Polish remover worked. The issue is that I needed one q tip per letter. Once it softened the Polish it just pushed it around. It was hard to see since it's white. I uses about 30 q tips bit I got it. Thanks guys.

Oceanbob · June 27, 2013, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Well the nail Polish remover worked. The issue is that I needed one q tip per letter. Once it softened the Polish it just pushed it around. It was hard to see since it's white. I uses about 30 q tips bit I got it. Thanks guys.

Well good. Nail Polish Remover is just ACETONE with perfume mixed in.

(I buy it in 55 gallon drums for my carbon fiber work)

Nail polish is the WRONG stuff to use. Wrong. I don't care what those guys on YouTube use.

Use Liquid Paper and Hoppes Solvent. No smears, no smudges. No mess.

SgtLumpy · June 27, 2013, 10:14 PM

Naptha (Ronson old style lighter fluid) is a good solvent. I've never found a finish (paint, shellac, lacquer, varnish) that it will harm. It's safe on very delicate wood and polished plastic. I use it on musical instruments. Removes oil and grease and evaporates RIGHT NOW. Then to fill engraved letters, I've used lacquer or shellac pencils (come in white, black and colors). Fill the engraving, let the stuff harden, then wipe off the excess with naptha lightly. The color stays in the engraving, comes off mostly with friction, where you don't want it.

I've done automobile vintage gauges and military switch panels the same way.

I know guys who fill engraving with pigmented CA glue. I've never felt the need for anything more permanant than the shellac or lacquer pencils. Shellac dissolves in alcohol. Lacquer dissolves in acetone.

Sgt Lumpy

dzrout · June 28, 2013, 10:41 AM

I used nail polish on my Glock, and it turned out great. but the slide is smoother than the finish on the SR-22. While I was at it, I did the girlfriends LC9 and my Glock Magazines also. I touched them up a bit after the pics. After they dried for another couple hours one more pass with Polish Remover and they looked great. Then a coat of Hoppes.

June 27, 2013, 11:15 AM	#2
dgludwig Senior Member Join Date: February 12, 2005 Location: North central Ohio Posts: 7,486	I'm not sure what you're referring to. Do you mean what appears to be a slight discoloration immediately under the "eagle" logo? Welcome to The Firing Line. __________________ ONLY AN ARMED PEOPLE CAN BE TRULY FREE ; ONLY AN UNARMED PEOPLE CAN EVER BE ENSLAVED ...Aristotle NRA Benefactor Life Member

June 27, 2013, 11:22 AM	#3
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	The frame is polymer (plastic), nail polish remover is primarily Acetone. Acetone typically eats (dissolves) plastic. You dissolved your gun and embedded white nail polish in the molten plastic, which then rehardened. __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley

June 27, 2013, 11:51 AM	#6
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,839	Sorry I got no help for you with cleaning up the area. You used compounds with volatile solvents in them, and got a reaction. It might be the rough surface, trapping the light color in the "dips" and not allowing the remover to do as good a job as it could on a smooth surface. It could be a chemical reaction to the finish, or the underlying metal or polymer. I just don't know. My guess would be tiny bits of pigment in the low spots of the rough finish, giving a lightened color. I don't know the correct name (or where to get one) but many years ago a friend of mine had a color "pencil", (about the size of a carpenter's pencil) made up of a (fairly hard) waxy material and pigment. No volatile chemicals. He had Gold and white. Told me the gold one was expensive, because it was "real" gold flecks in it. One just rubbed it over the lettering, and then rubbed off the excess. I had lovely gold lettering on one of my S&Ws for years with a single application. OF course, this was on a smooth surface, as well. A rough surface would likely make cleaning up the excess tougher. Good luck! __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

June 27, 2013, 11:57 AM	#7
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	Ah, sorry, my quick search failed me, or I failed it. Still, I'm guessing that you're either got some reaction to the coating or as 44AMP said, the grooves in the finish are trapping the polish. __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley

June 27, 2013, 12:36 PM	#9
"JJ" Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2010 Location: NE Texas Posts: 576	I don't know how to get it off but I know what I would do if I were you and can't remove it! Make the rest of the gun match! I think if it were all over the gun sort of in patches here and there it would resemble marbling. Just a thought! Good luck! __________________ ~ "JJ"

June 27, 2013, 11:26 AM	#4
dzrout Junior Member Join Date: June 27, 2013 Posts: 6	The gun is Metal. Kind of a textured finish. and yes the Cloudy white areas around the engraving. The nail polish remover is not cleaning up the cloudy areas.

June 27, 2013, 11:29 AM	#5
dzrout Junior Member Join Date: June 27, 2013 Posts: 6	On my other guns this came right off leaving the engravings very detailed and defined. I assume its because of the textured finish. I was just wondering if there was anything else I can try that will not effect the finish. Thanks guys.

June 27, 2013, 12:08 PM	#8
dzrout Junior Member Join Date: June 27, 2013 Posts: 6	Thanks guys. I will play around with it. I have wanted to duracoat it anyway. Maybe this is a good time to do that.

June 27, 2013, 12:51 PM	#10
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Those wax pencils are called "china markers" and are made for marking porcelain. The white ones do a good job of bringing out stampings and are easy to remove (gasoline) and touch up. They should be available at hardware and stationery stores. As to dzrout's problem, I can only suggest using acetone and a toothbrush. If that doesn't work, try a soft steel or brass brush. It would be best to try this on a hidden place if possible in case the acetone dissolves the finish. Jim

June 27, 2013, 07:04 PM	#11
Dragline45 Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2010 Posts: 3,513	Try mothers mag polish or flits. I just used this on old bike and it took off the surface rust without removing the paint/finish.

June 27, 2013, 08:56 PM	#12
dzrout Junior Member Join Date: June 27, 2013 Posts: 6	Well the nail Polish remover worked. The issue is that I needed one q tip per letter. Once it softened the Polish it just pushed it around. It was hard to see since it's white. I uses about 30 q tips bit I got it. Thanks guys.

June 27, 2013, 10:14 PM	#14
SgtLumpy Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2013 Posts: 779	Naptha (Ronson old style lighter fluid) is a good solvent. I've never found a finish (paint, shellac, lacquer, varnish) that it will harm. It's safe on very delicate wood and polished plastic. I use it on musical instruments. Removes oil and grease and evaporates RIGHT NOW. Then to fill engraved letters, I've used lacquer or shellac pencils (come in white, black and colors). Fill the engraving, let the stuff harden, then wipe off the excess with naptha lightly. The color stays in the engraving, comes off mostly with friction, where you don't want it. I've done automobile vintage gauges and military switch panels the same way. I know guys who fill engraving with pigmented CA glue. I've never felt the need for anything more permanant than the shellac or lacquer pencils. Shellac dissolves in alcohol. Lacquer dissolves in acetone. Sgt Lumpy