How to remove glow in the dark glue/epoxy??

[ZakAri]

Hey everyone,

Hope all is well and you all are toughin out the holidays and gray weather.

I had stumbled across a gun in a pawn shop for what I thought was a smokin deal…. I was looking over my shoulder, pulling out my wallet as fast as I could before anyone else (I was the only one there…) could steal the deal away from me. The clerk calmly came around to opening up the case so I could get the pistol in hand, so I could go through the motions that I was somewhat interested, fully intending to purchase after a wink…. Then, to my horror, I spotted what was left of the sights …. Whoever did this to the gun should be ashamed, and I am just as ashamed for not taking a picture. There was a resinous, gunky build up of sloppily applied, glow in the dark glue/epoxy like substance, that was cemented, rock hard, onto the front sight (not such a biggie as it could be removed and thrown out, but on the back sight, on the frame of the J frame, there were two more globs, completely bonded to the metal/scandium.

All that, to ask this: What could be used to remove this atrocious diy Glow Job from the scandium/metallic frame of this gun?

Please pitch in….

Thanks in advance.

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[K-22]

Hey everyone,

Hope all is well and you all are toughin out the holidays and gray weather.

I had stumbled across a gun in a pawn shop for what I thought was a smokin deal…. I was looking over my shoulder, pulling out my wallet as fast as I could before anyone else (I was the only one there…) could steal the deal away from me. The clerk calmly came around to opening up the case so I could get the pistol in hand, so I could go through the motions that I was somewhat interested, fully intending to purchase after a wink…. Then, to my horror, I spotted what was left of the sights …. Whoever did this to the gun should be ashamed, and I am just as ashamed for not taking a picture. There was a resinous, gunky build up of sloppily applied, glow in the dark glue/epoxy like substance, that was cemented, rock hard, onto the front sight (not such a biggie as it could be removed and thrown out, but on the back sight, on the frame of the J frame, there were two more globs, completely bonded to the metal/scandium.

All that, to ask this: What could be used to remove this atrocious diy Glow Job from the scandium/metallic frame of this gun?

Please pitch in….

Thanks in advance.

What finish is on the gun?
If blued, I would try a little acetone, and/or lacquer thinner for openers.
Best,
Gary

 

[Xmark1]

I really am looking forward to a member to reply about an epoxy that will bond with steel. I don't know of one and I have worked with metal and adhesives extensively. JB Weld just doesn't do it. It's more of a filler than a bonder.
There is Loctite but it's not an epoxy, and again its more of a filler.

 

[lucusloc]

A little heat does wonders on most modern epoxy substances. Strip the gun down, warm it up gently (I would avoid a torch, use an oven of some kind, you only need to get up to 200F or so) and then knock the stuff off. If the gun has a decent finish on it the residue should peel right off in one semi-soft blob.

Of course I am making a lot of assumptions here. If your gun has a poor finish or the substance is some exotic compound then you may be SOL and will need to resort to some advanced chemistry to get it off. But if you have a decent finish on the gun and the stuff is a commercially available low temp polymer epoxy a little heat should do wonders.

 

[Stomper]

A little heat does wonders on most modern epoxy substances. Strip the gun down, warm it up gently (I would avoid a torch, use an oven of some kind, you only need to get up to 200F or so) and then knock the stuff off. If the gun has a decent finish on it the residue should peel right off in one semi-soft blob.

Of course I am making a lot of assumptions here. If your gun has a poor finish or the substance is some exotic compound then you may be SOL and will need to resort to some advanced chemistry to get it off. But if you have a decent finish on the gun and the stuff is a commercially available low temp polymer epoxy a little heat should do wonders.

You beat me to it, could also use a heat-gun to localize the heat so as not to heat up the entire assembly.

 

[RVTECH]

on the frame of the J frame, there were two more globs,

J frame as a Smith & Wesson?

Pure sacrilege!

 

[Mark W.]

Most epoxies commonly used will release at about 250-300 degrees. In my 14 years as a custom knifemaker I used a number of different epoxies from Devcon 5 min to a dental epoxy that was amazing. JB Weld will not release until you pushing 600 degrees which has a high likelihood of damaging the finish on the pistol.

As to no epoxy holding on steel well that is just plain bull Devcon epoxy would attach handle scales to a knife tang so well that even exotic hard woods would break befor I could release the bond. I have bonded two piece of Aluminum with JB Weld building a hard top for my Willys jeep thats as strong as if I had used rivets.

 

[ZakAri]

Thank you everybody for your input and information. I'm gonna try to go back to the place today as I'm sure the piece of bubblegum is still there. I will post pictures if I can get my hands on it again. It is a Smith and Wesson 340 PD, scandium frame titanium cylinder.

 

[Nosferatu]

My guess is anyone who would do that to a gun isn't using anything special or exotic. I'd wager it's just superglue - which will dissolve with acetone.

 

[Yarome]

You beat me to it, could also use a heat-gun to localize the heat so as not to heat up the entire assembly.

This. If you're going the heat route a heat gun is the better option.

That said... most of those glow paint products easily loose their bonding with acetone.

 

[ZakAri]

Ok, I have some news..

I just left the pawnshop here on Northeast Sandy, the Silver lining to be exact. Upon further inspection, I took some pictures which I will post here:

Now, for the the real issue: upon further inspection, I noticed that with the cylinder open, looking up under the barrel from inside the frame, there was a long crack leading from the cylinder out the barrel. At this point, obviously I'm giving the gun back and letting them know, to which they nodded and said they'll let the manager know, then they put it back in the gun case right up top with the price tag. I'm not too sure, but if it was me, I wouldn't have put the gun back in the rack and put the price tag back on it like they did. Be wary and check over your firearms… this one looks like it'll blow up in somebody's hand, should they actually sell it to someone that doesn't catch the crack inside the frame.

 

[ZakAri]

Cracked frame:

 

[Certaindeaf]

Did you have it analyzed at a lab?
It's probably paint, as in fingernail polish or hobby paint.
Lacquer thinner or acetone will remove it.

 

[Stomper]

Most epoxies commonly used will release at about 250-300 degrees. In my 14 years as a custom knifemaker I used a number of different epoxies from Devcon 5 min to a dental epoxy that was amazing. JB Weld will not release until you pushing 600 degrees which has a high likelihood of damaging the finish on the pistol.

As to no epoxy holding on steel well that is just plain bull Devcon epoxy would attach handle scales to a knife tang so well that even exotic hard woods would break befor I could release the bond. I have bonded two piece of Aluminum with JB Weld building a hard top for my Willys jeep thats as strong as if I had used rivets.

So…. just how many mother in-laws do you suppose that hardtop will hold before it buckles?

 

[Stomper]

The forcing-cone is showing its wobbly bits!

 

[lucusloc]

Cracked frame:

View attachment 1786562 View attachment 1786563

Looks like it saw some rounds that were a bit too hot. I am not sure how many more rounds that is going to take before it lets go.

 

[ZakAri]

I really appreciate all the input fellas, looks like I'm gonna cut the chemistry experiment short on this one, last time I sent a pistol into Smith and Wesson for a mechanical issue, They had it for nine months!

Blessings and happy holidays gents,


Z

 

[orygun]

Cracked frame:

View attachment 1786562 View attachment 1786563

Uhh, that's not good.

 

[Nosferatu]

Damn, that thing is a disaster. They would have to pay ME to take it.

 

[orygun]

Damn, that thing is a disaster. They would have to pay ME to take it.

I'd take it for free. But then it would go to back to SAW.
I like J-frames.