Painted Forend Head

[Garnett]

I recently got a Savage/Stevens with a painted forend head.  Unlike others I have seen, it was painted black.  About 2/3 of the black paint was gone so I wanted to remove it completely.  The action was also worn, so I hoped it would better match.  We all know how poorly the black paint adheres to the alloy trigger guards.  I decided to quickly buff it off.  My brass buffing wheel had NO effect on the paint.  I am not easily defeated, so I got the paint remover and coated the painted remains with it.  NOTHING HAPPENED!  I finally put on a mild grit sanding wheel on my Dremel tool, and it finally came off!  I wonder if it was some type of Epoxy finish?   Too bad Savage did not use the same grade of paint on the alloy trigger guards!

[Mike Armstrong]

Garnett, was this forend original to a 220 or 21(?  I've see plenty of Stevens guns with the "Stevens Ebony" forend, but never a Savage.  (Actually I kinda like the Stevens Ebony forends.  On a Stevens.).  Have no idea what kind of paint they would have used.  Most that I've seen, handled or owned were from the late 1940s and 1950s, so I don't think they had the kinds of paint we currently have.  So it may have been applied "aftermarket" as we say....

[Garnett]

It is a Savage, made for Sears, M94 style, outside hammer single barrel.  I was just really surprised at how tough the paint was.

[Cleetus]

If you need to remove paint from metal again get a plastic container and put water in it. Then add lye crystals to make a strong solution. Let it sit for a day or two or longer if you want. It will not rust in the strong alkaline solution. Just remember to use stronger rubber gloves and don't get any on your skin or eyes. It will burn a hole. NEVER, NEVER add water to the dry lye crystals only add lye to water. This also works well to remove eons of baked on crud from cast iron if you want to reseason it. You can also use vinegar and water to lift out rust from parts. just remember to rinse them and then put back in the lye solution to neutralize any acetic acid that might remain. Lye or sodium hydroxide is the active ingredient in oven cleaner and works because it is very caustic. I'm not sure if using it on a pot metal trigger guard would be a good idea though.

[Garnett]

Thanks for this information.  I have never used lye.  I have used 100% vinegar to remove blue from a gun.  What percentage of vinegar to water do you use for rust removal?

[Cleetus]

I have used half and half on cast iron cookware. I would assume more strength less time.