Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing What will cut/dissolve thread lock red

Pulled a scope, rings, and bases. Permatex Threadlocker Red had been used on the base screws and between the bases and the stainless barrel. The threadlocker has dried and hardened on the barrel and under the bases. I'm having a major problem getting it off the stainless barrel and the aluminum bases. What could be used to dissolve it?
Thanks
Jim

Have you tried heat?

Acetone

Heat is the only remedy that I found works.

It is one of those things like epoxy that almost nothing will dissolve. Heat will break it down with care. On screws I use a copper or brass rod the head size, heat red hot and hold on the screw.

Just a little heart from a propane torch.....

I ❤️ propane!

Try soaking in vinegar - it's a good solvent before curing and I've had good luck using it to soften cured epoxies on screw threads, etc. Be advised it dissolves rust, so it also will play hell with salts-based bluing.

Don't you just love these mis-guided Bubbas out there? They screw down scope rings to the point of crushing the tube, fill every conceivable threaded hole with red Loctite, and install sling swivel studs 9 inches above the butt and off-center. I recently sold a nice Rem 700 ADL which had a swivel stud in the pistol grip. Dumbass rifle owners with a drill and no sense...

Even better if they have a Dremel.

MEK is the only solvent listed in the tech notes and that was banned for sale to consumers. And even then the tech notes said use mechanical means to remove. Apparently MEK softens, not dissolves. That means acetone should soften though less aggressively.

I tried acetone and it turns the threadlocker white on the surface and appears to harden it. Heat softens it and it becomes like chewing gum spreading out and sticking wherever it touches. Fun!
Been away today and have not tried the vinegar yet. White or apple cider? Probably doesn't matter. Thanks for commiserating with me. :-)

Freezing works sometimes. An impact wrench but might be overkill. You may end up having to drill them out and re-thread which isn't a bad thing if you have room for larger screws.

Thanks Tejano.
The screw holes are not filled. Impact wrench? Well acetylene torches have been considered. Orbital sander?
What I'm dealing with is a layer adhered to the top of the barrel that was between the barrel and bases. This evening I took a piece of discarded 270 brass and scraped some off. It's hard enough that it flakes and chips off. A thin layer is still left on the barrel 2-3 thousandths thick. I can get most of that off but there still are edge lines and a very thin layer at places. Now is when I need something to dissolve it .

MEK is available at our True Value.
Maybe different rules for different states?

I get it at work.

Not supposed to be/ rule from the federal Consumer Safety Protection Commission if I remember correctly.

OMG this isn't that hard, impact wrench, acetylene torch, orbital ssnder??? holy crap. This always worked for me, heat gun and bronze wool, won't hurt blueing but since your is stainless even better. had one stainless gun they use thread retainer on the bases to try to glue the bases to the gun and it stained the stainless, I just glass bead blasted the whole gun.

Gemby, good to hear from you.


That's what happened here. Gluing didn't work. When I got the screws loose the bases were moving freely but there was a heavy layer adhered to the barrel.

"impact wrench, acetylene torch, orbital sander" were just a bit of levity. Needed some grinnin.

Got it off now. Scraped it. some marks on the stainless but they are under the scope bases. Would still like to know if there is something that would melt that Thread Locker.

Heat, that will break down any glue, epoxy, or thread locker unless he was using the epoxy NASA uses to attach ceramic plates on the space shuttle. if it stills bother you that it's still there have it glass bead blasted, have the completely done your rifle with look good as new. If you were closer I would say drive down and I would bead blast your gun for you for nothing.