Acetone for cleaning

[Gabe Newell]

I'm using acetone to clean knife blades. Is there anything, particularly handle materials, on which I should avoid wiping acetone?

[Jason Cutter]

Acetone will remove almost all glues, epoxies, acrylates (including the superglues), finishes, dyes, oils and may actually degrade some spacer / liner parts. Methylated spirits are less aggressive but will still remove a lot of finishes from natural materials. However, it won't attack epoxy / superglues so it is safer in that respect. Obviously since acetone is such a good solvent, it is excellent around the workshop but you need to be very very careful how you use it. Just some of my experience sloshing acetone around... Jason.

[Jason Cutter]

Acetone and methylates spirits will also remove some of the natural oils and colours of woods like Gidgee, African Blackwood and the rosewoods. Spirits seem to wash out the colour of Purpleheart also. Jason.

[Jerry Oksman]

I think it will also remove any dyes or stains put into woods.

[whv]

i have also had the occasional bleaching effect of natural colors in wood - just can't recall which ones. nasty stuff to breath, too.

[ExamonLyf]

Originally posted by whv
i have also had the occasional bleaching effect of natural colors in wood - just can't recall which ones. nasty stuff to breath, too.

Ditto.., great stuff applied approriately.., but not as a "General Purpose" cleaner...

[Amy]

Would WD40 be a better alternative?