I had a buddy ask me a question that I couldn't answer, maybe some of you chemists or gun maintenance experts can help.

Are there any solvents/degreasers/cleaners that you should not use on a titanium revolver cylinder?  Specifically, he's getting a S&W .38 revolver with a titanium cylinder and an aluminum frame and doesn't want to mess up the looks or structural integrity.

Thanks in advance!

Dishwasher, top rack.

Quoted: Dishwasher, top rack.

Well, the janitor ought to know.........but his wife would kill him.

Quoted: Quoted: Dishwasher, top rack. Well, the janitor ought to know.........but his wife would kill him.

Seriously, my buddy cleans his that way. Saw it myself.

Titanium isn't even tarnished by aquea regia.  (acid solution that dissolves gold)

I occasionally have to dissolve titanium where I work, and the only thing that will
put a dent in it is hydrofluoric acid.

DO NOT, use anything containing hydrofluoric acid.

The only common household cleaner that contains hydrofluoric acid is Whink Rust Remover.  
Whink

Further, avoid any situation where titanium can come into contact with phosphoric acid
and an electrical current.  The latest Popular Science had an interesting article on how
you can apply a relatively permanent blue/purple/red/yellow rainbow color to titanium by simply
applying an electrical current to titanium in phosphoric acid.  

Other than that, you can immerse it in the strongest acids without harm.  
It will laugh at detergents, or any gun cleaner you can throw at it.

Edit:  The same can't be said of the aluminum frame.  Keep it away from all acids and caustics,
and chlorinated solvents.  This includes many gun cleaners.  

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Dishwasher, top rack. Well, the janitor ought to know.........but his wife would kill him. Seriously, my buddy cleans his that way. Saw it myself.

Not if the lead kills him or his family first. Seriously, you really have to be congnisent of lead posioning. My friend "used" to tumble brass in his bedroom without the bowl cover, and his friend had recently qualified as medical tech. Anyways the med-tech guy just tested his blood for lead, and it came back over 5 times that recommended by OSHA.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Dishwasher, top rack. Well, the janitor ought to know.........but his wife would kill him. Seriously, my buddy cleans his that way. Saw it myself. Not if the lead kills him or his family first. Seriously, you really have to be congnisent of lead posioning. My friend "used" to tumble brass in his bedroom without the bowl cover, and his friend had recently qualified as medical tech. Anyways the med-tech guy just tested his blood for lead, and it came back over 5 times that recommended by OSHA.

Statistics, damn statistic and lies.

How did your buddy grow up?  Where did he grow up?  You realize that 5 times the recommended level by OSHA is still FAR below any sort of toxic level and that the measuring of lead has become good enough that the most minute quantity can be found that just a few years ago would not have even registered.

Do not become a victim.........of "scary numbers".  This is the same sort of statistical reporting that the media uses for things like radon and cancer caused by power lines.  Associating one statistic with one cause and not taking in to consideration ANY other factor.

ETA....The amount of lead on FIRED brass should be alomst nil.  First, most rounds are jacketed...no lead touching the brass.  Second, there is little or nothing for lead to stick to inside the casing.  Even lead bullets only scrape down a minute distance of case on the INSIDE.  Tumbling a case will not clean the INSIDE of the case very much, hence very little lead should escape.  After pouring tumbling media out of virtually THOUSANDS of fired .38 cases that housed lead Wadcutters, I am no more blind or stupid then before. (not saying much, but...)

BE VERY CAREFUL!  Do NOT use a metal brush, use ONLY a plastic brush.

Read the manual that came with the gun if you have it.  If it is the Airweight .38 from S&W, then you must take care not to scratch the finish that seals the titanium from oxidation.  My manual said not to use a metal brush.  In fact, it came with a coupon that allowed me to send the revolver in to the mfg for cleaning, up to 6 times I believe.  It said nothing about what solvents I could or could not use, just not to scratch/penetrate the finish of the cylinder (and probably frame but I can't recall).

If it's not that revolver, then maybe there are no worries.  I have a Taurus Ti that says nothing of the kind and is shiny instead of the dark grey matte of the cylinder on my S&W.