Superglue ?

The solvent required is acetone. Which is usually the active ingredient in fingernail polish remover.

Incidentally, acetone is incredibly flammable, and burns with a nearly clear flame. It is mildly toxic. Fully miscible (dissolves in) water. In case of fire, apply huge ammounts of water, and the fire will go out. We hope.

When I was about 13 years old, the pharmacist down the road (Chemist for Englishers) dropped a jug of acetone in his pharmacy. He did try a portable extinguisher, and did manage to get out safely. However, the entire pharmacy was a total loss.

I did use heat one time to clear a superglued cam lock. I took the lock out to a parking lot, and held the lock in vise grips, held by the tailcam. Applied a propane flame, and then while it was still very hot applied a stream of WD-40. Worked nicely, freed up the lock.

<snip>No Off

Another thing about Acetone-It will eat almost anything off of almost anything. Long ago,I made the mistake of pouring a small ammount acetone into a plastic cup. Can't remember what I was using it to remove, but anyway, after I put back the glass bottle and went to pick up the cup, I noticed the acetone had eaten the plastic right where the air,acetone, and plastic met.

The acetone continued to eat the plastic until there was a puddle of it.

So be careful.keep straight acetone in the glass.

goma.

I think it's also the active ingredient in lacquer thinner, which I poured into a cup and had a similar reaction.

and don't ever leave a muriatic acid soaked sponge on a piece of porcelein!!

Care needed, too much heat will anneal the wafer springs.

Cyanoacrylates (Superglue) is soluble in methyl ethyl ketone, methylene chloride, nitromethane, and acetone. The best solvent is nitromethane, but it expensive and difficult to obtain.

CA debonder is a combination of nitromethane, and acetone.

Once the glue crystallizes, it's nearly impossible to remove or soften and once it has crystallized inside the moving parts of a lock, you're not likely to salvage it.

Some good reading by Elaine Davidson.

This depends on the kind of plastic.

Acetone does fine in polyethylene and polypropylene. It will eat ABS, styrene, acrylic etc.

If you need to use a plastic cup for any solvent, look for the number 1, 2,

4, or 5. Any other is likely to melt.

Pricey, yes. Difficult to obtain?

If you need to extinguish Acetone which is a Polar Solvent I would use a Foam Extinguisher. Ideally AFFF or Alcoseal. But lets try not to light it in the first place. Lots or water = running fire.

Jim.