All of the following done OUTDOORS:
1 cup of lye in 3 gallons of *cold* water will remove any kind of paint, gr ease, or applied coating from any otherwise inert metal or plastic. Even fr om the smallest nooks and crannies if left overnight. Do not do this, or ch oose the option below unless you have a safe method of disposal of the effl uent. Much vintage paint and coatings, especially bright colors contained l ead, chromium, cadmium and other pigments that are no fun in any concentrat ion.Glacial Ammonia - available as a diazo-print developer back in the day - wi ll do the same.
Kerosene and other light hydrocarbons should also be used outdoors if used as solvents. Similarly, gasoline, Naptha, Coleman fuel and others of that n ature. And certainly not indoors or near sources of ignition - even electri c fans.
Acetone should be used in very small quantities as the vapor is heavier tha n air and quite volatile (explosive). Outdoors if in any sort of quantity.
Similarly, methanol (wood alcohol). Very explosive if the vapors are concen trated.
I keep a number of 1-ounce glass eyedropper bottles for various solvents an d such, including my 20:1 naptha-oleic acid mix. And even then, I tend to b e quite careful with them.
I am also a great believer in new-technology lubricants. Synthetics, engine ered long-chain polymers and PTFE additives have made the options very near ly infinitely better than even 30 years ago. Nor are vast quantities needed for most of us. Running four clocks and any number of other clockwork/mech anical devices (and guns) and I am still on my first pints with most left o ver. So, at that level, cost is really not a factor.
Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA