On Jan 29, 2018, Bob La Londe wrote
(in article ):

I must be getting old. I usedta never was sentimental about things.

Anyway, yesterday I went through all my micrometers and the ones that
measured the most accurately and consistently using gage blocks and the
few Starret standards I have were the Starretts. Those all came from my
Grampa Klements and they are all very old. Some may be 80-100 years
old. I was quite surprised. But not only were they consistent over a
range, but they were all adjusted. None were tight or sticky or anything.

In those from my grandfather there were two marked JT Slocomb. They
actually checked pretty close on the line and over their range, but they
were both quite stiff. I wonder if it would be ok to soaked them in
acetone to get any gunk out of them.
As others have said, dont use acetone, as it will take the paint out of
the engracved numbers, et al.

Use V&MP Naptha from the paint store for soaking.

I use manually applied acetone to remove the varnish from threads and the
like. Naptha wont otherwise get all the varnish.

I have mostly very old micrometers bought used, and they are all sopt on when
cleaned and lubricated.

Joe Gwinn