Taking Paint Off with a Razor Blade - Who'da Thunk it?
 

Dangest thing that I've ever seen. My whole concept of paint was that you had a primer to bond to the surface, then the paint chemically bonded to the primer (or at least mechanically), then the clear coat sealed it up in a nice chemical sandwich. I have been taking the paint off of my '77 in preparation of laying down a new paint job and a friend told me about this. I was doing it with a DA. Man, how much easier this is. I would have lost the bet if someone else had told me that this could be done. You can strip a car in a day or two. Anyone else ever heard of this or tried it?

Lots of folks have used razor blades to scrape the paint off, I used citrstrip to soften the paint then scarped it off with razor blades. If you are using a D/A sander be careful not to sand the tops of the fender surrounds off. :thumbs:

It doesn't work with all paints, but it does for some of them. I recently stripped a car at work this way. With some very careful scraping, I got a 1'x2' chunk off in one piece :D

This is 30 year old lacquer, turned it into silver dust.

Came off very easy.
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p...20Pics/011.jpg

The only time I like cheap paint job's.

http://i43.tinypic.com/mc3swj.jpg

Done it to faded clear coat on an 88 iroc. Works great

Did mine back in December and it was the painter who suggested the razor blade and 80 grit with a DA for the areas the blade couldn't go.

http://i626.photobucket.com/albums/t...o/IMG_2029.jpg

I have used razor blades on two of my vettes and it can't be beat, works great.

I thought they were crazy too, Now I am also a believer.
I did my 69 with Razor blades, completely amazed how easy to strip with the blades.

Throw it in some lacquer thinner for a few weeks and spray it back on :thumbs: :lol:

Same here with my red urethane paint job. There was another post that said it takes only a day or two. For me it's been a lot longer.

My problem with this cheap red paint job, is that they sprayed into the door body openings and just about everywhere else. In a perfect world it's be illegal for body shops to use all this overspray on a paint job.

Right on time thread that leads me to a question. I've heard in other threads that there is good and not so good razor blade devices to use. Anyone have any recommendations? I'm going to be doing/attempting this next week. I originally planned on using a chemical stripper from Ecklers but since purchasing it, I've heard some scary stories about the possibility of the stripper showing back up after the paint is laid down. I would appreciate opinions on that as well please. Thanx all.

Terry

I dont think it matters, but choose a device that is comfortable or you will have blisters. I used a regular paint scraper that you slide the blades into - probably could have found a better one. The key for me was to 1)round the corners of the blade with bench grinder, 2)change blades often, and 3)maintain around a 20-30 degree angle off of the surface to keep the paint flying. It probably took me 40 total hours to strip the car. Good luck:cheers:

I loathe those jointed, so-called, safety scrapers. They wobble at the joint which will cause you to gouge into the glass. I much prefer this:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57...2/IMG_0242.jpg

More comfortable in the hand and easier, at least for me, to manipulate.

But the absolute key to removing paint this way is a sharp razor blade...change them often.

I used a blade scraper similar to this one. Mine had a red handle and spring/tension clamp for the blades where this one has a screw which means having a flat blade screw driver handy each time you need to change blades which is very often as DJordan442 mentioned. When the blade is new you'll have to be careful since it's easier to gouge the paint but after a few passes you get a feel for it and it blows through the paint with no problem and when it seems it isn't as effective then it's time for a new blade.

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/acc...fier=70133_0_0_

Thanx all!

ShraderMan, sorry for the temporary hi-jack! :D

if the blades are too sharp, run them along your jeans.....backwards motion of course. Or if way too sharp....along the garage floor for a swipe...again, pulling it along the floor for a few inches. It will be enough to take the edge off the blade. I did my vette in a weekend.

This is great therapy when the money is expended!
 

I bought stuff and then had to recharge the money tree and so the project didn't sit idle, I started scraping. I am not a car show guy, but I put the paint chips in a glass jar to save and put a piece of tape on the front with original paint written for potential display of my original paint in the jar with the finished car, when done! I also while scraping tried to go for a world record sized chip! I also have a jar of Ascot Speedway dirt and some asphalt pieces of Riverside Raceway in a jar also! I must have a fascination with putting things in jars to save.

:rofl::rofl:great idea

so cremation is in your future?