Thread: How to remove paint without damage

Originally Posted by viper

Just be a bit careful with paint stripper, in these days of fast / instant results some are very aggressive ( like Rushy after 6 Waikato's ) they may etch into the steel and be plain brutal on alloy . Solvents tend to be pretty good on steel and sub straights but that can go south if the right solvent for the purpose isn't used.
I would be very hesitant to use paint stripper at this point.
The rule of thumb is to start off light.... solvent and progress if it doesn't work. Abrasion is probably in this case last on the list.
In this case I may use a fine scouring pad to break the gloss / matt finish off the top surface which forms tiny valleys for the solvent to work on rather than a flat surface ( i am talking microscopic here not 60 grit sandpaper )

i used tergo and a heated barrel/action on a mossberg shotty years back after a muppet had painted it "camo" . it takes a couple of goes but it left the bluing just fine apart from the usual wear marks he admitted it already had.
it always a case of gently gently softly softly rather than rip shit and bust