Lettering paint removal

[Bobio]

I’m trying to remove painted lettering on a hull that was painted with Awlgrip about 15 years ago (navy blue with several clear coats). Has anyone found a stripper that is fairly aggressive but doesn’t harm the Awlgrip? Lettering was applied by a sign company, I think there are 2 coats. Citrus stripper, acetone and paint thinner don’t work. Oven cleaner seems to soften the lettering paint just a little. Awlgrip tech help didn’t have any specific recommendations. Planning to try Dumond Smart Strip next.

[Gene T]

Removing lettering over paint is tricky. My standard tool is a razor blade and extreme care and patience. First you absolutely must dull the ends of the razor blade. I use a sharpening stone to round the ends off including rounding on the angle of the blade itself (hope that makes sense). If you do not do this you will scratch the surface. If your lettering is vinyl you can lift an edge with the blade and slowly peel it off. You can warm it a bit with a hair dryer or heat gun but sometimes this makes things worse as the vinyl will come off and leave the glue and might soften the paint underneath.

If the lettering is paint I would first try the razor blade, if no success I would sand with 400 wet, or even finer and finish off with 1000.

There is a good product for removing glue. Goo remover maybe, can't remember. I have a bottle on the boat.

Good luck, take your time, test a small area first, and be very very careful.

Gene

[genieskip]

Originally Posted by Bobio

I’m trying to remove painted lettering on a hull that was painted with Awlgrip about 15 years ago (navy blue with several clear coats). Has anyone found a stripper that is fairly aggressive but doesn’t harm the Awlgrip? Lettering was applied by a sign company, I think there are 2 coats. Citrus stripper, acetone and paint thinner don’t work. Oven cleaner seems to soften the lettering paint just a little. Awlgrip tech help didn’t have any specific recommendations. Planning to try Dumond Smart Strip next.

I had the exact same problem and finally gave up on removing the paint and had a decal place make the new name on a background that matched the paint and covered the whole thing. Now, if you look closely you can just barely make out the slightly raised contours of the old name, but you have to look very closely. When I get a new paint job I'll take care of it properly but for now it does fine.

[Cadbury25]

We are in a similar position: painted name on painted hull. Haven't tried anything yet but about to. Any updates, Bobio, on how you fared with the Dumond Smart Strip?

Rosie

[sawingknots]

i would try lacquer thinner,just apply sparingly and rub off the unwanted paint and wash immediately with soap and water afterward,it will dissolve the newer paint first

[Bobio]

I used several materials and methods, the safety strip was effective in softening the lettering enamel and not damaging the Awlgrip clear coats, I found that a citrus stripping compound was much more aggressive and damaging to Awlgrip. We had at least two coats of thick lettering enamel to remove. My recommendation would be to be extremely careful with any stripping materials and use it only to slightly soften the lettering paint. In the end I found the most effective method to be use of a foam wheel on a drill in combination with water and a 3M rubbing compound intended for use on painted surfaces. This was effective after I softened and scraped most of the lettering paint using plastic razor blades. It took a long time. Good luck.