Stripper Redux

Guyon

Guyon

Biscuit Whisperer
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tradewater said:
Klean Strip makes pretty short work of the current coating they're using on the Beckers. Oddly, it wouldn't touch the paint on a Kabar heavy bowie. Left it on for three hours and nothing. Go figure. I'd like to hear if anybody has stripped one of those.
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I had the exact same experience yesterday. Klean Strip did a good job on my 21, but did almost nothing to an older (stamped) 2. trade, did you find the secret formula? Any other recommendations for coatings that proved tough at first?
 
I use Klean Strip. I have never stripped any of the regular KaBars but the coatings on the old Becker's were much harder to get perfectly clean.

I would have to coat it on and let it sit for 4-6 hours then scrape off as much as would come off. I would do it 3 times then still needed cleaning up with sandpaper to get it perfect. I just got used to the process taking a few days.

The new coating practically falls off compared to the old one.

Klean strip is also very affected by cold. Really slows the process down. Jonny1280 has a good tip where he points a 500 watt halogen shop light at it speeding things up.
 
Well, I left it on overnight, and I hit it with a heat gun today. Nothing. Well, except the very tip.
 
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Only old coating I've stripped was on the 5 and jasco made pretty light duty of it...

 
I used Citrustrip on my Camillus 9 when I stripped 'er in March of '11. Think I bought it at Home Depot if I recall right. Worked pretty good, though I did re-apply it later and put a little more elbow grease into actually polishing it, but it took almost all of the "old" coating off the first time.

Got the best polish results from sanding the coating off of my 2, but if polish not be the goal, then stripping with Citrustrip should do the trick.

Blues
 
I've used both Jasco and Klean Strip. Haven't noticed a difference between either. If those dont work, God doesn't want the coating removed and will smite you for doing so.
 
I use Klean Strip, but for some weird reason sometimes it does nothing. Let sit all day and nothing. A month later try another knife with the same finish and the paint falls off. I have a Kabar large heavy Bowie that refuses to be stripped. I think like all strippers, mood has something to do with the performance.
 
Guyon said:
I had the exact same experience yesterday. Klean Strip did a good job on my 21, but did almost nothing to an older (stamped) 2. trade, did you find the secret formula? Any other recommendations for coatings that proved tough at first?
Click to expand...

tradewater said:
I use Klean Strip, but for some weird reason sometimes it does nothing. Let sit all day and nothing. A month later try another knife with the same finish and the paint falls off. I have a Kabar large heavy Bowie that refuses to be stripped. I think like all strippers, mood has something to do with the performance.
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When y'all say the "older stamped" large heavy Bowies, are you referring to the "first" 1277s with the "pre-Tooj" pommels or the early Tooj pommel versions?
 
I used Citrustrip on my 1246. The coating didn't just fall off, but it made it where I could scrape it off with a bit of effort.
 
Redux is a banned word

guy0n, you are instructed to ban yourself, and then never strip a Becker again

as it is known, so is it done
 
Back when I used to strip coatings I used a wire wheel on a hand drill. Zipped the stuff right off, although I used to keep the coating under the grips. I did it outside of course.
 
Strip ease. It comes in a sort of gel. Leave if for 15 minutes it would strip white off rice. I use blue nitrile gloves starts eating through those.
 
The old coatings always made you work for it but I have never seen one refuse to come off. Strange. A very long soak time, like overnight, or sandpaper is what I would probably try next.

Klean strip makes a product called Aircraft stripper. It costs twice as much as the regular stripper so I am guessing its more powerful. One of its listed uses is removing baked enamels. Ive been thinking about giving it a try.
 
Might also try hitting the coating up with a scotch bright pad or just rough it up a bit before applying the stripper.
 
See below for the "after" pic following two full nights with Klean Strip.
This stuff is tough. Ka-bar may be onto something here. They ought to put it on a knife or something.

3C42E562-611A-4EBC-B444-F9D7D6E0EB60_zps905g3vuj.jpg
 
Needs 6 more nights...

Try Jasco next time...

I've had a few stubborn spots that seem to be in the grind lines. Seems like the flat areas it can work itself under the coating, I guess. Maybe the grind lines grip better or don't allow full penetration. Small spots that easily scrape off with a razor.

But nothing like that...pretty discouraging, I'd say. What did you finally do? I stripped a 1264 with just a razor blade with very satisfactory results.
 
iwouldhurtafly said:
Might also try hitting the coating up with a scotch bright pad or just rough it up a bit before applying the stripper.
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I'll try this and go for round three! It'll come off eventually, and round two was a heckuva lot better than one.
 
Guyon said:
I'll try this and go for round three! It'll come off eventually, and round two was a heckuva lot better than one.
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Good luck!

I also seem to remember (I can't remember what stripper it was) but if the stuff sat on for too long the paint would essentially re-stick and the stripper wouldn't work.
 
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