Stripping INFI?

W

Whiteshield

Joined
Feb 25, 2016
Messages
121
How do you guys strip your coated knives? Do you resort to sand paper? Will regular paint remover work?
 
Paint stripper seems to be hit and miss. (It was for me). I just ended up using sandpaper on all of the ones I've done. Others say bead blasting is best.
 
I’ve never stripped one, that said. If you search in this forum there have been plenty of threads on stripping blades.
Also there are some members who do this,
AZTimT and Josh at Razors Edge
I have a couple i need to send out myself.
 
+16 on the citri-strip - do this first! I could not imagine going at a coating with sandpaper without doing this first!

I encase my knives in gallon (or less) ziplock bags and ensure the knife is "floating in citri-strip. I roll the bag and get as much air out as possible, and massage the citri-strip all around the blade. The knife goes in handles and all, the handles are immune to the citristrip.

Then start with 120 to 400 and on up until you reach your desired level of polish. Dremel tool with certain attachments can help, gotta be real careful though and be very patient with the drememl, and the attachments are expensive. I have 2 scotch wheels for my drill motor that I have yet to try - I think Tinfoil has great experience and learning with this approach.
 
I pcb etch the snot out of the logo just in case the blade needs serious sanding once the coating is off, or just because a nice deep etch looks awesome. The coat it in stripper, wrap it in plastic, squirt in some more stripper, let it bake in the sun for a few hours and then get to scraping at the coating. Then reapply again and scrape it while it's wet with stripper. I never rinse off the stripper with water until I am completely done. Rubber gloves and lots of stripper.
 
I need to get into etching on my next non-sterile blade...that is one of the tricks I have not tried/learned...

C
 
Another vote for Citristrip on powder coated blades. :thumbsup:
If you have a CeraKote blade, you need to bead blast or sand it.

Don't forget to show us some pix when you're done!!
 
Clamp - is this the acid technique where you pool the acid in the pre-etched logo areas and let it penetrate down? The kind that will not eat coating, and the coating creates a mini-pool for the etchant to sit? And you do this multiple times, leaving a deeper etch each time? I like that deep etching a lot.

What is the etchant "PCB" stant for?

Am I kind of on the right track?

And thanks for the quick tips.

Cam
 
COPIUOS said:
Clamp - is this the acid technique where you pool the acid in the pre-etched logo areas and let it penetrate down? The kind that will not eat coating, and the coating creates a mini-pool for the etchant to sit? And you do this multiple times, leaving a deeper etch each time? I like that deep etching a lot.

What is the etchant "PCB" stant for?

Am I kind of on the right track?

And thanks for the quick tips.

Cam
Click to expand...

Radioshack PCB (Printed Circuit Board) etchant solution is what you use to etch logos into a coated blade. I tie a string through the top clip hole, and submerge it into the solution for about 15-20 minutes. When you see a knife that's been "acid washed", it's been dipped into this etchant solution and then stonewashed.

HPs6sGQ.jpg


What it looks like with a little wear to it
DXrSQdN.jpg

DFXfeCn.jpg
 
COPIUOS said:
Clamp - is this the acid technique where you pool the acid in the pre-etched logo areas and let it penetrate down? The kind that will not eat coating, and the coating creates a mini-pool for the etchant to sit? And you do this multiple times, leaving a deeper etch each time? I like that deep etching a lot.

What is the etchant "PCB" stant for?

Am I kind of on the right track?

And thanks for the quick tips.

Cam
Click to expand...
Yep. I use the same Radio Shack etchant that 91bravo posted a pic of up above. Some folks make little dams around the logo but I haven't found it to necessary. Best thing I can tell you is that for me lots of applications as opposed to a couple really long applications works best. I use lots of q-tips. Soak the end a few times to transfer the etchant to the logo. You will see the logo turn black thru the etchant fairly quickly. That black layer is pretty tough right now and if you just want to blacken a logo, now would be the time to wash it off but for an actual deep etch you want to let the chical work at it a while and soften uo that blackened layer of steel. Fifteen minutes to half an hour has seemed to be enough time for that black layer to soften up. Take that wet q-tip that you used to apply the etchant and scrub away that blackened steel. It can be a little stubborn at first but it scrubs out easier after a few applications. Once the logo looks like clean steel I rinse off the etchant, dab it with a paper towel or hit it with compressed air to get the water out of the logo, and repeat the process. That Swamp Rat logo was done roughly every half hour over a 10 hour work day.
 
Clamp and Bravo - mondo helpful bubs!

Much appreciated advice and the time you all took to post pics and write it out for me.

C
 
COPIUOS said:
Clamp and Bravo - mondo helpful bubs!

Much appreciated advice and the time you all took to post pics and write it out for me.

C
Click to expand...

I have a step-by-step tutorial somewhere on how to etch a coated blade. I'll see if I can find it for you....
 
COPIUOS said:
Clamp and Bravo - mondo helpful bubs!

Much appreciated advice and the time you all took to post pics and write it out for me.

C
Click to expand...
No problem. And I forgot to mention, if you want to end up with that factory looking black logo that you'd find on a comp blade, do one of those quick applications at the very end. As soon as it turns jet black, rinse that baby off and call it good.
 
I 9v etch with amazing results....deep too, learned from YouTube. I have to say, the etching part it's easier than the stripping part from my experience.
 
COPIUOS said:
+16 on the citri-strip - do this first! I could not imagine going at a coating with sandpaper without doing this first!

I encase my knives in gallon (or less) ziplock bags and ensure the knife is "floating in citri-strip. I roll the bag and get as much air out as possible, and massage the citri-strip all around the blade. The knife goes in handles and all, the handles are immune to the citristrip.

Then start with 120 to 400 and on up until you reach your desired level of polish. Dremel tool with certain attachments can help, gotta be real careful though and be very patient with the drememl, and the attachments are expensive. I have 2 scotch wheels for my drill motor that I have yet to try - I think Tinfoil has great experience and learning with this approach.
Click to expand...
Bro if your knife fits in a gallon bagie you're doing it wrong.

IMG_20171122_235526.jpg IMG_20171019_101357.jpg
 
Just make sure you don't get etchant on the blade edge, unless you want to spend a LONG time resharpening.
 
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