How Do You Strip?

[gktamps]

Hi Folks,

I've got an Ibanez RG Prestige body with many chips in the transparent poly finish, and I've tried Aircraft Stripper and Kleen-Strip to no avail. This has a wood binding and hard corners, so I'd prefer not to sand it down if I can avoid it.

Is a heat gun my only other recourse? I'd like to refinish this with transparent color, so any burns would show.

Thank you,

Greg

[surfsup]

one leg at a time!

[mhartman]

Hi Folks,

I've got an Ibanez RG Prestige body with many chips in the transparent poly finish, and I've tried Aircraft Stripper and Kleen-Strip to no avail. This has a wood binding and hard corners, so I'd prefer not to sand it down if I can avoid it.

Is a heat gun my only other recourse? I'd like to refinish this with transparent color, so any burns would show.

Thank you,

Greg

That's a tough situation if you want a transparent body. You probably have to use heat and you're probably not going to get it as clean as you want it. You may want to pick a color (rather than clear).

[John_P_WI]

Won't a stripper with Methylene Chloride as an ingredient work? Just don't get it on any plastic fret markers etc will dissolve...

[C Moore]

Wow.!
I was in The Painters Union for 25 years. Hard to believe that Aircraft/Marine Stripper would not remove either the Poly or Lacquer that is on a guitar.
Did you try the "normal" paint and varnish stripper...the old stuff made by Jasco and other companies for many, many years.?
I am not familiar with Kleen-Strip.....but I have No Faith in environmentally safe paint thinners and strippers
The aircraft stuff was so hot, it would some times blacken wood before we could neutralize it

[brewdude]

I had a friend that worked as a luthier for a while and I remember he used a scraper to remove the finish from an old mahogany bodied acoustic. It was not the kind of paint scraper with the handle like you might find at the local hardware store. It was more of a small (maybe 3" x 4") piece of flat sheet metal with a side "sharpened" (or more "blunted") with a bit of a hook to the edge. There was definitely a proper technique to using it.

Done right, a scraper can do a great job, but its time consuming and was a lot of work. In fact, I'm not sure he ever finished I have very little contact with him anymore and don't think he works on guitars any longer.

I have never attempted using a scraper for such a critical application.

[gktamps]

Thank you all for your input. I used to do boat work, including lots of varnish work, so have used heat guns for years; but with such sharp angles and light and figured wood, plus the tenacity of poly, I'm not enthusiastic about it.

I have used the French scrapers Brewdude mentions, and have a set with many different curves and shapes, but scraping poly is much more difficult than softer, more traditional finishes. The scrapers have to be maintained with very crisp and clean edges, as well. If I have to resort to a heat gun, I will use the scrapers when the poly softens up.

I was a surprised as you, C Moore that my aircraft stripper didn't work - I used it to remove powder coat on a Lotus cam cover. I might get a new can and try again, then a heat gun failing that.

Cheers,

Greg

[Structo]

Use a heat gun and a putty knife that has the corners rounded a bit to prevent gouging.

It definitely has a learning curve, just take your time and keep the gun moving.