Paint Removal Question

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GO3

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May 22, 2020
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Greetings:
I have a ZT350 that has several coats of Aervoe Field Drab on the blade. What is the best method for removing this paint. I tried an acetone soak but it didn't touch it. It has been suggested to use MEK substitute or a hot baking soda soak. Thank you for your input.
 
A consideration needs to be made that whatever you use can affect the blade, too. For example, push comes to shove, aircraft paint remover will absolutely do it, but it'll probably be hell for the blade finish (I wouldn't know though, I haven't tried that).

I would personally try abrasive means instead of chemical means. Perhaps disassembly, starting at the tang, just chipping the paint off with a plastic scraper.

Best of luck!
 
Eversion said:
A consideration needs to be made that whatever you use can affect the blade, too. For example, push comes to shove, aircraft paint remover will absolutely do it, but it'll probably be hell for the blade finish (I wouldn't know though, I haven't tried that).

I would personally try abrasive means instead of chemical means. Perhaps disassembly, starting at the tang, just chipping the paint off with a plastic scraper.

Best of luck!
Click to expand...
Thanks. The blade has a nitride or something I think is called 'diamond-like' coating, so I'd really like to avoid anything abrasive. I'll probably try the aircraft paint remover.
Thanks for your reply.
 
As part of my business I used to do a lot of finishing, refinishing and restoration. No real easy answer here as the finish will dictate how it is to be removed.

Strippers and chemicals are very dangerous to use, but I think (remember what you paid for this opinion!) would be where I would start. As far as an over the counter stripper I used to used the Bix products, and more specifically for a tough coating like an chain linked urethane or epoxy, Bix makes a remover for that. Pour a little in a flat dish, cover the blade, then cover with plastic. Let it sit for an hour, then you should be able to use a stiff brush (brass brush if metal) to brush the finish off. It may discolor the metal, but it doesn't really penetrate so you can probably polish out the discoloration (if it happens) with a medium buffing wheel and red polishing compound.

We gloves, wear eye protection, work outside.

Robert
 
GO3 said:
Thanks. The blade has a nitride or something I think is called 'diamond-like' coating, so I'd really like to avoid anything abrasive. I'll probably try the aircraft paint remover.
Thanks for your reply.
Click to expand...

Oh, I did not know that it was paint on top of another coating. That does make the scraping thing less viable.

I have no idea what that stuff will do to a DLC like coating. Certainly the paint will yield before the coating though.

Just be careful. Paint stripper like that is nasty stuff. Like, chemically burn your skin nasty.
 
midnight flyer said:
As part of my business I used to do a lot of finishing, refinishing and restoration. No real easy answer here as the finish will dictate how it is to be removed.

Strippers and chemicals are very dangerous to use, but I think (remember what you paid for this opinion!) would be where I would start. As far as an over the counter stripper I used to used the Bix products, and more specifically for a tough coating like an chain linked urethane or epoxy, Bix makes a remover for that. Pour a little in a flat dish, cover the blade, then cover with plastic. Let it sit for an hour, then you should be able to use a stiff brush (brass brush if metal) to brush the finish off. It may discolor the metal, but it doesn't really penetrate so you can probably polish out the discoloration (if it happens) with a medium buffing wheel and red polishing compound.

We gloves, wear eye protection, work outside.

Robert
Click to expand...
Thank you Robert. I'll check out the BIX product.
 
GO3 said:
Thanks. The blade has a nitride or something I think is called 'diamond-like' coating, so I'd really like to avoid anything abrasive. I'll probably try the aircraft paint remover.
Thanks for your reply.
Click to expand...
TDLC or Tungsten Diamond Like Carbon is sometimes called DLC. It is a PVD or Physical Vapor Deposition coating applied in a vacuum chamber where Tungsten Carbide is sputtered into a vapor and settles on the blade. This is a thin hard coat (HRC 72) which should not need an organic coat applied over the top. I don’t think that paint strippers will touch it.
I would try Diamond paste on a rag.
 
Wow, thanks for that, I didn't know what PVD was or how it was applied. I'm not trying to remove the PVD layer. Just the couple or three coats of Aervoe spray enamel some doofus sprayed on it in an attempt to somehow make it 'tacticool'. At the moment I'm leaning to trying Rustoleum's Extra-Strength aircraft remover. I did an acetone soak couple months back but it barely touched the paint on the blade. It did remove the paint from the G10 scale pretty well, though it did leave it a bit grayed out. That's no problem because I can repaint it black again with pretty good effect I think. I really like ZeroTolerance 350 knives. Have a great holiday.
 
I'd use black Rit dye to restore your G10 instead of paint. I'd also recommend disassembling your knife so you don't get anything else on the scales or hardware when doing this.
 
Rit Dye? Awesome! Thanks for the tip. Yes, knife is already broken down. I found a Youtube on that. Will check out video on how to use the dye unless you have a special process you'd be willing to share.
 
GO3 said:
Rit Dye? Awesome! Thanks for the tip. Yes, knife is already broken down. I found a Youtube on that. Will check out video on how to use the dye unless you have a special process you'd be willing to share.
Click to expand...
I haven't done it myself personally, but Rit dyeing G10 is a pretty common practice. BladeHQ made a pretty good video about it.
 
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