From: TWHrunner
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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Trying to take the camo paint job off an older bow that I just bought. Tried the WD40 and the ethanol, but takes a lot of elbow grease. What is the risk to the bow's original finish if I go a step stronger to lacquer thinner and then varying concentrations of acetone if that doesn't work. Any other ideas?
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From: George D. Stout
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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WD-40 wasn't made to remove paint. I use paint thinner to get it off but that can take the old elbow grease too. Not a lot of easy ways to do it. You could try scraping it too.
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From: stagetek
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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Try Goof-off. Let it sit on there for awhile before rubbing/sanding off.
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From: Zbone
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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Turpentine...
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From: zog
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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Goof-off is a good start.
Acetone will not hurt fiberglass but will affect any varnish that might be over the fiberglass, as will paint stripper. So you could use acetone or paint stripper with no risk to the bow construction but you will want to re-finish it. On some older bows I have seen, the final finish is the glass itself.
There's quite a bit of info on the internet about acetone and paint stripper and their effect on finishes and glues.
I was going to do the same on a used painted bow, but after considering the options and outcomes, I decided to paint over the camo instead.
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From: Brad Lehmann
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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I am in the finishing stages of restoring a 1958 Kodiak Special that had been painted. I just put new dry transfers on yesterday so it is getting close. On this one I used a dull round nosed pocket knife to scrape most of the paint off both the limbs and riser. Then it was an easy job to knock the rest off with 150 grit Gator sandpaper. I don't think that I spent more than three hours prepping the bow for new finish. I always dread sanding paint off because it clogs the paper so quickly. No way that I will ever use a paint stripper on an old bow.
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From: hawkeye in PA
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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I've used acetone, scotch brite pads and heavy rubber gloves to remove paint on quite a few older Bear and Browning bows with out issue years ago. Maybe I was just lucky. Diffently a outside job with a proper respirator on. I wouldn't try it on today's bow finishes though. (Older bows 1965 to 1980)
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From: zog
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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Sounds like Brad is the voice of experience. I would say you are stuck with re-finishing if you want the paint gone. There's not much chance that you could find a physical or chemical process that would selectively remove only paint and not finish.
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From: TWHrunner
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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thanks zog. very helpful.
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From: Dan In MI
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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I have used acetone on Bear bows for years. It doesn't hurt a catalyzed (sp) finish.
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From: TWHrunner
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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Ok, so when i do get to the point of refinishing after I get off the paint off, can someone please suggest how to revarnish? Brands, dilution?, application method, coats/ etc? Thanks, Dan
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From: Lhskyguy
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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I used acetone on a browning cobra wuthout hurting the bow
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From: TWHrunner
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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Here it is with the paint on it
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From: bowfrk
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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Goo b gone works great
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From: Little Billy
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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I need to do this to a pre 58 bear to see the writing.
Don't want to take her down to the britches though.
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From: camodave
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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80 grit applied carefully.
DDave
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From: camodave
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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80 grit applied carefully.
DDave
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From: camodave
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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No idea though why you would want to remove that nice camo finish. You will one day regret it. Some of my favourite bows have had camo finishes, still regret selling my 1966 KMag with factory camo. The current fetish for bow appearance over performance is without logical foundation.
DDave
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From: TWHrunner
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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...said “Camo” Dave about the Camo finish. Shocker.
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From: camodave
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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Good point. I have some very nice looking bows as well. I have posted so many pictures over the last 10 years here I grew weary of it and in order to have more band width this site long ago started deleting older pics. Kind of odd that we will wear camo clothing to hunt and then object to camo on a bow, eh. And btw I posted for a lot of years as Damascusdave, hence my signature. I like Damascus things as well but that in no way limits me. I have a lot of knives that are not made with damascus, in fact at this point I do not own a single one, as I gave all of them away.
DDave
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From: SB
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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I've always used laquer thinner. It's never hurt the finish on any Bears I did. A little buffing compound afterwards maybe,and they shine like new!
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From: Gray Goose Shaft
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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TW, I have not yet refinished a bow, but it is on my list. Here is some finishing info from my notes. Richard builds beautiful bows.
I use a lot of exotic woods, and denatured alcohol or acetone can create serious problems with colors running. Just finish sand your bow, then inspect every inch with a magnifying glass. Then sand it again. I finish with a fine Scotchbrite pad. A light wipe with a tack cloth will remove unwanted dust. I spray Minwax semigloss oil based poly from a rattle can. Light coats! Minimum 4 coats, about 30-40 minutes between coats. LET IT DRY FOR 72 HOURS! Then inspect for flaws. If you find some areas you are not happy with, Scotchbrite the entire bow, not just the problem spots, tack, and spray on 2-3 more light coats. Wait another 72 hours. Repeat till you smile at your finish. Good luck! Richard Nemah
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From: TWHrunner
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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Thanks SB. Apologies but I’ve never worked with buffing compound. Is it like car wax?
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From: Krag
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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This bow was refinished and donated to the St Judes auction on the other site last year. I used TruOil thinned 50/50 with paint thinner for thin coats without the need to do anything between coats or after to get this finish...makes it real simple. It can also be used over an existing finish for a touch up.
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From: Krag
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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From: Krag
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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From: davesonic444
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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It is a lost cause, send the bow to me and i will hunt it. But really i have removed sprayed on camo paint on several bows with acetone and never needed to refinish. I did apply snakeskins on a bow and used spray on polyurethane followed with a light steel wool to get the finish i wanted. By the way steel wool dipped in acetone will ease the removal process.
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From: Osage Outlaw
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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I used acetone and a rag to remove spray paint camo from these 2 bows. They looked new when I was done. The acetone didn't hurt the finish. I didn't soak the limbs in it. I would dampen a rag and scrub the paint off.
The picture went post
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From: SB
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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I've never seen the need to thin Tru-Oil with anything! And I've refinished a lot of bows with it.
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From: M60gunner
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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It might help to know what the paint is, oil or waterbased. Home camo jobs a lot of times were done with whatever was laying around the house or cheapest at store. I had a bow that was painted with house paint. Waterbased, nothing worked except “Lestoil” cleaner. I ended up sending the limbs back for refinishing. As for camo bows and resale. Paint can hid lots of stuff, I shy away from camo bows for sale. Just my experience, your mileage may vary.
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From: Brad Lehmann
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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I found that someone had already sanded the finish off of my bow before putting the camo on. In my way of doing things, that is a big no no. I had specks of dark paint worked down into the glass fiber as well as into the wood. It was a bit of a mess. It is looking good now, though.
On this old bow I used Helmsman Spar Urethane in a rattle can. It is laying down nice and flat and looks good as well. If it yellows some it will just make the bow look more authentic. I'm not shooting for a knock your socks off better than factory finish on this bow as the wood is rather plain. If it were rosewood, I would put a finish on it that you could see to shave in.
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From: TWHrunner
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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I started with a little lacquer thinner this aft and going at it in very small doses. I'll post some before and afters.
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From: Sparky
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Date: 20-Feb-19 |
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use Oops
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From: cueman
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Date: 21-Feb-19 |
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Most mid 60's and later bows have an epoxy finish on them, acetone wont hurt it. Get the paint off and buff the original finish back to a shine. If it was sanded prior to painting, you will have to scrape/sand finish off after removing paint and refinish. Acetone wont hurt the glass either.
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From: motherlode
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Date: 21-Feb-19 |
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I have used acetone also , but beware that it is not compatible with all finishes.
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