Paint Stripping - Razer Blade Method Revisited

[John Lanning]

I have a particular - and perhaps simple question - regarding the "razer blade" method of paint removal on my 54' Corvette. I have read various posting from the archives on stripping by media blasting, chemical paint removers, or using a razer blade. I have decided to remove as much as possible of the old finish myself using a razer blade then any difficult areas using a chemical stripper.

I am very fortunate in the fact that there has been very little damage to the body other that a small patch on the panel below the grill. A test on various areas on the car revealed that the car has only been repainted once in its lifetime.

From what I have gathered, one could expect to use the blade in removing all paint except for the dark red/brown factory primer. I have found this to be the case in about 3/4 of the areas that I have worked on so far. On most of the panels I have worked on, the top coat of white, a grey primer, and the origional white factory finish just chip right off. The remaining 1/4 of areas I have worked on it is almost impossible to chip off anything other that the top white coat. The grey primer that was applied with the 2nd repaint is tight to the factory finish. When I do try to get it off it has resulted in a gouge in the fiberglass - no good.

From others experience does it seem that these areas are best left to the chemical stripper? Why is this grey primer easily chipped off in some areas and impossible to remove from others? I was hoping to get it all down to the factory primer then use thinner and a scratch brite to clean the body down to bare fiberglass.

Any thoughts or suggestions from others that have been this route.

Thanks!
John Lanning

[Norris W.]

Re: Paint Stripping - Razer Blade Method Revisited

John, I've probably stripped about as many Corvettes as anybody around here who doesn't do it for a living. (but haven't seen the previous thread you're talkin' about) I've done it a bunch of different ways. My first Corvette, a 63 coupe purchased in '74 had a half of an Eckler front end (hand laid glass) spliced on from the center of the wheel wells foward. I got the bright (stupid, lazy, and inexperienced) idea to put hardware store stripper on it and run to the coin op car wash. It looked like a mohair sweater in a few minutes. Thankfully the car needed a front end anyway. I've tried the mild strippers recommended for glass, like the Dupont product, and even tried gettin' in and out quick with aircraft stripper on a car that some idiot put feather fill all over (I HATE feather fill, especially on Corvettes) I started foolin' with a blade, real slowly and patiently on my original paint 59 about a year ago one night for several reasons: First I didn't have much of the stripper I like now. Second, I only had about an hour and wasn't committed to gettin' into chemicals and getting em completely clean. As you pointed out, the paint is harder in some places than others. I figured it probably pertained to sun exposure, but don't know for sure. Anyhow, it appears to me that the blade doesn't save any time, or may be slower actually than proper chemical techiques. The Cap'n Lee's spray type stripper works so well on old laquer that I don't use anything else. Seems like gettin' the paint off with it, then the primer while it's still soft with either it and a scotch brite pad, or laquer thinner and a scotch brite pad (my preference)works better for me than any other method I've used. I don't care how slow and careful you are, I don't think it's possible to do it with razor blades without a few gouges.

[Norris W.]

Re: Paint Stripping - Razer Blade Method Revisited

One other comment........ I've never liked chemical paint stripper on bare glass and it's the reason I've always used the laquer thinner to remove the primer while it's still soft instead of more stripper with the pad. If you go through primer to bare glass, you're gonna' put yourself in the position of putting stripper on the bare glass in places.

[Gary S.]

Re: Paint Stripping - Razer Blade Method Revisited

John, I "accidently" stripped the majority of a 73 using a razor blade. I say it that way because we were talking about how we would go about this task and the owner suggested razor blades. I picked one up and started at a stress crack. I will say that razor blade strippping is a fast and easy method for those areas that are flat, more or less. At times, whole strips would come up, going right down to the primer. Keep a box of blades handy and at the first sign of dulling, get a new blade. We used fiberglass stripper for the more difficult contoured areas. It really is messy compared to a mechanical means such as a razor blade. The owner chose to take the primer off using a dual action sander with a medium grit on it. I was really apprehensive about it but it worked well. Because of the chance of digging into or gouging the fiberglass under the primer, I doubt that I would use this on my own car. The one thing I will say about a dual action sander is that is does a nice smooth job and it is very difficult to do a lot of damage with them. I use a Porter-Cable DA sander with waxing pads for all of my cars including the 72 Corvette. I can lean on the pad and it won't burn the paint. So it SHOULD be ok to use on the tough areas. I just am overly cautious though.

Gary

[John M.]

Re: Paint Stripping - Razer Blade Method Revisited

John,
I used Captain Lees for the laquer and then wet sanded the tough red primer with 180 grit, I think, and scotch brite pads. The water keeps the dust dowm. Be careful around body lines. Then a final cleaning with Laquer thinner. It's hard work but looks great when finished.

[Norris W.]

Re: Paint Stripping - Razer Blade Method Revisited

John, did you try using the scotchbrite pad in laquer thinner right after the stripper was removed and just washing it off? The primer is still somewhat soft from the stripper. Definately not as hard on the glass as sandpaper.

[John M.]

Re: Paint Stripping - Razer Blade Method Revisited

Norris,
This was a 67 and the red primer was hard as a rock. I did try using scotchbrite with the Captain Lees but it was a mess. I tried scothchbrite with water and it worked but I ended up with the wet sanding and was quite pleased with the results. With the water and sandpaper you can see when you're finally through the red and I don't think I took off any of the glass but I understand your point. I did it all by hand and it took me about 5 times as long as I had expected but the result was very good.

[Norris W.]

Re: Paint Stripping - Razer Blade Method Revisited

I never liked using the second dose of the stripper either, although that's the way they were demo'n it the first time I saw that product used at a car show. The laquer thinner/scotch brite pad works much better than the stripper/scotch brite did for me. I figured they were trying to maximize their product usage by recommending it for the whole process. So far I've stripped a 60, 61, 62 (in progress) 3 63's, 2 67's (1 still in progress) & 4 69's plus more metal cars than I can remember. I was real stubborn about changing from the Dupont stuff that I used for years, but I think the Cap'n Lee's is the best stuff I ever used for a glass car. One other thing about technique that nobody's mentioned........ if you get stripper on some areas of paint and don't remove THAT paint it's hell to get the second time. Once the paint with the stripper in it re-hardens it's a lot harder to strip for some reason. I don't know the reason, but now I duct tape all the cracks like door jambs, etc to keep it from running where I don't want it.

[John M.]

Re: Paint Stripping - Razer Blade Method Revisited

Hey Norris, Do you have any fingerprints left after all that? My hands were smooth as can be for weeks after. Also, one other thing, do the Captain Lees outside if you can.

[Norris W.]

Re: Paint Stripping - Razer Blade Method Revisited

After all these years (probably too late) I've actually started worrying about health risks, so I always wear gloves when I'm in the stripper or thinner now.

[Rob M.]

Re: Paint Stripping - Razer Blade Method Revisited

I decided to use the 'scraper' method, a lot of hard work but it does work for me. It won't remove the orginal yellowish primer ('59 car) but this is partly sanded off afterwards using 200 grid sandpaper. Afterwards a filler-primer will be applied, sanding with 400 grid paper and then it will get painted using correct cellulose lacquare.

See me in action at http://www.c1registry.com/downloads/rob_scraping_2.mpg on the trunk lid.

greetings,
Rob.

[Gary #41345]

Re: Paint Stripping - Razer Blade Method Revisited

I used the razor blade method on my 66 and although somewhat tedious at first once you get the feel for it it's not too bad.....the use of any chemical scared the you know what out of me so razor blade it was. It was no where near the amount of force that Rob used in his video though.

[Norris W.]

Re: Paint Stripping - Razer Blade Method Revisited

Yellowish primer on a 59???? My original paint one is/was grey and another one I saw recently was also. If by "filler-primer" you're talkin' about a feather fill type product I think it's the worst thing you can do to a Corvette. There are some catalyst primers now that DO HAVE some build characteristics, much like the old 80S Dupont laquer type primer, but without the shrinkage that according to the Sherwin Williams rep are very compatible with fiberglass. I haven't used em yet on a glass car, but my 70 Chevelle LS6 is in the paint shop now and it's on it and seems like an excellent product.

In addition to all the things I dislike about spray filler-primer (such as feather fill)if you ever do strip the car again it's a nightmare. Stripper won't get it, laquer thinner and scotch brite won't get it and it's like semi hard chewin gum after the paint stripper takes the paint off the top.

[Rob M.]

Re: Paint Stripping - Razer Blade Method Revisited

Hi Norris,

Under the orignal paint is a thin grey layer and below that a yellow/brownish layer. This last one was the one I referred to...

greetings,
Rob.