# Lacquer on Chisels - SUCCESS!!



## Momcanfixit

I have a new set of Stanley sweetheart chisels that have been patiently waiting for me in a drawer of my work table.

My night time reading has been Leonard Lee's Complete Guide to Sharpening, I have an angle jig and guide at the ready, today may be the day…..

My question is this: how exactly do you get lacquer off the chisels? Please…... talk…... very…... slowly…... 
I've read about solvent and acetone. Only thing I know about acetone is that I think that's what's in nail polish remover. Would Varsol work?? If not, what would you recommend, and a brand name would be appreciated.

Thanks
Sandra

Update - From the mom-files!

I found a bottle of drug-store brand nail polish remover under the sink. First ingredient was acetone. So I poured some into a glass pie plate, propped up one end slightly to make a bath for the chisels without getting the acetone in the handle area.

I let them soak for about an hour and then scrubbed them down with an SOS pad. Not sure what they'd be in the US, but they are steel-wool type scouring pads for the kitchen that are pre-soaked with detergent.

It took a bit of elbow grease and a few drops of blood (who knew they'd be that sharp already…..) but they are done.

Thanks for the help. I had read the blogs also, and was going to head in tomorrow to HD to find the 'blue can' stuff.

Cheers,
Sandra


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## Maggiepic

Any lacquer thinner should take it off.


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## mojapitt

Any hardware store should have acetone also


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## DocSavage45

yep! follow directions. Be sure the space is WELL VENTILLATED. air out the rags. Don't be like me, be patient. LOL!


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## PurpLev

you can get lacquer thinner at the home improvement/hardware/woodworking store.

curious though - where (and why) do you have lacquer on your chisels that you need to remove it?


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## OggieOglethorpe

Whatever Stanley puts on those things, it's TOUGH! I don't think it's lacquer, but some sort of urethane.

Lacquer thinner or acetone didn't strip mine, I ended up removing the handles and soaking them in a stripper formulated to break urethane.

By comparison, my Two Cherries and Pfiel tools had a coating that wiped right off with lacquer thinner.


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## Momcanfixit

Sorry for being obtuse but Varsol, which I have on hand, is a paint thinner. 
Is that the same as lacquer thinner?
If I hadn't read posts on the Stanley chisels, I never would have known that I'm supposed to strip them. I don't recall anything in the packaging, but it has been awhile.

S


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## a1Jim

No Paint thinner is not the same as lacquer thing lacquer thinner is much stronger and more effective
at removing lacquer finishes because it's the solvent used to mix Lacquer in .


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## patron

A paint thinner is a solvent used to thin oil-based paints or clean up after their use. Commercially, solvents labeled "Paint Thinner" are usually mineral spirits
good for cleaning many plastics and vinyls

Lacquer Thinner is usually a mixture of solvents able to dissolve a number of different resins or plastics used in modern Lacquer.
softens and can remove many plastics and vinyls

Shellac is a lacquer with an alcohol as solvent.

here is general discussion on solvents


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## Handtooler

Sandra, Sorry to hear of your trials and tribulatiions, I Googled "Stanley Chisel Coating" And got quite a BLOG on the difficulty you are also having. Only one person came up with an answer that said it came right off and that was "The Blue Can " acetone (Straight maybe 100%) from HD Lowe's probably has the equivalent of pure acetone. Other mixed solvents and laquer thinners MEK and such didn't touch it. One guy soaked his several days in laquer thinner then scraped most off with a razor blade.


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## SamuraiSaw

I had the same issue with Marples chisels. Soaking for an hour or so in lacquer thinner softened it enough to scrape it off.


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## BigYin

Anyone email stanley and ask what the coating is and what removes it ?


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## Kazooman

Yep, you can get a can of acetone in the paint department at Lowes. Acetone is a very strong solvent that will attack most plastics, so be careful where you use it. Remove the handles before you try to clean your chisels or you will be left with bare wood. Acetone is relatively non-toxic, but use it in a well ventilated area and away from any ignition sources. Wear good rubber gloves. You can let any rags air dry or rinse them with water (water and acetone are miscible).


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## Momcanfixit

Feeling quite pleased with the outcome. Can I name it the Sandra method? Or how about the witchin' kitchin' method???


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop

Should I be pleased that the lacquer coating doesn't bother me, or should I be wanting to strip my SW #750s? I figure 'no harm, no foul…'

Sandra, I am glad you found a solution! Enjoy the chisels, I love 'em!


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## OggieOglethorpe

If the coating is left in place, it clogs stones when the backs are flattened.

I go it off my set with a stripper that removes urethanes, no scrubbing required. It is certainly tough stuff!


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## Momcanfixit

Sounds like the easiest way Barry. I just know that if I had headed to HD, it would have been a very expensive can of stripper. I have a HD problem.


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## OggieOglethorpe

I used "Kleen Again", a product I use to clean my spray guns.

I use a lot of catalizing finishes, which resist acetone and lacquer thinner once cured. The Stanley coating reminds me a lot of dried ML Campbell Ultrastar or General Finishes EnduroVar.

I know how expensive those trips can get! :^)


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## KTMM

Reviving this thread 74. Those blasted two cherries chisels have a boatload of laquer on the blades…...

It must be removed…..


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## Momcanfixit

Acetone in a glass container worked for me Lucas…


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## KTMM

Hmm, I have a late boring night at work, maybe I'll take em with me…..


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## RB61

I have the same problem with Narex paring chisels. I let the bevel of one of them soak in acetone overnight- nothing happened.

I will try a little abrasion.


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## bigblockyeti

I had some Stanleys, the lacquer was so thick I ended up busting it off in sheets with a razor scraper and some precision impacts.


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