Lloyd Smale
Member
picking up a rifle that my buddy who passed had. He duracoated the fiberglass stock. Is there something that will remove it?
is there something that will remove duracoat
- Thread starter Lloyd Smale
- Start date
- Status
Sam1911
Moderator Emeritus
Carb cleaner stripped ALL of it off my AK. Accidentally. 
Might just seriously do a number on the stock itself. But anything that would attack an epoxy type paint like that probably would not be all that good for your stock.
Might just seriously do a number on the stock itself. But anything that would attack an epoxy type paint like that probably would not be all that good for your stock.
shooter1niner
Member
Watch that your paint remover doesn't attack (soften) the resin of your fiberglass stock...
Jim Watson
Member
From the horse's mouth at Duracoat FAQ
How easy is DuraCoat removed?
Not easy at all. The elastic nature of DuraCoat resists blasting. A qualified individual, with the proper blast media, can safely remove DuraCoat without damaging the surface of the firearm. Be careful. In most cases, we recommend lightly blasting the surface, being cautious not to remove any DuraCoat. Just "beat up" the DuraCoat giving it "tooth" so your new application of DuraCoat has something to adhere to
Seems like the best thing to do would be to sand it to level and roughen the surface and then coat it in your favorite color.
How easy is DuraCoat removed?
Not easy at all. The elastic nature of DuraCoat resists blasting. A qualified individual, with the proper blast media, can safely remove DuraCoat without damaging the surface of the firearm. Be careful. In most cases, we recommend lightly blasting the surface, being cautious not to remove any DuraCoat. Just "beat up" the DuraCoat giving it "tooth" so your new application of DuraCoat has something to adhere to
Seems like the best thing to do would be to sand it to level and roughen the surface and then coat it in your favorite color.
Sam1911
Moderator Emeritus
LOL. You could imagine my own surprise then!
followed by "oh well..." I haven't ever bothered to replace the coating.
ApacheCoTodd
member
Oven cleaner?
Dunno, just guessing.
Dunno, just guessing.
BCRider
Member
Some of the carb cleaners in the spray cans is really a whole other solvent. I have no idea what it's made from but I know that when I actually cleaned some carbs on an older motorcycle that the safety glasses I was wearing got splashed and that the CC ate into the both the plastic of the frame and lens easily.
So I'm not surprised to read that Sam found out the hard way that there are a few "super solvents" out there that'll do a number on the epoxy stuff.
And yeah, if it's a fiber filled plastic I'd be concerned about what it would do to the plastic. Definitely try a spot inside the stock before going "agro" on the outside with it.
So I'm not surprised to read that Sam found out the hard way that there are a few "super solvents" out there that'll do a number on the epoxy stuff.
And yeah, if it's a fiber filled plastic I'd be concerned about what it would do to the plastic. Definitely try a spot inside the stock before going "agro" on the outside with it.
I was thinking the same thing, oven cleaner does a number on anodized aluminium.
Speedo66
Member
Carb and brake cleaners are strong stuff, and not just as solvents. Make sure you use them outside, and stay upwind of the spray. I try to keep the few brain cells I have left, those things will destroy them along with your central nervous system.
Sunray
Member
Oven cleaners and carb cleaners are to remove carbon from steel. Don't think I'd want either on fibreglass. E-Z-Off will eat paint though. Some of it escaped while I was cleaning FN gas plugs one day and the paint on the railing bubbled immediately.
I'll vouch for that. I was checking for a power steering leak and I was in a hurry. The customer was livid that there was a leak because they just spent $700 at the dealership for a power steering pump and install, not to mention the day it took them to diagnose the leak.
I see the fluid all frothed up, the power steering lines were wet and can't see exactly where the leak was coming from. So I grab a can of brake cleaner trying to remove a majority of the power steering fluid just to get a clean surface to check.
I come up from under the truck in a haze and the flourescent lights never looked so bright before. A few more minutes of that I probably would have been left with a permanant speech impediment.
Three lessons learned.
1. Ventilation is awesome.
2. The dealerships diagnostics and repairs aren't Gods word set in stone.
3. The boss likes it when his employees make the dealerships look bad in under 15 minutes.
The leak was a tiny crack in the gearbox housing, spraying everywhere.
tnxdshooter
Member
No it shouldn't do better than baked on paint. Duracoat is not very good and dude found it out the hard way with the carb cleaner. I am quiet confident that it would not have happened with baked on or even air dry cerakote.
Brake clean is not the same as carb cleaner. I use it to clean all my guns because it won't hurt the polymer. Brake clean is made to remove oil coatings on rotors carb cleaner is made to dissolve carbon. If you paint an ar brake clean will remove the paint without hurting the anodizing, not sure if its strong enough for duracoat though. Carb cleaner is the only solvent I use that I won't touch without protective gloves because it eats your skin.
Last edited:
Sam1911
Moderator Emeritus
Except with carb cleaner.
The term "solvents" is awfully broad and covers a wide variety of cleaners.
Paint stripper and carb cleaner are pretty aggressive solvents. Kind of in the same category as Roger Rabbits's Dip.
I've stenciled several AR-15 uppers with the cartridge it is chambered for using Duracoat. It is good to know Duracoat is not as durable as the name implies. I'll be careful cleaning the uppers so that i do not wash off the stencilling.
Paint stripper and carb cleaner are pretty aggressive solvents. Kind of in the same category as Roger Rabbits's Dip.
I've stenciled several AR-15 uppers with the cartridge it is chambered for using Duracoat. It is good to know Duracoat is not as durable as the name implies. I'll be careful cleaning the uppers so that i do not wash off the stencilling.
tark
Member
It that Carb cleaner is the same stuff that is in "brake cleaner" it is indeed nasty stuff. It can do wonders for a crusted up, dirty bore, but for God's sake keep it away from anything made of wood, with a finish on it. It will instantly remove any finish on a wood stock (Including the old Remington Bowling Pin finish) and worse yet it will suck the remaining moisture completely out of the wood, leaving a stain that does not come out.
My little experiment with that stuff is over! I'll stick to conventional products made expressly for use on firearms.
My little experiment with that stuff is over! I'll stick to conventional products made expressly for use on firearms.
Sam1911
Moderator Emeritus
It's actually noticeably more aggressive than Brake Cleaner.
Float Pilot
Member
MEK will cut duracoat. It will also eat your fiberglass stock.
You might be better off with a very light wipe of lacquer thinner followed by a re-coat in whatever color you want.
You might be better off with a very light wipe of lacquer thinner followed by a re-coat in whatever color you want.
Carb cleaner is one of the few substances on the planet that'll kill cockroaches dead in their tracks. Not surprised it stripped off duracoat, Sam.
Personally, I'd hand sand it. Start with a moderate grit and as you get down to the fiberglass stock, switch to a fine/very fine grit to get it smooth.
Then clearcoat the stock again or leave it dull, personal preference.
Personally, I'd hand sand it. Start with a moderate grit and as you get down to the fiberglass stock, switch to a fine/very fine grit to get it smooth.
Then clearcoat the stock again or leave it dull, personal preference.
Lloyd Smale
Member
I would have to believe brake clearer would do better. Carb cleaners are formulated to not react with rubber and plastic parts of the carb.
- Status
