Removing decals - aaaargh!

[Singletrack74]

So, I’m removing the old decals from my Explosif, and I’m doing it very patiently with a hair dryer. I’m getting them really warm, but they are just coming off in teeny tiny bits, and leaving lots of glue behind.

So far I have spent an hour getting about 25% of the top tube graphic off (it’s a large wraparound)....there must be something I’m doing wrong, or maybe something extra I could do to help them stay more intact?

I’m getting the tubes warm enough that I can barely touch them, and it’s super tough to get them shifting!

Any help or suggestions hugely appreciated as there are still a lot of decals to come off even once this one is off....

 

[ishaw]

Re:

I had a similar challenge with an old GT. The decals had gone all brittle and cracked so I wanted to replace them.

I found that heating them reactivated the old, dry glue and made the job more difficult so ended up using the top of a bic biro (other brands are available) as a scraper without heat and simply scraped them off. The bic lid has a sharp enough edge, cutting in to the exposed decal edge to scrape it off, but the plastic is soft enough so doesn't scratch. It made light work and didn't take long.

 

[M-Power]

Re: Re:

I had a similar challenge with an old GT. The decals had gone all brittle and cracked so I wanted to replace them.

I found that heating them reactivated the old, dry glue and made the job more difficult so ended up using the top of a bic biro (other brands are available) as a scraper without heat and simply scraped them off. The bic lid has a sharp enough edge, cutting in to the exposed decal edge to scrape it off, but the plastic is soft enough so doesn't scratch. It made light work and didn't take long.

Winning tip there.

 

[mk one]

Are the decals soft and stretchy when your peeling them? if so then just take your time, best to work along one edge and then remove the whole sticker parallel to its self, if that makes sense, more so with ones that wrap around a tube.

 

[Singletrack74]

Re: Re:

I had a similar challenge with an old GT. The decals had gone all brittle and cracked so I wanted to replace them.

I found that heating them reactivated the old, dry glue and made the job more difficult so ended up using the top of a bic biro (other brands are available) as a scraper without heat and simply scraped them off. The bic lid has a sharp enough edge, cutting in to the exposed decal edge to scrape it off, but the plastic is soft enough so doesn't scratch. It made light work and didn't take long.

I’ll definitely give that a go to help later today! I managed to win in the end and found a technique that worked better; I found that by using the narrow hairdryer tip I could use it a bit like a snowplough and scrape along the surface of the frame as I heated it, a bit like your technique. However it’s a big chuck of plastic, so not very precise!

 

[Singletrack74]

Are the decals soft and stretchy when your peeling them? if so then just take your time, best to work along one edge and then remove the whole sticker parallel to its self, if that makes sense, more so with ones that wrap around a tube.

No, they are quite stiff....not totally dry and hard, but definitely not soft and they aren’t stretchy at all. I have been doing what you were saying though - freeing up the edge parallel with the tube first so I can work round it. One of the problems is that any chips, scratches etc act like a train track and take the peel off in the direction or just snap.

But the technique I used above with the hairdryer made it much easier and the top tube is now done....will try to finish this afternoon!

 

[oldscholar]

Re:

I always save my old bank cards, they make great scrapers for this sort of thing as they have a sharp leading edge and are flexible enough to bend to the profile of a tube. The edge soon dulls but you just keep turning and using a different part of the card. They're also useful as filler mixers/applicators

 

[Retro Spud]

Re: Re:

I always save my old bank cards, they make great scrapers for this sort of thing as they have a sharp leading edge and are I flexible enough to bend to the profile of a tube. The edge soon dulls but you just keep turning and using a different part of the card. They're also useful as filler mixers/applicators

Your flexible friend....

 

[oldscholar]

Re:

Your flexible friend....[/quote]

hehe yes an Access card would be the retro tool of choice.

 

[gil_m]

Re:

Sounds like you are getting them too hot if the glue is separating from the vinyl print

Use a more general heat, working in a larger area rather than just the area you are working and learn to release the tension in the decal, pull a little bit then release the tension, then go at it again, repeating this method

All decals are not made the same, as they get older they will break up when you try and remove them, scratches and chips will make it hard, attack these areas from a couple of different angles, that should make it easier

Good luck