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Message |
    
Ms. Cooper
Citizen
Username: Ms_cooper
Post Number: 73
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, June 1, 2006 - 9:33 am: | 
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So after two years of living in our house, I finally decided that I can't live another day with the dried and caked-on paint smears all over the really cool crystal knobs and their aged brass fittings. What is the best way to get the paint off without removing the entire ensemble from the door? Can this be done? Turpentine (sp?) scares me because of the smell that lingers in the house afterwards. Is there any miracle product out there?
Any advice would be helpful.
Thanks! |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 7866
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, June 1, 2006 - 9:58 am: |
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You can start with Goof Off. I don't know if it will work on really old build-up, but it can't hurt. |
gj1
Citizen
Username: Gj1
Post Number: 357
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, June 1, 2006 - 10:06 am: |
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The knobs are held in place by a single screw. I'd take them off, take them outside and use paint remover. These knobs are usually pressed glass. Paint remover will not harm the glass or brass.
Turpentine will take forevor. |
Shanabana
Citizen
Username: Shanabana
Post Number: 462
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, June 1, 2006 - 10:08 am: |
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Yeah, my husband will take hardware, knobs, stuff like that and submerge them in paint remover,which he glugs into an empty clean milk carton or something. Leave in there til it's all soft. Use gloves when handling the solution, tho. |
Seagull
Citizen
Username: Seagull
Post Number: 106
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, June 1, 2006 - 11:15 am: |
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We had the same problem with all of the doorknobs in our house.
The easiest way we've found was to take them off the door and soak them in a Lestoil & water solution (3:1) overnight. Take a tooth brush and the paint will wipe off. If there are a lot of coats, it may take another soaking- but atleast it's easy!
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Ms. Cooper
Citizen
Username: Ms_cooper
Post Number: 74
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, June 1, 2006 - 11:23 am: |
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These are great suggestions! Thanks! |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 11689
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, June 1, 2006 - 11:33 am: |
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A couple of comments:
Some of the doorknobs have an allen head screw, which requires a wrench, available at HD for a few bucks.
Sometimes if you soak the knobs in paint remover the connection between the knob and the fitting will become lose and have to be reglued.
Polish the fitting with Brasso and then spray with lacquer after masking off the knob to keep everything shiny for quite awhile.
While you are at it, you might as well remove the plates the knobs go through and clean them up as well. They usually are brass. When reinstalling them get some brass screws a little longer than original to hold better.
A good way to spend a rainy Saturday. |
Euclidious
Citizen
Username: Euclidious
Post Number: 30
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, June 3, 2006 - 10:29 am: |
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I saw an interesting article that recommended putting paint caked items like door knobs into a crock pot and without solvents, the paint just falls off after a day and it's perfectly clean. |
Fabulouswalls
Citizen
Username: Fabulouswalls
Post Number: 79
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, June 4, 2006 - 8:31 pm: |
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I soaked painted brass hinges in Coke overnight and literally washed it away. I had read about it before but never tried it. The hinges came out perfectly clean. |
Ms. Cooper
Citizen
Username: Ms_cooper
Post Number: 75
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Monday, June 5, 2006 - 9:54 am: |
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I broke down and bought Goof Off. Wow. That stuff works but I think I may have sustained some serious neurological damage from the fumes.
I only did two knobs because it took me a while to figure out how to remove everything from the door.
One of the springs broke in the box of the mortise lock and I tried fixing it but to no avail. I am wondering if Bunchers can help me...
The crock pot--do you put water in it? |
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