Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Okay, here is a poser - if one wanted to strip a terribly painted and half worn finish off a bakelite lap steel, what would you use and what procedure? My experience with bakelite is it is a very durable material, but I am not sure which solvents that would strip the ugly hack finish off but not melt into the bakelite. Suggestions?

johnallg wrote:Okay, here is a poser - if one wanted to strip a terribly painted and half worn finish off a bakelite lap steel, what would you use and what procedure? My experience with bakelite is it is a very durable material, but I am not sure which solvents that would strip the ugly hack finish off but not melt into the bakelite. Suggestions?

Bakelite will not melt, being a thermoset (as opposed to plastics like styrene, ABS, vinyl, etc., whach are thermomelts.

This is the reason it has been used for nearly a century for high-heat applications like the handles of pots and pans, and electrical item trim (toaster oven handles, for example).

As-molded, and in new condition, Bakelite is quite glossy and non-porous. But, as it ages, and depending upon how heavy its use has been, it is possible for Bakelite to develop porosity. This is usually in evidence as a dull, grayish or brownish surface.

The evaluation is up to you--I would scrape some of the paint off with a dullish blade, very carefully, as you want to leave the surface undisturbed if at all possible.

The trick to painting Bakelite is to provide a mechanical bond for the paint to "bite" so it doesn't peel over time, and this is usually done by scuffing the surface with sandpaper or steel wool, or sandblasting. If the Bakelite on your lap steel has been scuffed (dull surface with obvious sanding marks, or sandblast pitting), there's not a lot you can do to get the paint off except bead blasting.

Don't use chemical stripper if the surface is dull or porous--it will leach into the surface and inhibit any sort of finishing you can do to restore the look of the Bakelite (see below).

If, on the other hand, the paint peels off to reveal a nice, shiny surface, you can use a chemical stripper, lightly and gently, to remove the paint. In this case, you want a stiff bristle brush to help things along--any kind of metal or Scotchbrite will scratch the surface of the Bakelite.

If you've gotten the paint off a badly-aged and scuffed piece of Bakelite by blasting, you will have a dull surface of consistent color, which can't be restored or polished, but can be clearcoated with two-part urethane, wet-sanded and buffed out, and no one will be the wiser. It's also possible to repaint the color with ordinary lacquers and then clearcoat and buff.

Paul, excellent - I will pass this on. Since some bakelite is already exposed and non-shiny, and there are various layers of paint (yes, at least 2) are in all other areas, this will take the scraping and sanding to get it ready for a refinish. Appreciated.