# 5 Minutes With Goof-off



## the tinker

Got this frame at the Arlington Heights swap yesterday for a winter project[gotta think ahead] and I was hoping there was some original paint beneath an old rattle-can job.
Just sprayed a little "goof-off "on it.   Gosh I love this stuff!
Here is a before and after photo:


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## rusty.kirkpatrick

whoa, nice graphics.


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## Freqman1

Fantastic! Now if you could just find the rest of the matching sheet metal you would be in tall cotton. V/r Shawn


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## CrazyDave

Nice! Thank god it wasn't house paint!


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## bricycle

I've been called much worse.....

nice job!


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## the tinker

Finished cleaning this old boy up tonight. About an hours work total.
This bike was at Ann Arbor for sale. It was a complete bike then......some how it got parted out. I am thankful that at least the frame and tank remain intact.  This will be a nice looking bike again.
This head badge  was buried under thick blue and white paint.
This picture is a little blurry but it is a shot of a nearly complete original decal on the frame

 


The paint top of the frame is usually terrible on an old bike.  Really nice on this old timer.


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## WES PINCHOT

MUST BE A LOT EASIER THAN OXALIC ACID.


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## robertc

Who would have ever thought that it would have turned out like this. Looks like the makings of a summer project. Great job.


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## Boris

Dave- Would you explain your step by step method of using Goof Off Professional Strength. I see all these fantastic results like yours, but I haven't really had very much luck with it. Great job!!!


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## vincev

Come on Tinker .Tell us your secret.


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## GTs58

That is totally amazing! And more gratifying than spending 5 minutes with Betty.


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## Robertriley

BAD ASS!    Great job!   Please give us step by step directions or better yet, make a short YouTube video for us.


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## the tinker

I wish I could figure out what paints this stuff works best removing. Just buy a can to keep on hand and try it out on the next klunker you get. I think the spray can type wastes too much. Get the bottle and just brush on and work it back and forth a little bit and immediately wipe off.
I show a bike that a lady painted all silver and let sit out in her garden a couple years. Then she painted everything except the seat red.  The red paint came off easily using easy-off oven cleaner.  The silver paint just don't want to come off.
Parks stripper got it off the chrome but not completely off the original red painted areas. Goof -Off does nothing.
Some paints are just better....


 

 

  This was a nice bike before she messed it up to place in her garden.....


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## bricycle

Parks.... Pro Stripper?...... huh, I used to know one. :eek:


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## CrazyDave

I went and got a bottle of everything suggested for stripping house paint, nothing worked too darn well....or at least in a timely manner.  I think good thick house paint is just a PITA no matter what you use and unless you REALLY want to see the stock paint its just a time consuming blunder of a endeavor.  The orange and black RMS, yeah...strip it....a bike that there is 1000's of and will be worth $500 when your done, helllllll no, blast it and spray it.


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## tripple3

CrazyDave said:


> ... unless you REALLY want to see the stock paint its just a time consuming blunder of a endeavor.  The orange and black RMS, yeah...strip it....a bike that there is 1000's of and will be worth $500 when your done, helllllll no, blast it and spray it.



Dave, You are leaving out the fact that we love her! 
Painstaking hours to show as much "Original Paint" is NOT for monetary gain; its love!
I spent some time "loving" but I still would rather Ride.


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## ratina

Wow, never would have guessed that nice paint was under there. I never have any luck removing paint from bikes.


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## WES PINCHOT

easy-off oven cleaner?   YIKES, ISN'T THAT CORROSIVE?


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## SirMike1983

WES PINCHOT said:


> easy-off oven cleaner?   YIKES, ISN'T THAT CORROSIVE?




Yes, it can be if left on too long. I've used that method a couple of times. You limit the exposure to just a couple of minutes, which is long enough to remove the outer layer of paint. You immediately neutralize it with water after it really starts to bubble.  It is exceedingly difficult to get the oven cleaner method to pull overpaint without harming the original paint underneath. It's possible to get it right, but you really need to know what you're dealing with and how long to leave the oven cleaner on. If you go too long and you'll strip to bare metal. If you miss some in cleanup, then the part will rust quickly.

My experience is as follows:

Easiest: water-based, latex paint (you should be so lucky that it's this)- cleans up with a light scouring pad/sponge and lots of water

Annoying/Messy: oil-based house paint, regular spray paint. Sometimes acetone, sometimes Goof Off. Paint thinner usually not strong enough. Xylol/stripper may work too. Watch out for very old, white paint- could be lead based.

Hard: Acetone-based auto paint. Often melts/binds with the original paint. Acetone will clean it, but it's really a tough clean up.

Awful: undercarriage paint/POR-15/etc. Really awful. Lots of acetone needed (LOTS). Oven cleaner may work, but it's a real gamble on exposure time.

To be honest, I hate paint removal. It's messy and involves some pretty foul chemicals.


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## WES PINCHOT

SirMike1983 said:


> Yes, it can be if left on too long. I've used that method a couple of times. You limit the exposure to just a couple of minutes, which is long enough to remove the outer layer of paint. You immediately neutralize it with water after it really starts to bubble.  It is exceedingly difficult to get the oven cleaner method to pull overpaint without harming the original paint underneath. It's possible to get it right, but you really need to know what you're dealing with and how long to leave the oven cleaner on. If you go too long and you'll strip to bare metal. If you miss some in cleanup, then the part will rust quickly.
> 
> My experience is as follows:
> 
> Easiest: water-based, latex paint (you should be so lucky that it's this)- cleans up with a light scouring pad/sponge and lots of water
> 
> Annoying/Messy: oil-based house paint, regular spray paint. Sometimes acetone, sometimes Goof Off. Paint thinner usually not strong enough. Xylol/stripper may work too. Watch out for very old, white paint- could be lead based.
> 
> Hard: Acetone-based auto paint. Often melts/binds with the original paint. Acetone will clean it, but it's really a tough clean up.
> 
> Awful: undercarriage paint/POR-15/etc. Really awful. Lots of acetone needed (LOTS). Oven cleaner may work, but it's a real gamble on exposure time.
> 
> To be honest, I hate paint removal. It's messy and involves some pretty foul chemicals.




SOUNDS LIKE GOOD INFO!
THANKS FOR SHARING.


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## the tinker

Yes, Easy-off Oven cleaner.  I have used it 3-4 times with good luck. Just like most of the stuff we use to take paint off it is brutal . You think of household products that "mom" would use in the kitchen as being SAFE to use.      After all,Moms use it in the kitchen.....it's gotta be safe, right???   Not so. With the Easy-off, like SirMike says, "gotta be quick" 
All these products have to be used with extreme care. I have gotten to the point I say after every bike I use paint stripper on that" this will be the last time I will use a paint stripper   ." 
I remind myself I am in this hobby for one thing only: Fun.
Taking paint off a bike with any of these products is messy, dangerous and not fun for me.........but when it's done,I think to myself well...maybe I will do one more.....
This hobby is a disease.  Anyone have a cure?


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## ratcycle

Yes it's called bba bicycle buyer anonymous or bicycle addicts anonymous


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## the tinker

Decided to do a little testing of paint strippers...Picked the tank off a bike I would like to repaint. Looks to have had a typical rattle job done to it.
Looking closely at the tank I can make out the original design under the re-paint.
First up. Goof-off.  No results'strike one.    2nd. try easy-off oven cleaner.  I thought for sure that would lift this paint. Strike 2....   Then that new friendly nice smelling orange type...... It softened the paint and some graphics started showing through.. Close but no cigar. Ball..... Finally old messy Parks.
The script  Hawthorne in white quickly came to view only to be immediately be wiped away for good replaced by the black base coat underneath. All the original paint is appearing but is being removed with the re-paint.
I think that's strike 3.
I just might leave it "as it is "  




 

 

 

 


" I'll tell you Henry,I won't use no more paint strippers. It's messy and all that chemical stuff is just plain bad.Just ride 'em and enjoy them".
" What about sand blasting , Ever think of that Jimmy?"


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## tech549

this westfield was house painted and used easy off ,


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## jd56

I too have anxiety when i decide to find a way to reveal original paint.
I have tried all the methods mentioned and some have worked, again depending on the type of paint being removed.
I've been too agressive at times and have ended up with a "bare metal" theme frame project.
But, my "go to" method has been "lacquer thinner". Care needs to be taken when working pinstripes and other graphics that were applied on top of the original paint.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk


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## WES PINCHOT

tech549 said:


> this westfield was house painted and used easy off ,
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 322114
> 
> View attachment 322115



AMAZING! HOW ABOUT THE RED PAINT LEFT?


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## tech549

WES PINCHOT said:


> AMAZING! HOW ABOUT THE RED PAINT LEFT?



 well I didn't want to go any further with the easy off as the remaining paint was so hard I used a plastic scraper and took my time and just kind of chipped it off.i just cant believe someone would paint this bike he has such great original paint and color!


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## Intense One

Thinking ZaZa Gabor's makeup remover may clean it up.....or .......eat it up!


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## Intense One

This blue Higgins used to be green....it showed me what graphics were hiding under that rattle can paint!


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## ram.1950

I used Oven Cleaner on my RRBBO5 entry. One coat for the house paint, another coat with a longer waiting time for the factory paint, but for some odd reason the pin stripes on the fender would not come off - I had to sand them off with a palm sander and it was still difficult. I didn't get the impression it was as kick but as Paint Stripper but if you are trying to save the original finish Oven Cleaner may be the way to go.


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## mtnbikeman

After reading this thread I just used goof off on these rims.


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## markivpedalpusher

WOW @the tinker all you need to do is paint up some fenders to match. I didn't even know goof off came in an aerosol can - nice!


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## Agave

Interesting read here.
I have a friend who has used Easy Off on cast iron.
Rather caustic stuff.
Knowing this, I can only imagine how strong it would be on these old bikes.

Im reading this with the thought of trying some method on a 1953 Schwinn straight bar frame that I have.
I "think" that it is a Hornet.
Some of the original color is present underneath some black overpaint.
It's a dark blue - medium blue two tone with, if I recall correctly, white pinstriping.

Ill take a pic of the frame here shortly.

What would you all suggest?
Start with ______?
any extra steps in between?
End with ______?

Thanx


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## the tinker

Agave said:


> Interesting read here.
> I have a friend who has used Easy Off on cast iron.
> Rather caustic stuff.
> Knowing this, I can only imagine how strong it would be on these old bikes.
> 
> Im reading this with the thought of trying some method on a 1953 Schwinn straight bar frame that I have.
> I "think" that it is a Hornet.
> Some of the original color is present underneath some black overpaint.
> It's a dark blue - medium blue two tone with, if I recall correctly, white pinstriping.
> 
> Ill take a pic of the frame here shortly.
> 
> What would you all suggest?
> Start with ______?
> any extra steps in between?
> End with ______?
> 
> Thanx



Look around the house and see if a can of Easy-Off Oven Cleaner is hiding in the back of a kitchen cabinet and try it  in some obscure place on your frame. Buy a can of Goof-Off and try it. The original finish on your frame was baked on your 53 Schwinn, and either product will not harm it.. The main ingredient in oven cleaner is lye. You are right, it is very caustic and dangerous to use.Goof-Off isn't as strong, but I still would use gloves and caution. Neither product works on all paints, you have to experiment with it. I'd flip the frame over and try it under the bottom bracket. The main problems with stripping a finish is if the person that painted it sanded the original paint prior to painting, or the bike was solid rust. If they scuffed the original finish up with sand paper, your'e screwed. It turns out looking like a mess.
I've used Parks Stripper too, but it tends dull the original finish, and can take off valuable graphics. It's a hit and miss kinda thing, you have to experiment with it. Please post your results
A word of caution, the Schwinns of the 70's graphics were applied differently .Even a cleaner type paste wax will quickly remove them, and so will any of these products


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## Agave

the tinker said:


> Look around the house and see if a can of Easy-Off Oven Cleaner is hiding in the back of a kitchen cabinet and try it  in some obscure place on your frame. Buy a can of Goof-Off and try it. The original finish on your frame was baked on your 53 Schwinn, and either product will not harm it.. The main ingredient in oven cleaner is lye. You are right, it is very caustic and dangerous to use.Goof-Off isn't as strong, but I still would use gloves and caution. Neither product works on all paints, you have to experiment with it. I'd flip the frame over and try it under the bottom bracket. The main problems with stripping a finish is if the person that painted it sanded the original paint prior to painting, or the bike was solid rust. If they scuffed the original finish up with sand paper, your'e screwed. It turns out looking like a mess.
> I've used Parks Stripper too, but it tends dull the original finish, and can take off valuable graphics. It's a hit and miss kinda thing, you have to experiment with it. Please post your results
> A word of caution, the Schwinns of the 70's graphics were applied differently .Even a cleaner type paste wax will quickly remove them, and so will any of these products




I have some results to post using the Goof Off graffiti strength in a can process.
Above you can see what I had to start with.
I'll add pics in the next post


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## Agave

Agave said:


> I have some results to post using the Goof Off graffiti strength in a can process.
> Above you can see what I had to start with.
> I'll add pics in the next post




Results using 1 can. 
Didn't finish the frame but came close with just some normal arm strength...


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## alecburns

This thread makes me equally as excited as well as terrified to strip the thin overpaint off of my westfield. After close inspection I believe 95% of the original paint and pinstriping is preserved underneath. It will be a long, arduous, but hopefully rewarding project. I love this bike.


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## mymikesbikes

How do you use goof off? I think that’s what I’m going to use.


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## Barto

Goof off comes in liquid or spray form, simply apply to a soft rag and start scrubbing.  Find a hidden spot and test it, if good to go, give it some time and elbow grease. I would wear eye protection and gloves...Smoking may not be the best idea but if you insist, keep your glasses high on your nose so you can protect your eye brows from burning off - people look silly without them


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## piercer_99

On my 1929 Westfield, which had about 7 layers of black paint over everything, and other layers of paint under it, then the Berkshire Blue, I used a lot of things.

 I used easy off, nothing.
Lacquer thinner, right through to the metal.
Goof Off, just wouldn't get through the black paint, whereas the lacquer thinner would, aggressively.
Acetone, well it got a minuscule amount of the black, but I figured it would take about 2 years of non stop work.
Finally, I used Kleen Strip aerosol paint remover, 3 to 5 minutes then immediate bath to remove everything possible.  

Ultimately, I had to stop at this step, as now, anything takes it down to the bare metal, and I am happy enough to have enough original paint showing, along with the red highlights old Raymond Buck painted on it sometime in the last 90 years when he had it.   As his name is stamped into the stem, I blame him, may he rest in peace.   I am still not happy with him, for painting over the bike so many times.

So, until such time as it comes to repainting it, if ever, this is how it will be.   I now have 6 coats of carnuba wax on it, and will continue to keep it coated with a high quality wax as long as I have it.  Unless I decide to have it painted back to the original scheme by my daughters boss, who does supreme paint work on antique vehicles. 

I am kind of fond of the red, white and blue look for now.


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