# How Do You Get That Hard Red Tape Off?



## Larmo63 (Jul 2, 2013)

I have a fork that has that crappy, hard reflective tape all over it. 

How do you get it off without harming the existing original paint?

Heat gun, I know, but what is the process?

Thank you in advance......


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## abe lugo (Jul 2, 2013)

*try a blow dryer instead of a heat gun*

I would basically wave the blow dryer across the length of the tape, it should all start warming up, then pick at a corner and see if the glue underneath is soft and tacky. Do it until the tape is bendable and if you get a corner started keep waving the the heat over the rest to keep it peeling back.
With a heat gun there are too many chances to get a hotspot you cannot see andbpurn your paint all of the sudden, then game over. 
A blow dryer can burn but it should not get as hot as Heatgun.


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## scrubbinrims (Jul 2, 2013)

It is a lost cause in my experience and I have tried it all...hair dryer, goo gone/goo off, a razor, soaking in water...nothing works without also removing the paint.
I will not buy bicycles with reflective tape being just too adhesive, unless on chrome.
Chris


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## bricycle (Jul 2, 2013)

Hair dryer and your thumb nails (unless you chew them)...LOL!


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## Obi-Wan Schwinnobi (Jul 2, 2013)

bricycle said:


> Hair dryer and your thumb nails (unless you chew them)...LOL!




Zippo lighter fluid... I wonder if baking it in the oven at a low temp for a few hours would work, or yhee opposite, try that wart freezing spray. Freeze it then chip it off..


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## GiovanniLiCalsi (Jul 2, 2013)

Put it in a preheated oven at 130 degrees for about 10 minutes and peel.


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## dfa242 (Jul 2, 2013)

Send it to Aunt Becky - she'll fix it right up for ya.


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## Boris (Jul 2, 2013)

Stroke it rapidly.


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## dfa242 (Jul 2, 2013)

Now we know why Vince says you're a pig.


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## vincev (Jul 2, 2013)

Dave Marko said:


> Stroke it rapidly.




Unlike Dave ,I will give an answer that is adult like.I use the hair dryer method and finger nails.After that a little gasoline on a rag to remove the glue.


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## vincev (Jul 2, 2013)

Dave Marko said:


> Stroke it rapidly.




Hey buddy,things are tough without you blow up doll I guess.


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## fordsnake (Jul 2, 2013)

You might want to try Bestine...it's a rubber cement thinner, it doesn't harm paint at least from my experience. http://papercement.com/bestine.html


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## Oldnut (Jul 3, 2013)

*Red tape*

Try some wax and grease remover or some autobody wood grain decal glue remover.there at any auto body paint store. There designed not to harm the paint.if you see paint on the rag stop.


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## Waterland (Jul 3, 2013)

I just pick it off a little at a time with my thumbnail, tedious but effective, it won't come off in big sections, but you should be able to kind of roll it off with your thumbs once you get a corner lifted with a thumbnail.  I did this with a fork just the other day.  Any kind of residue left over should come off with just regular cooking oil or goof off/goo gone.


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## halfatruck (Jul 3, 2013)

A hair dryer is the right idea, but a heat gun really does a better job (much higher heat).


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## Larmo63 (Jul 13, 2013)

Thank you, gentlemen......

(and I use that term loosely.....)


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## looneymatthew (Jul 15, 2013)

*lawrence*

Scrub it kook!.............






larmo63 said:


> thank you, gentlemen......
> 
> (and i use that term loosely.....)


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## bricycle (Jul 15, 2013)

looneymatthew said:


> Scrub it kook!.............




Ditto.......


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## bricycle (Jul 15, 2013)

looneymatthew said:


> Scrub it kook!.............




you have to live near that, that.... THING?


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## bike (Jul 15, 2013)

*goof off/goo gone.*

Goof off is STRONG acetone and kentone(sp) goo gone is mild- ...


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## Larmo63 (Jul 17, 2013)

"If you boys can't play nice in there, I'm coming in with the belt...."




bricycle said:


> you have to live near that, that.... THING?


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