Tips for removing fossilized vinyl pin stripes?

[Desertnate]

We recently brought a new Honda into the family and while the paint is in really good shape for being 5 years old and not maintained by a "Geek", it does have the pinstripes Honda loves to slap on many of its cars and even includes the little Honda logo on the front quarter panels.

I've removed vinyl pinstripes before by warming them up and simply peeling them off. However, these are 5 years old and have hardened somewhat. They do soften a little with heat, but I have to resort more to scraping them off in chunks rather than peeling them off.

Does anyone have any tips for making this job easier/faster? I've got some plastic razor blades en route to aid with the removal/scraping part, but curious to hear if there is anything else I can do. Stoner's Tarminator works great for removing the left-over adhesive gunk, but didn't seem to soften the pin stripes or make them easier to remove.

[FUNX650]

• Chiselers...ex.: plastic razor blades
•"Vinyl Off"
• Stripe Eliminator Tools: urethane rubber
wheels---w/drill attachments (arbors)


Bob

[JCDetails]

the 3m rubber wheel is your friend.

[Mathwiz]

+1 on the rubber wheel. Takes it off completely and doesn't harm the clear coat if done correctly. I used a 3/8 electric drill so that means no need for dremel type speed.


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[Desertnate]

Thanks for the inputs! I hadn't stumbled across the rubber wheel before. I like the idea, but the "if done correctly" part worries me a bit. I can see it being much like a rotary polisher. Great in the hands of a seasoned veteran, but deadly in the hands of an inexperienced user.

[Finick]

Thanks for the inputs! I hadn't stumbled across the rubber wheel before. I like the idea, but the "if done correctly" part worries me a bit. I can see it being much like a rotary polisher. Great in the hands of a seasoned veteran, but deadly in the hands of an inexperienced user.

For what it’s worth I was worried about using mine when I debadged my car earlier in the week, and I had no issues. I was very cautious at first but once I got the hang of it it was smooth sailing.

Had my emblems off and was ready to polish in like 15 minutes. Super handy tool.

I plan to use it to remove leftover wheel weight adhesive in the next few days too, definitely worth the 10 bucks I spent for it on amazon.

[DaveT435]

We recently brought a new Honda into the family and while the paint is in really good shape for being 5 years old and not maintained by a "Geek", it does have the pinstripes Honda loves to slap on many of its cars and even includes the little Honda logo on the front quarter panels.

I've removed vinyl pinstripes before by warming them up and simply peeling them off. However, these are 5 years old and have hardened somewhat. They do soften a little with heat, but I have to resort more to scraping them off in chunks rather than peeling them off.

Does anyone have any tips for making this job easier/faster? I've got some plastic razor blades en route to aid with the removal/scraping part, but curious to hear if there is anything else I can do. Stoner's Tarminator works great for removing the left-over adhesive gunk, but didn't seem to soften the pin stripes or make them easier to remove.

What color is the car?? I did a dark gray Honda that was 4-5 years old and it left ghosting where the pinstripes were.

[GSKR]

We recently brought a new Honda into the family and while the paint is in really good shape for being 5 years old and not maintained by a "Geek", it does have the pinstripes Honda loves to slap on many of its cars and even includes the little Honda logo on the front quarter panels.

I've removed vinyl pinstripes before by warming them up and simply peeling them off. However, these are 5 years old and have hardened somewhat. They do soften a little with heat, but I have to resort more to scraping them off in chunks rather than peeling them off.

Does anyone have any tips for making this job easier/faster? I've got some plastic razor blades en route to aid with the removal/scraping part, but curious to hear if there is anything else I can do. Stoner's Tarminator works great for removing the left-over adhesive gunk, but didn't seem to soften the pin stripes or make them easier to remove.
Soften with lacquer thinner then use your finger nail.make sure the paint is not single stage.If so don't use lacquer.Maybe a whole lot of patience with a plastic blade or blast them off with a pressure washer.

[Desertnate]

What color is the car?? I did a dark gray Honda that was 4-5 years old and it left ghosting where the pinstripes were.

This is a dark gray metalic Fit; probably the same color as the one you worked on. From the small pieces I've removed so far, there will be some ghosting. I'm pretty sure the car has never been machine polished, so I'm hoping after I do a full detail and then apply a coating the ghosting will be minimal...if at all. Either way, the stripes are cracking on the driver side and starting to look unsightly overall, so they have to be removed.


Soften with lacquer thinner then use your finger nail.make sure the paint is not single stage.If so don't use lacquer.Maybe a whole lot of patience with a plastic blade or blast them off with a pressure washer.

This is a 2012 with gray metallic paint, so I'm quite certain it isn't single stage. I may try a little lacquer thinner, but Stoner's Tarminator didn't have much of effect. Isn't it pretty similar to lacquer thinner?


For what it’s worth I was worried about using mine when I debadged my car earlier in the week, and I had no issues. I was very cautious at first but once I got the hang of it it was smooth sailing.

Had my emblems off and was ready to polish in like 15 minutes. Super handy tool.

I plan to use it to remove leftover wheel weight adhesive in the next few days too, definitely worth the 10 bucks I spent for it on amazon.

Thanks. I hadn't thought about wheel weight adhesive removal for the wheel. My wife's car has some pretty horrible spots from the last set of tires. I might get one and practice on the wheels first where it isn't as noticable if I get something wrong.