Quick & Easy Emblem Removal

[Nick McKees37]

If you don't have any fishing line, you can use dental floss also.

Great suggestion.

[ZimRandy]

I've used two paint brush handles to tie the fishing line to so the line doesn't slice into your fingers when doing the "sawing" action. Just tie the line to the holes on the ends of the two paint brush handles and now you have a more comfortable grip for the fishing line.




Anything with a handle and a hole will work I suppose. I just have small paint brushes handy.

Randy

[BillyJack]

Thanks for the tutorial, Nick.
Yesterday, I denuded my DD of the trunk lettering.

I've done plenty of trim removal over the years using fishing line, but it was never this easy before. I don't know why I never thought of using heat, as I have a commercial heat gun, but it made the job go so much quicker. Didn't even need the fishing line, just a plastic squeegee and some heat. A wipe with mineral spirits to remove any residue and a little Blackfire TPS to make the outlines disappear was all it took.
Thanks again!

Bill

[KMdef9]

If you don't have any fishing line, you can use dental floss also.

Some dental floss, apparently all the ones I have on my house, have very poor tensile strength and was quite the pain to use.

If you plan on doing this, I'd get some fishing line, resort to dental floss as a last resort.

[Nick McKees37]

I've used two paint brush handles to tie the fishing line to so the line doesn't slice into your fingers when doing the "sawing" action. Just tie the line to the holes on the ends of the two paint brush handles and now you have a more comfortable grip for the fishing line.




Anything with a handle and a hole will work I suppose. I just have small paint brushes handy.

Randy

Great tip Randy.

Thanks for the tutorial, Nick.
Yesterday, I denuded my DD of the trunk lettering.

I've done plenty of trim removal over the years using fishing line, but it was never this easy before. I don't know why I never thought of using heat, as I have a commercial heat gun, but it made the job go so much quicker. Didn't even need the fishing line, just a plastic squeegee and some heat. A wipe with mineral spirits to remove any residue and a little Blackfire TPS to make the outlines disappear was all it took.
Thanks again!

Bill

Lookin' good Bill!

[addysdaddy]

So what happens if you want to put the badging back on - suggestions?

[SR99]

If you spray some adhesive dissolver on before you begin sawing (so that you're sawing with adhesive remover mixed in there as well) the sawing can be easier.

And as a footnote for future reference on a different application of the same concept, this same process can be used to remove a big bathroom mirror from the wall without breaking it. The mirror is usually attached with a blob of adhesive in each corner. Take your fishing line, tie a steel washer on the end, drop the washer behind the mirror from the top, then use a magnet to pull the washer (and the fishing line) out the side of the mirror so you can "saw" away the blob of adhesive. Pour some sort of adhesive dissolver behind the mirror, from the top, to aid in the sawing. I think I actually found that a twisted-strand steel wire (the kind used for hanging pictures) worked best since it has some "teeth" to it.

[4u2nvinmtl]

That's how I debadged my Jeep SRT8, it was very quick and easy. Now people ask me if it's an SRT all the time LOL.

[Desertnate]

Depending on the age of the letters/badging you may not even need a heat gun to pull off the lettering.

The last time I had a plastic dealership badge to remove, it was on a brand new dark grey car. After setting in the hot summer sun for a few hours, I sliced them right off with fishing line. No blow dryer required. I'm sure this may work on any dark colored car.

On a side note, the dealer applied pin striping also came off very easily at the same time. The adhesive gets so soft in the heat, those things peeled right off.

[The Guz]

Debadging is the way to go. I have had my Grand Prix debadged for years. It's one of the best things I did.

With my Camaro SS I left the badges intact.

So what happens if you want to put the badging back on - suggestions?

If you wish to put them back on then clean up any remaining residue from the letters or badges. Pick up some 3M tape locally and cut the tape to fit the outline of the badge or lettering. Hopefully you have access to the dimensions of where they sit so you can put them back in the right spot.