# Removing decals from a ti frame



## mattv2099 (Apr 15, 2004)

I have two TST ti mountain bike frames that have no decals on them. I love the look. So, now I want to remove the decals from my ti road frame. Anyone know how to do this without scratching the frame?

For some reason I have it in my head that boiling water may do it... I'll give it a try and report back. However, do any of you have experience doing this? Is there a chemical made for this?

thanks

matt


----------



## mattv2099 (Apr 15, 2004)

mattv2099 said:


> I have two TST ti mountain bike frames that have no decals on them. I love the look. So, now I want to remove the decals from my ti road frame. Anyone know how to do this without scratching the frame?
> 
> For some reason I have it in my head that boiling water may do it... I'll give it a try and report back. However, do any of you have experience doing this? Is there a chemical made for this?
> 
> ...


I just tried the boiling water. It works. But it's very slow. I poured boiling water on the decal then scrubbed with the abrasive side of a sponge. You have to pour new boiling water over the decal about every 5 seconds after you've rubbed off a tiny piece. It would easily take all day to get the whole frame stripped.

Surely there is a chemical that can strip this crap off my frame. Some sort of spray on and wipe off jazz.

matt


----------



## thedude65 (Apr 18, 2004)

Just go down to your hardware store and ask if they got any thing that will do the trick.


----------



## bykhed (Feb 20, 2004)

*Goo Gone*

Warm the decals up with a blow drier or heat gun and remove them. Then use Goo Gone (available in most stores) to remove the remaining glue.


----------



## Locoman (Jan 12, 2004)

*Don't use an abrasive sponge!*



mattv2099 said:


> I have two TST ti mountain bike frames that have no decals on them. I love the look. So, now I want to remove the decals from my ti road frame. Anyone know how to do this without scratching the frame?
> 
> For some reason I have it in my head that boiling water may do it... I'll give it a try and report back. However, do any of you have experience doing this? Is there a chemical made for this?
> 
> ...


Those abrasive sponges can mess up paint/clear coats etc.

Just use a blow dryer to warm the things up. Remove the decals. Use WD40 to remove any residue. You can also use products like "goof off" to remove the residue, but that stuff has bad fumes, WD40 is your best bet.


----------



## mattv2099 (Apr 15, 2004)

Locoman said:


> Those abrasive sponges can mess up paint/clear coats etc.
> 
> Just use a blow dryer to warm the things up. Remove the decals. Use WD40 to remove any residue. You can also use products like "goof off" to remove the residue, but that stuff has bad fumes, WD40 is your best bet.


There's not paint or clear coat  . Just decals on titanium.


----------



## bostonkiwi (Jan 13, 2004)

*Acetone - Nail Polish Remover*



mattv2099 said:


> There's not paint or clear coat  . Just decals on titanium.


It's both safe on Ti an effective at removing decals... Just steal a bottle from wife or GF.


----------



## Odiggy (Jun 13, 2011)

I just removed all decals from my Ti 29er last night. It took all of 5-10 minutes to do everything! Looking at previous threads on this subject I was preparing for the worse. I went out to the Lowes to get M E K as mentioned in another. They only had the huge gallon sizes o after much deliberation, and reading of the small print, I decided to go with: JASCO premium paint and epoxy remover. It's in a copper colored can. The actual product has a jelly like consistancy and the instructions said it works in 15 minutes. I decided to test it out 1st using a cotton tipped swab on the corner of one of the letters. Surprisingly enough, the letter started to come up immediately! I was able to finish the entire project with less than a cap full of the Jasco stuff and maybe 10 Q-tips! 
This stuff did the daamn job, and quickly too. This morning, I was able to inspect the bike out side in natural light. There's is no damage to the Ti from the remover. There is a very, very slight ghost image of the lettering and symbols. It's because the rest of the bike is more brushed (worn) in its appearance and the newly uncovered surface looks "untouched". I think just riding and handling the bike over time will apply the necessary finger prints and wear to blend it all in. Or, I could go in the opposite direction and just clean the entire frame.........That's not gonna happen today, there's riding to do!


----------



## Toff (Sep 11, 2004)

I used paint remover on mine. Worked perfectly and quick.


----------



## bing! (Jul 8, 2010)

Heat gun, razor blade to lift corner, and pliers to pull the sticker off while keeping you fingers off the heat blast.


----------



## griffter18 (Jul 3, 2009)

Since you said that hot water is lifting them try using a piece of cotton cloth laid over the decal and then run over it with a stream iron.
The heat and steam should lift it and it should attach itself to the cotton.
Worth a try before you resort to chemicals and abrasives


----------



## jefflash (Jul 20, 2011)

Odiggy said:


> I just removed all decals from my Ti 29er last night. It took all of 5-10 minutes to do everything! Looking at previous threads on this subject I was preparing for the worse. I went out to the Lowes to get M E K as mentioned in another. They only had the huge gallon sizes o after much deliberation, and reading of the small print, I decided to go with: JASCO premium paint and epoxy remover.


Thanks for the info -- inspired by your post, I tried it as well and this worked brilliantly for me.

I actually tried acetone (nail polish remover) first, and while it worked okay, it did require some amount of effort (soaking the paper towels, covering them in plastic wrap on the frame, waiting 15 minutes, scraping with my fingernail) and even then didn't work 100%.

So, today I picked up some JASCO and it worked just as you described -- much easier/quicker than acetone, and with much better results. I even ]hit the head badge like you described in another thread and I agree it looks much more slick in all silver. Easy (just a few q-tips and paper towels, plus some latex gloves for protection), quick (under 20 minutes including setup/cleanup), cheap (<$10 for a huge can of JASCO), and no damage to the frame.

BTW, Lowe's had a spray version of JASCO for about the same price, though I went with the big can, just since I was worried about the spray getting on other parts of the bike. Plus, since I was doing this in my basement I wasn't sure about the fumes either. The spray may have been a bit easier, but this was pretty darn easy especially compared to some of the other methods described here.


----------



## customfab (Jun 8, 2008)

I've always used a razor blade and then buffed out any scratches with a scotch bright pad. But all of the ti frames I've done had a brushed finish. That wouldn't work to well on a Moots that has a bead blasted finish. 

Acetone and aircraft remover will peal them off pretty easily as well if your down with using some pretty strong solvents.


----------



## axelbaker (Jun 17, 2011)

Has any one seen the new plastic "razor blades"? My room mate the sign installer brought some home, they are great! They fit right in standard razor scrapper handles from the paint shop but don't scratch! Probably expensive though.


----------



## Bike wRider (Jun 13, 2011)

$4 for 100 of them doesn't seem too bad.


----------



## Bill in Houston (Nov 26, 2011)

i put goo-gone on the sticky stuff that is left after the sticker is peeled off, let it sit for a bit, and then scrape with the backside of a plastic knife. might need to repeat.


----------



## Odiggy (Jun 13, 2011)

jefflash said:


> Thanks for the info -- inspired by your post, I tried it as well and this worked brilliantly for me.
> 
> I actually tried acetone (nail polish remover) first, and while it worked okay, it did require some amount of effort (soaking the paper towels, covering them in plastic wrap on the frame, waiting 15 minutes, scraping with my fingernail) and even then didn't work 100%.
> 
> ...


Cool!! Glad it worked out for you. Now to figure out what to do with the rest of an all but entirely full can of Jasco Premium paint and epoxy remover!


----------



## ukbikerinph (Feb 10, 2019)

I hate free advertising, super market bags included and so will always remove stick on decals, I have just stripped my new giant fathom - just peal the sticker off then use some kerosene, kero will resolve most glue as used by most decal/ sticker. btw kero will remove chewing gum from tiles also.


----------



## .40AET (Jun 7, 2007)

Hair dryer and isopropyl alcohol worked great. The headbadge was all the advertising I needed 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------

