Removing Finish From Commercial Lures

[Double D]

Don't know how I never discovered this site in the past...Great library of information...thanks to whomever started it and for all those who contribute....I have been poking around and have learned a lot in the process. I have been carving lures for a little while now, but have yet to paint any of them....am about to purchase an airbrush system, and already know that I have a lot to learn...I thought that for practice, I could repaint some of my "production" lures that I have, but was wondering what the best way would be to remove the finish that is on them without destroying the orginal shape of the lure?..(I did a search for this topic, but didn't find one that addressed this subject, although my choice of search words might not have been correct.) Thank you in advance for any offerings of information, and am looking forward to being able to contribute as the opportunities arise.

[Big Bass Man]

Welcome to TU!!

Some guys use soda blasters to remove original paint. I just scuff up the original paint, with scotchbrite, clean and paint. Roughing it up will give the new paint something to stick to.

[mark poulson]

If it's not damaged, leave the old paint and finish, and just do like Big Bass Man says. Scuff it with a scotchbrite pad, or wet sand it with 400 grit paper, use an exacto knife to scratch the parts you can't sand, wipe it all down with clean acetone, and you're good to go.

All you're trying to do is get a surface that your new paint will bond to, and roughing it lightly does the trick.

If you do it like we said and there is still an adhesion problem, there are rattle can primers that are specifically for plastic adhesion. I don't know exactly what they are, because I've never needed them. Light sanding always works for me.

[RayburnGuy]

If your wanting to completely strip your old lures of paint there are only two ways to do this. Mechanical or chemical. All the chemicals I know of that will strip paint will also melt plastic so you are left with mechanical and this means using some type of abrasive. Some folks use pressurized air blasting and different types of abrasives to do this and then there is sandpaper. If the lures you plan to repaint have details like gills or scales molded into the plastic then sandpaper can remove these features while it's removing the paint. Using a blaster is usually better for removing paint on this type of lure. There are a number of different abrasives that can be used for this as you can choose a grit type and size based on how aggressively it cuts. If you plan on just doing a few baits then getting set up with a blaster could be more than you want to invest. I have a small blaster and only use it on lures with a lot of detail molded into the plastic. The rest of the time I just use sandpaper.

Ben

[saltshaker]

If your wanting to completely strip your old lures of paint there are only two ways to do this. Mechanical or chemical. All the chemicals I know of that will strip paint will also melt plastic so you are left with mechanical and this means using some type of abrasive. Some folks use pressurized air blasting and different types of abrasives to do this and then there is sandpaper. If the lures you plan to repaint have details like gills or scales molded into the plastic then sandpaper can remove these features while it's removing the paint. Using a blaster is usually better for removing paint on this type of lure. There are a number of different abrasives that can be used for this as you can choose a grit type and size based on how aggressively it cuts. If you plan on just doing a few baits then getting set up with a blaster could be more than you want to invest. I have a small blaster and only use it on lures with a lot of detail molded into the plastic. The rest of the time I just use sandpaper.

Ben

If you leave a plastic lure in lacquer thinner for 10-15 minutes...you can use it to clear coat your next lure. Believe me...I know.

[RayburnGuy]

"If you leave a plastic lure in lacquer thinner for 10-15 minutes...you can use it to clear coat your next lure. Believe me...I know. "

Had one of those Homer Simpson moments did you?

[fishnart]

I just take all the hardware off, tape the bill and spray it with white primer. Never been an issue with it.

[Double D]

thank you gentlemen....much appreciated!

[RushCreekAngler]

ModelRailroaders use brake fluid to strip paint off of plastic shells - it softens the paint (you can remove it with a old toothbrush) but won't harm the plastic - but test it first before you throw a handfull of plastic ones to make sure, most of the model railroad plastics are styrene. - I just did this to some of my old spoonplugs that had paint that was attacked by plastic worms, stripped the paint right off.

[BobP]

I think you need to consider each lure on its merits when repainting. Most lures only need scuffing to prep them for new finish. If the old finish has chips and cracks, more sanding and maybe some filler may be needed. Using solvent to remove finish is usually messy and most solvents strong enough to remove finish will also cloud the diving lip. On some, the finish can be peeled from the lure with a thin sharp knife pretty quickly. But peeling finish off an old wood crankbait is chancy because you don't want to get down into raw wood anywhere. On some wood crankbaits, it is very easy to remove the finish in a few seconds by simply heating it with a propane torch or a heat gun until it softens and begins to blister. But some brands of wood crankbaits have a thick undercoating that is very flammable. So the best method depends on the particular crankbait. I always try to use the method that is the least damaging (scuffing) when possible, moving on to more extreme methods only when necessary.