topic 44251
Removing Paint from Vintage French Chandelier
A discussion started in 2007 but continuing through 2018
2007Q. Hi,
I bought a pretty vintage French cage chandelier and some heathen has re-painted the whole frame in gold paint such that it looks kind of brand new. It is definitely old...but how do I now go about removing this horrid paint to try to get it back to something like where it would have been before...? is there any way of 'dipping' this as I can't imagine removing it all with wire wool...?
Thanks,
- Chester, UK
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Ed. note: Hmm, is "heathen" acceptable or is it a derogatory term that we should strike from the page? :-)
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2007
I vote for keeping it; when taken in the general context of the posting. James Watts- Navarre, Florida 2007 You can use any good proprietary paint stripper,or if you like do it yourself way,immerse it in 20% sodium hydroxide solution (if there are no soft soldered parts!,use rubber chemical rubber gloves [linked by editor to product info at Amazon] and safety goggles [linked by editor to product info at Amazon]). Ammoniated Acetone [linked by editor to product info at Amazon] can be useful too. Hope it helps and good luck! Goran Budija- Zagreb, Croatia |
2007
A. Heathen: OED(2) An unenlightened person; a person regarded as lacking in taste or moral principles.
Seems a perfectly good description of someone who would paint a vintage chandelier.
Susan
Visit B&Q and and ask for their advice on the paint section. You need a paint on, wash off paint stripper. (Nitromors is a good brand).
Unless the (supply your own adjective) perpetrator used an epoxy paint, these work well with a little patience.
Don't play with home brews unless you have facility to get rid of the remains when you have finished.

Geoff Smith
Hampshire, England
Removing brass paint from a gold plated chandelier
May 2, 2018 -- this entry appended to this thread by editor in lieu of spawning a duplicative threadQ. I have a beautiful fine crystal chandelier, the metal is gold plated. Someone who was supposed to clean the chandelier instead spray painted dull brass paint over all the gold. Is there any way that I can now remove that sprayed paint and keep the gold undamaged. I have had this chandelier for 45 years and it was in pristine condition. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Lily
Lily Flacks- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
May 2018
A. Hi Lily. Organic paint strippers do not hurt metal, so the previous advice should be fine. Try turpentine first; if that doesn't work, Aircraft stripper [linked by editor to product info at Amazon] surely will. But aircraft stripper (methylene chloride) is truly noxious stuff and, in addition to the previous warnings and suggestions about chemical gloves and goggles, you'll only want to do it outside and standing upwind.
Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
finishing.com
Pine Beach, New Jersey
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