Stripping Klass Kote?

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Don Ferrette

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Ok so I've got a buddy's rigger here that's been painted in Klass Kote. Originally sealed with West Systems before being painted, is there a safe way to chemically strip the Klass Kote off without attacking the underlying West?? I'm thinking that since Klass Kote is a 2 part epoxy type paint that the answer to this is no but since I have no experience with this line of paint figured it wouldn't hurt to ask...................
 
the soda blaster kit from harbor freight is the best way to strip boats. takes some practice with air pressure and stroke speed but I've taken parts with k an b paint down to the west. it's very messy though.
 
I have used Home Depot avail Citristrip to remove Klass Kote with car 2 part urethane clear over it, from a Phil Thomas epoxyglass Sp40. I used the bottle not spray can, I brushed it on, left it overnight, covered with aluminum foil to keep it from drying out. It did not curdle the paint, but made it soft enough to push off with a Formica sample chip that had a good square edge but rounded corners (putty knife put scratches in the glass). Not easy, you may want to hit the finish with 80 grit to score the finish, I didn't do it myself. Was better than wet sanding it off, but still a bunch of work. I haven't stripped a wood boat yet. You will probably have to experiment.I paint my boats with base color, no primer -- epoxy or laquer. If your boat has a primer i have found that it makes it easier to strip. I would not use a regular paint stripper.
 
I have used Home Depot avail Citristrip to remove Klass Kote with car 2 part urethane clear over it, from a Phil Thomas epoxyglass Sp40. I used the bottle not spray can, I brushed it on, left it overnight, covered with aluminum foil to keep it from drying out. It did not curdle the paint, but made it soft enough to push off with a Formica sample chip that had a good square edge but rounded corners (putty knife put scratches in the glass). Not easy, you may want to hit the finish with 80 grit to score the finish, I didn't do it myself. Was better than wet sanding it off, but still a bunch of work. I haven't stripped a wood boat yet. You will probably have to experiment.I paint my boats with base color, no primer -- epoxy or laquer. If your boat has a primer i have found that it makes it easier to strip. I would not use a regular paint stripper.
I used Soy Green polystripper, had same results as Rudy. Lots of patience weedhopper.
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Every paint stripper that I have tried that can strip epoxy paint will also soften epoxy and polyester resin. In fact I have used paint stripper to undo an epoxy joint much like CA debonder on CA glue. I wet sand the paint off if I have to refinish a hull.
 
Sand blast it off.Use low air pressure.Try it on a sponson to get the feel for it .
 
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I have refinished many boats and never had any trouble using epoxy stripper. Its fast and yes it does soften the epoxy but so long as you do not reapply espically around the edges it has never led to issues later on.
 
I have refinished many boats and never had any trouble using epoxy stripper. Its fast and yes it does soften the epoxy but so long as you do not reapply espically around the edges it has never led to issues later on.
Ken any particular brand of stripper you prefer?? I also need to strip the painted tank and engine wells and that's gonna suck. Both myself and the new owner prefer unpainted engine/tank areas.
 
No I usually use common epoxy stripper from Lowes, For the engine campartment I would not use too much stripper, I use a dremmel sanding disk and take her down to weed then reapply layer of fiber glass epoxy.

ken
 
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