Remove lacquer from plastic plane handle

[LancsRick]

I'm restoring a batch of hand planes at the moment, and some are the Stanley's with plastic totes. Does anyone know the appropriate chemical to strip the lacquer from them so I can refinish, without dissolving the plastic itself?

Cheers.

 

[Racers]

I didn't think they where lacquered it's just the smoothness of the mould that gives the finish, they wouldn't save money by adding another process, they where making as cheaply as possible. So unless someone had lacquered later on I don't think you will be able to strip them.
You could try and polish the surface.

Pete

 

[LancsRick]

Definitely lacquered, quite possibly a change. I hadn't considered polish, thanks Pete.

 

[AndyT]

No lacquer on mine.
Maybe yours was put on by a previous owner. Fine wet and dry would remove it.

 

[topchippytom]

A light sandblast would do it

 

[thetyreman]

card scraper

 

[Vann]

Gas axe? That would help get rid of the nasty plastic too - so you can replace it with a nice wooden handle (hammer) .

I'll get my coat...

Happy New Year folks.

Cheers, Vann.

 

[ED65]

Which plastic? Stanley in England used at least two. Are the handles the swirly reddish-brown colour or are they jet black? The handles themselves and the two materials are utterly different, with the former being vastly superior (IMO the best handles ever once any mould lines are taken care of).