Paint removal from HBTs and other cotton uniforms

[Der Finn]

Have any members successfully removed old paint from HBT's and/or other cotton uniforms? If so, what brands of paint remover was used? Any other technigues as to paint removal would be appreciated. Have two sets of 1st pattern HBT's and someone just offered me a paint-spattered jump jacket. Any help or advice is appreciated, thanks!

[Bob Hudson]

My experience with fabric stains has been that if they are fresh you can zap them with Spray N Wash and throw them in the washer right away and it might all go away, but once stains dry, it is a bear to get them out.

 

One of my favorite tools for paint removal is a brass brush: hardware stores have the ones that are about the size of a toothbrush and I often use them on fabric items including uniforms and field gear to remove paint and other gunk. Often times the paint did not absorb into the fabric so a stiff brushing will do the trick. If it doesn't, I think chemical solutions won't do any good either as they may just thin out the paint and make it get more absorbed into the fabric.

[bfryar44]

A vintage clothing collector friend once told me that he would soak carments in water for a couple of weeks to soften/loosen the paint. Then he would use a brass brush or water pressure from a hose to remove the paint.

 

Bryan

[Der Finn]

Thanks for the tips, guys. Soaking in water for several weeks sounds interesting, I might try that one. Cheap and shouldn't hurt the fabric. Thanks again.

Tom

[gwb123]

Unfortunately while you may get the surface paint out, you might still be left with a residue stain, especially if it has been on there for years. But it still beats having the paint on there.

[kammo-man]

I have a paint remer machine at my work .

It is hard to use and can damage your garment if not used properly .

almost best to leave alone .

IMHO

owen

[Peace]

If someone comes up with a solution, I have a great candidate for restoration.

 

This comes from the estate of Bob Perdzock, Iwo Jima veteran. If you do a search on his name, I have the hole story in another post.

 

This perticular USMC HBT jacket was used by Bob to paint his house. Its named, but no UNIS markings.

 

here it is;

[Bob Hudson]

I have a paint remer machine at my work .

 

Okay, what is that?

 

I use a Dremel tool on slow speed with brass brushes on some fabrics and if handled carefully can it do wonders.

[fortworthgal]

I had an old M41 jacket that was literally covered in white paint. It was at least equivalent with the photo you posted, Peace - it might have actually had more paint! It was pretty bad and I remember when I saw it I was mad at my husband for dropping $2 on it.

 

We removed probably 95% of it over several days by alternating methods - scrubbing each individual spot *lightly* with a stiff-bristled brush, then scraping and picking at it with tweezers, and machine washing the jacket. The jacket was a beater anyway so I didn't feel bad washing it 5-6 times. I have also heard that hairspray and Purell hand sanitizer are great for removing paint.

 

Here are some more tips:

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/stain...int-latex-may07

[snake36bravo]

I have also heard that hairspray and Purell hand sanitizer are great for removing paint.

 

I've tried this with absolutely no luck at all. Maybe I'm using the wrong kind of hairspray or something. While just aftermarket I'd still like to see these looking right.

[sgtbrown]

One of our group's living history displays is a aircraft maintenance hard stand. One of the guys had a HBT shirt that was absolutely covered with paint. He dealt with it in a novel manner, he stenciled "Paint Shop" across the back and wore it as part of the ground crew!

 

Tom

[fbruck]

Obvioulsy these were used for household painting jobs, but I am amazed on how many "painted" items make it in collections!

[vintageproductions]

There used to be available a paint removal chemical called Pyratex ( I think that is how it was spelled). It was used by dry cleaners. It is very strong and the smell will knock you out if you are not out in the open. It worked great and didn't discolor the material, as I used it on some camo. But, you could only do small sections at a time and you had to rinse it immediately. Not sure if it is still available or not.

[BEAST]

There used to be available a paint removal chemical called Pyratex ( I think that is how it was spelled). It was used by dry cleaners. It is very strong and the smell will knock you out if you are not out in the open. It worked great and didn't discolor the material, as I used it on some camo. But, you could only do small sections at a time and you had to rinse it immediately. Not sure if it is still available or not.

 

 

Bob,

 

Looks like it is still available: http://www.nortonsupply.com/Pyratex-1-Gal-p/pyr6.htm

 

Definetly want to use it in a well ventilated area!

[Ricardo]

My example ... :pinch:

 

[vintageproductions]

Bob,

 

Looks like it is still available: http://www.nortonsupply.com/Pyratex-1-Gal-p/pyr6.htm

 

Definetly want to use it in a well ventilated area!

 

 

That's it. It used to come in a metal can but the logo is still the same.

[capa]

Great topic and thanks for the advice. How about some before and after pics???

Cheers,

Capa