Refinishing?

[lancer9436]

Best way to take off finish?

What would be the best way to take the finish off a Rife Aussie IBF black putter?

[hckymeyer]

Not sure about that specific putter, but I used Naval Jelly to take off the black finish on my SC Santa Fe and it worked great. I picked up a bottle at my local Ace Hardware

[502 to Right]

The only way I know of to remove that finish is to sand/bead blast it.

[OnFire]

[quote name='hckymeyer' timestamp='1305337076' post='3232183']
Not sure about that specific putter, but I used Naval Jelly to take off the black finish on my SC Santa Fe and it worked great. I picked up a bottle at my local Ace Hardware
[/quote]
What the heck is "naval jelly"?

[stage1350]

[quote name='OnFire' timestamp='1305405836' post='3233894']
[quote name='hckymeyer' timestamp='1305337076' post='3232183']
Not sure about that specific putter, but I used Naval Jelly to take off the black finish on my SC Santa Fe and it worked great. I picked up a bottle at my local Ace Hardware
[/quote]
What the heck is "naval jelly"?
[/quote]
Phosphoric Acid. Sold in hardware stores under the name Naval Jelly.

[OnFire]

[quote name='stage1350' timestamp='1305409348' post='3233999']
[quote name='OnFire' timestamp='1305405836' post='3233894']
[quote name='hckymeyer' timestamp='1305337076' post='3232183']
Not sure about that specific putter, but I used Naval Jelly to take off the black finish on my SC Santa Fe and it worked great. I picked up a bottle at my local Ace Hardware
[/quote]
What the heck is "naval jelly"?
[/quote]
Phosphoric Acid. Sold in hardware stores under the name Naval Jelly.
[/quote]
What kind of finishes will it remove?

[502 to Right]

[quote name='OnFire' timestamp='1305422867' post='3234457']
[quote name='stage1350' timestamp='1305409348' post='3233999']
[quote name='OnFire' timestamp='1305405836' post='3233894']
[quote name='hckymeyer' timestamp='1305337076' post='3232183']
Not sure about that specific putter, but I used Naval Jelly to take off the black finish on my SC Santa Fe and it worked great. I picked up a bottle at my local Ace Hardware
[/quote]
What the heck is "naval jelly"?
[/quote]
Phosphoric Acid. Sold in hardware stores under the name Naval Jelly.
[/quote]
What kind of finishes will it remove?
[/quote]

Black oxide and oil can.

[golfluvzme]

And Gun Blue.
I just checked the Rife site and do not believe that the finish on your putter will be affected by the Naval Jelly. Your putter head is 303 SS and that would not be an oxide finish, IMHO. I am thinking a very high quality powdercoat or other type of heat-bonded polymer. On the good side, Naval Jelly is relatively inexpensive and can be bought at any Home Depot in the paint department. Give that a go and hopefully, prove me wrong. If that does not work, I would suggest finding someone locally who can give glass bead blasting a shot at your putter. The glass beads should not damage the metal underneath and may be abrasive enough to strip the black finish.
Auto body shops or tool makers will be your best bet for someone with that type of equipment. Do not go with high pressure sand blasting unless you know and trust the guy that will be doing the work. Glass beads and sand blasting are totally different media and have radically different effects, especially if done wrong.
Good luck and post back in this thread with what you find out. I am sure that you are far from being the only guy with this type of question.
LaMont in AZ

[mdb0103]

Any idea where the best place to go for bead blasting would be? I think if I walked into an auto body shop with a putter in my hand, they'd look at me like some sort of mental patient...

[mac94]

If you send me the head and a few bucks to send it back, I can do it for you in my blasting cabinet.

[grebeson]

cant you just sit it in coke for a few days?

[mdb0103]

[quote name='mac94' timestamp='1323204396' post='3900865']
If you send me the head and a few bucks to send it back, I can do it for you in my blasting cabinet.
[/quote]


Does it have to be just the head? Clearly I've never done this before...

[mac94]

Now that I look back at the thread again, I forgot that you were attempting to remove a finish. Not sure blasting will actually do that on this head. Pretty sure it won't. Sorry, I was thinking you just wanted it blasted to give it a matte finish.