Stripping Cetol from toe rail

[s calder]

Any tips on the best approach to stripping Cetol from my teak, especially toe rails on my CD 25? They've been sanded so much by POs that I don't want to strip them by sanding any more - loosing too much material. Anybody got a good chemical stripper to suggest or how about a torch-stripper? Suggestions? Thanks

[Jim Walsh]

Cautious use of a heat gun and a scraper are ideal. A touch of sandpaper where you must.

http://www.rockler.com/three-blade-shavehook

[Gary M]

When I stripped mine I used a product called "Aqua - Strip."

I had good luck with it but some spots I had to up my power with "Strip-Eze."

I also carefully used a heat gun.

As expected it was a messy job and I kept a bucket of water and a rag ready for clean up.

Gary

[jbenagh]

To echo Jim, heat gun. A tiny amount of sandpaper work to get the remainder off which should just be the places where you lifted the scraper.

Jeff

[jen1722terry]

Yup, heat gun, as per Jim.

We actually stripped old Bristol Finish from all the teak with a heat gun. You'll get the hang of the heat gun in an hour or so, and after a few scorch marks (sandal).

Happy stripping!

Jenn and Terry

p.s. and looking forward to seeing the Maine Cruise gang in Northeast Harbor in August.

[wsonntag]

Good luck stripping that nasty stuff! Here's a minor tip for using the heat gun. Make sure you have a metal putty knife in hand, preferably one that's 3 to 4 inches at the blade end, has a nice thick plastic handle and even better if the blade has a shiny finish. I got really good at using one to direct the heat from the heat gun and also to protect adjoining fiberglass or wood parts that I had already stripped. Really it became invaluable for this work. For instance, on the inside face of the toe rail, position the metal putty knife edge right at the deck joint at an angle, shoot the heat onto the blade and the face of the toe rail, helps modulate the heat so you don't scorch the wood and protects the fiberglass.

Be careful how you handle the putty knife though, like when you put it down to scrape it will burn you man! I don't know how toxic that stuff is but avoid the fumes coming off the hot finish. Either that or light up another Camel!

Final bit of unsolicited good advice, go with traditional phenolic resin varnish. Keep after it and it will last as long as any of these highly toxic finishes out there and, and this is maybe the most important part, other than the quality of the good looking finish, when the time comes, and it will, it strips like Stormy Daniels, easy!

Cheers!

[wsonntag]

Back again - something else from a Cape Dory keeper with days and daze of teak stripping experience - use a cheap Red Devil scraper with whatever sized blade you are comfortable with. Inch or inch and a quarter gives you the most control and limits gouging. Also to limit gouging and make the work go quicker - keep the blade sharp! Have a cheap bastard file on hand and sharpen the blade really often. There has to be a video out there to show you how. Also, when you sharpen, make sure you do so over the rail or on the dock otherwise you will find tiny leetle rust spots popping up on deck where the blade shavings from filing drop! No fun.....

So glad I'm just doing scratch and patch, top coat work on my varnish this year....

Cheers!

[John Stone]

Use a pull scrapper when stripping varnish (or any coating) from teak while using a heat gun. Never push with a putty knife. No matter how careful you are you will gouge the wood.

[John Danicic]

The best little stripper for varnish, Cetol, Honey Teak or paint. Small is better 1 inch works great even for large surfaces. Available in hardware stores.

Used judiciously with a constantly moving heat gun and in time, the job gets done. A light sanding, a vacuum and tack cloth and you are ready to re-coat. No messy chemicals to clean up. Just dust and scrapings.

[John Stone]

I remove varnish the same as John D. I have a regular rectangular blade pull scraper I like a lot. It’s my go to scraper. The trouble with it is its not suited for removing varnish on acute corners...that is, corners less than 90°. They are also too big to use on the return block at the front of the coamings.

Triangle style scrapers are better suited for acute corners. I have not removed varnish off the toe rail since we have none on the Far Reach...and I would not varnish a toe rail anyway. But having an assortment of scrapers will prove beneficial to you in the long run.

Attached below are a couple scrapers you might consider. Whatever you do don’t get a cheap scraper. Get a good one and keep the edge sharp.

Good luck.

[JimMc]

And be careful with the heat gun...

[Dick Kobayashi]

...and when you are done you could leave the teak bare. The teak doesn't need varnish/cetol owners do.

[Jim Cornwell]

Another vote for the heat gun and a variety of pull scrapers. Care must be exercised with the heat gun, which can melt plastic and scorch wood. One trick I discovered was to use a cheap, wide drywall finishing knife as a heat shield to protect delicate surfaces from the heat. Now, what finish to apply? Hmmm.