Paint stripping carbon fork.

[woodbutchmaster]

Sounds like a simple question but maybe not. Is it safe to strip a carbon fork with a chemical stripper or would it be safer to carefully sand the paint off.

 

[Illaveago]

Sounds like a simple question but maybe not. Is it safe to strip a carbon fork with a chemical stripper or would it be safer to carefully sand the paint off.

Why ?

 

[Illaveago]

Ooh! Not sure what the chemicals in the paint stripper would do to the epoxy resin in the carbon fibre .
I repaired the carbon fork on my Boardman where it was joined to the aluminium fork crown but I rubbed that down with a sanding block. I discovered that the aluminium had corroded and the resin had broken away . I laid up some fresh carbon tape over the join after treating the aluminium. It is holding up .

 

[woodbutchmaster]

Ooh! Not sure what the chemicals in the paint stripper would do to the epoxy resin in the carbon fibre .
I repaired the carbon fork on my Boardman where it was joined to the aluminium fork crown but I rubbed that down with a sanding block. I discovered that the aluminium had corroded and the resin had broken away . I laid up some fresh carbon tape over the join after treating the aluminium. It is holding up .

I ask the question for my son not me.....l would go the wet and dry sanding method if it was really necessary !

 

[Drago]

I'd leave the paint alone and have it hydro-dipped with a carbon finish.

 

[Illaveago]

I ask the question for my son not me.....l would go the wet and dry sanding method if it was really necessary !

Is it paint damage or just a colour change ?

 

[Juan Kog]

Maybe time for new forks , could be expensive but still a lot cheaper than reconstructive dentistry .

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Maybe time for new forks , could be expensive but still a lot cheaper than reconstructive dentistry .

Teeth stripper or knock them out with a kerb?

 

[wafter]

Pesonally I'd not allow paint stripper anywhere near a composite component..

 

[fritz katzenjammer]

Pesonally I'd not allow paint stripper anywhere near a composite component..

Agreed, it just sounds like such a very bad idea.

Unless…

How do you feel about this son? Is he performing well in school? Representing the family name well?

It would look like an accident, wouldn’t it.

 

[woodbutchmaster]

Is it paint damage or just a colour change ?

Paint a bit rough, wear and tear with age !

 

[Peter Salt]

Absolutely not safe. Wet paper is the only way.

 

[woodbutchmaster]

Absolutely not safe. Wet paper is the only way.

Got the message , thanks !

 

[Illaveago]

Got the message , thanks !

If the fork is coloured and there are deep scratches a thin skim of filler could be spread over the scratches and then flattened back prior to painting .

 

[fossyant]

If the fork is coloured and there are deep scratches a thin skim of filler could be spread over the scratches and then flatter back prior to painting .

This, and lightly sand back the lacquer so the new paint has a key. That's how I painted my steel bikes, took out the scratches, sanded smooth, but left some old undercoat on/keyed paint, then re-painted. Worked fine.