How to strip paint off wood arrows?

[Tyler C. Moore]

Is there a good way to strip fully dipped/painted cedar shafts and get them back to bare?

 I don't want to experiment and ruin a bunch before figuring out the best way?

Thanks in advance.

[M60gunner]

I read that Jasco paint and epoxy remover works. I believe from this site.

[Orion]

There's not a good way that I'm aware of.  Only way I know is quite messy.  I just use a commercial paint stripper, like Bix or Zip Strip.  Use a brush to put it on, let sit for 15 minutes or so and wipe off.  I use steel wool to wipe off the paint. It fills fast so will end up using a lot of it.  Usually need a second application.  For that I use a finer steel wool. I do a polish with an even finer steel wool after that.

Because of the time, effort, smell and mess involved, I don't do it much.

[Jon Stewart]

I use Minwax refinisher all the time on painted bows and wood arrows.  It has had no effect on the finish on the bows and cleans the arrows up real nice.  I use 0000 steel wool, rubber gloves and lots of paper towel.  I can clean up 6 arrows in ten minutes with this stuff.

I have refurbished many old Bear painted arrows.

[Tyler C. Moore]

Thanks for the advice. That's exactly what I am after, trying to clean up some old bear and Pearson arrows that are junky at the moment but solid.

[Tim Finley]

If they are old arrows that have lacquer or paint of some kind like the ones may have you  described, I made a tray of aluminum foil poured in some acetone and in 5 minutes wiped them clean with a paper towel. I did 6 shafts at a time. I bought 2 dozen ugly shafts at a shoot wiped them clean and found some beautiful old cedars that were under that ugly paint !!

[NY Yankee]

I have only done less than a dozen. I carefully scraped the paint off with a knife, not getting into the wood. Then gently sanded with fine paper and then a good wipe down with acetone. That worked well.

[PowDuck]

I stripped a bow with Goof Off Grafitti remover.

[Tyler C. Moore]

I unfortunately have about 50 to clean as they are  yellow and white paint from the 70's that is all scratched up. I may try the aluminum foil method

[Biathlonman]

I've had good luck with the Orange citrus stuff from Walmart.  Doesn't smell bad and works pretty well.

[Jock Whisky]

I had a bunch to refinish. I put them in a dip tube with lacquer thinner and the paint was softened up in about ten minutes. Use it in well ventilated conditions.

[Tyler C. Moore]

Will any of these methods affect the structure of the wood? Or cause any negative effects to the durability of the wood?

Thanks so much for the advice

[ChuckC]

Jerry, I am guessing if you make a cheap cabinet scraper out of a chunk of scrap metal and FIRST lightly scrape off the gunk (after applying the Bix) before you use your steel wool, you may cut down the number of pads needed.  Drill a hole thru the scraper maybe 3/8" or slightly larger in size right near an edge and open one edge up with a file so it is no longer a "hole", and scrape away.

ChuckC

[zepnut]

Also had good luck with acetone.