How do you remove paint from Plastic?

[Mallard]

I’ve just acquired a second-hand GSA beak extension, - the bit that attaches to the front of the beak.

The previous owner had it painted gloss black and it’s now in a chipped and rough condition.

I would like to remove the paint and just have the extension as the base matt black plastic.

I don’t want to sand it or blast it as this will be too abrasive and leave the base plastic scratched; and I don’t want to repaint it.

Previous (disastrous) results tell me not to use paint stripper on plastic. I’ve tried rubbing it with brake fluid but as yet, no result. Should I soak it in brake fluid?

What does the collective think?

 

[Gardham67]

You could always get it wrapped in any colour. Won't cost much £25 at most


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[DING-DONG]

If they paint ain't keyed to the plastic will a powerful jet wash not remove the paint !

Obviously mount it to something else and not your bike to try this method.

 

[Deleted account 181015003]

Brake fluid might get the paint of without attacking the plastic test it first to make sure

 

[(RIP) Tunneruk]

You're between a rock and a hard place.

It very much depends on what it's been painted with, if it's Two Pack then you'll have no choice but to paint over it. Trouble is, anything with the potential to remove the paint will also attack the plastic underneath.
If it's been painted with a rattle can then it should wake up with thinners but try a bit of thinners underneath first to see if it softens the plastic. It's a 50/50 chance.

 

[AlexG]

Just a quick observation that the plastic may have been sanded in preparation for painting (to provide a 'key' for the paint) and most of the time it will need a specialist plastic primer, which I believe chemically bonds to the surface of the plastic.

So even if you can get the paint off the chances are that the surface you reveal is unlikely to be 'OE'.

It may be worth asking the previous owner how they prepped it.

 

[Gardham67]

Just key it down with some light abrasive and put a coat of spray can undercoat on it then spray it black again
Or just take to a spray shop they will do it for no money

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[Bendy toy]

Rub it down and have it wrapped along with the petrol tank cover and side panels.

 

[Greenman14]

Why not just fill the chips and paint over with satin black? A painted finish is easier to clean than the base plastic, which is why I painted my hand guards (with rattle can) and the paint is still fully intact 3 years later.

 

[Rocketman]

I purchased a couple of panels that had been sprayed already, so I tried some petrol on a rag and bugger me didn't I get it all off took about half an hour per panel .
Low and behold the original colour of plastics was the colour I wanted anyway happy days .

 

[twizzle]

Buy a new one for £35??


Sorry I bought a few years back - see they are £49 now!

 

[kevingambrell]

We clean plastic with walnut shell in a blast cabinet. Soda blasting also works well on plastic but you need a company used to working plastic.

 

[Stuttgartmetal]

Paint over it with satin black
Aerosol.