Best Way to Clean the Wire from a Blade

[EnduringDusk]

Im pretty new at fixing foils
I've done it before but I want to know the best/easiest way to get the wire out of the blade.

I heard that I could use nail polish remover because it has acetone in it?

[KD5MDK]

Posting in the Armoury.

[SJCFU#2]

Originally Posted by KD5MDK

Posting in the Armoury.

Seconded.

As far as cleaning the wire from the blade - to some degree is depends on the glue that was used.

When soft, rubber-cement type glues are used it sometimes possible to simply pull the wires out and clean any residue by mechanical means, such as a wire brush, an old hacksaw blade or a Dremel tool with a cutting wheel (a diamond cutting wheel will usually do a nice job cleaning things out without removing too much metal).

You can try nail polish remover on cyanoacrylate (quick-drying super glue), but you might be better off with a dedicated solvent (available at most hobby stores) or an acetone bath (your club may have one you can use).

If you want to avoid chemicals or are in a hurry then you can also try using a hot-air gun (not a blow torch!). The heat will break down the glue, allowing you to pull out the wire in a matter of minutes (just be careful not to breath in the fumes).

Possibly the single most important thing (regardless of which glue was or will be used) is that once you get the old wire out you clean the groove thoroughly before attempting to glue the new wire down. An old hacksaw blade or a Dremel with a cutting wheel will often take care of any last scraps.

[forethought]

Originally Posted by EnduringDusk

Im pretty new at fixing foils
I've done it before but I want to know the best/easiest way to get the wire out of the blade.

I heard that I could use nail polish remover because it has acetone in it?

Best = Acetone bath.

Easiest = Pull what wire you can, use a heat gun to melt away most of the residual adhesive, and use an old jeweler's screwdriver to scrape away the groove.

And for what it's worth, nail polish remover doesn't have the concentration of acetone in it to dissolve the glue in anywhere near a timely manner; for best results, get the stuff that comes in a metal can, that will burn the bejesus out of your nose should you be unfortunate enough to inhale the fumes.

[Medinilla]

Or you can use, VERY CAREFULLY!!, a sharp cutter, and cut all along the right side of the wire, and then the left side of the wire, and then slowly pull the wire out...
Then to get all the glue out, i cut with the cuter diagonally on both side of the groove, so the glue stack in the inside corners comes out fully, and then with the cutter go along the groove taking out any glue left inside...

Ancient method i know, but it works pretty fine for me.
good luck

[rdg]

I used a heat gun for the first time this weekend. It worked pretty well, and I think it was easier than scraping with a chisel, screw driver, etc. which also works, and which is what I have done for years.

Acetone after the heat gun helped get the residue up, which I still had to scrap a little.

The problem with an acetone bath is building one. I used PVC to build a bath without knowing how it reacted with acetone. And of course I put a plug on the end so the acetone wouldn't spill or evaporate. What I ended up with the next weekend was a PVC bath that was so curled it looked like a french horn.

So if you use the acetone bath which is much recommended, make it with copper or steel pipe. At least then if it becomes a french horn, you can play it.

Sam