Working on restoring a 1974 Raleigh Sports for my wife, and now that my cottered crank nightmare is over I am on to other parts of the bike. Now I am trying to figure out how to clean up the headbadge. It is in OK shape but it looks like it got leaned up against a painted surface at some point and got some paint on it. Anybody ever run into anything like this? Any ideas? I would like to get the "bad" paint off but leave the original colors of the badge.

Here's a pic of it's current state:

DSC_0460.jpg

I had a 1940`s schwinn Cycletruck that someone painted the whole bike including the headbadge . I used a product called Xylene and it took the spray paint right off the headbadge without any damage to the original headbadge paint.

The original paint is pretty delicate, and it doesn't always adhere to the brass badge very well. Good luck getting it off cleanly, but don't fret if you have to touch up the headbadge...

I have some Acetone - wonder if it compares to Xylene and if it will work? I might try it first and then if it doesn't work try to find the Xylene. Thanks for the tip!

I have done a bit of research and found some old threads about touching up with model paint or fingernail polish. They said not to worry about getting it on the raised edges that it can be cleaned up pretty easy with steel wool and not bother the paint on the recessed areas.

I'm not the most artistic person though, my painting tends to look like I applied it with a hammer! Although an all brass, polished up badge might look pretty cool too.....

Holy cow, gang! Xylene and acetone are solvents and unless you are very cautious about their use can result in serious neurological damage... please use with way more than adequate ventilation.

Acetone is commonly found as nail polish remover (still requires plenty of ventilation). Xylene, I would skip that. Both are flammable.

In fact, on paint rubs, I always use polishing compound or rubbing compound. Just did a frame today. Rubbing compound is more aggressive (will remove paint too), so I usually use polishing compound. No need to bring out the chemical arsenal on this one.

Success! Just a very small amount of Acetone on a clean rag, and it took the "bad" paint off like it had just been splashed on. Very little rubbing, it vanished right away. It also did a pretty nice job of cleaning up the headbadge. Now just a touch of Brasso and I'm all set!