Removing HA3

[Billson]

I have an Arc LS that is scratched up pretty badly so I was thinking I would just remove the HA3 altogether and polish it or something. Does anyone have any ideas on how to do this short of grinding it off?

 

[sidespill]

link read this it's somewhere in the middle.

 

[Chop]

Red Devil drain cleaner. It's just lye. A teaspoon or so in a jar of water get the ano off without problems. Let it soak for 30 seconds or so. Maybe less, then rinse it off. Repeat if necessary. Just don't let it sit too long, you'll end up with aluminum soup.

 

[Billson]

Tony,

Is it safe doing it without taking the light apart. How does lye affect rubber and polycarbonate?

 

[roguesw]

Billson, lye is very acidic, it eats metal, so it will attack the rubber and polycarbonate,
the flashlight has to be stripped to just aluminium pieces before you dunk it into the lye
as chop said, leave it in too long and you get aluminium soup, e.g no flashlight left
good luck with the process
des

 

[jtice]

Yep, you just need some LYE powder.
I also used the Red Devil Lye drain cleacner.
Its just white powdered lye.

You dont need much in the water at all, mine took about 5 minutes.
You need to soak it, then take it out and wash it off, rubbing off any HA you can, then repeat the soaking and washing, till its all off.

Careful not to mix it too strong, or leave it in too long, it will pit the AL.

 

[peterg]

Actually I believe lye is basic not acidic. Pete