Removing logo from flashlights body?

[Tatjanamagic]

This is my first post at this section

I really need your help...

How to remove white logo (letters, numbers, etc) that is printed on flashlight body without damaging it?

U would help me a lot.

Looking forward for your experience...

 

[ZFlash]

The craziest thing I've heard is with a sugar cube to rub gently on the printed logo.:eek:
Already tried that on a plastic housing with moderate success with respect to scratches:rolleyes:
But if its a HAIII finish on the lamp there might also work some kind of solvent but I won't try acetone first...

 

[Tatjanamagic]

Thanks on advice.

It is HA III finish.

No it doesn't take off with acetone, sugar cube, car polish...

I think it is laser engraved...

I just want to take off that without damaging black finish...

Anyone?

Help...

 

[mossyoak]

Thanks on advice.

It is HA III finish.

No it doesn't take off with acetone, sugar cube, car polish...

I think it is laser engraved...

I just want to take off that without damaging black finish...

Anyone?

Help...

Now if it's laser ENGRAVED how exactly would it come off? That is bare aluminum exposed from under the anodize

 

[ZFlash]

Ok, misunderstood, thought it was painted.
Some people are lucky to conceal those with gun-brown. Don't know the name for it, it's a liquid for homemade coloring that black to gun metal.

 

[Tatjanamagic]

Hmmm...

I don't really know if it is laser engraved... I feel it under my finger nails... But is tough... No way that thing going down :(

I have some gunsmith bluing liquid but that works on steel right?

I thought that It can be removed from flashlight with some acid or something?

But If cant I think only way is fine sandpaper (gradient 400) and polishing after that...

If gunsmith blueing won't work out there must be some kind of spray?


But I think plenty of people here tried to modify no name logos with chineese letters?

Must be some more conventional way?

 

[ZFlash]

...just to be clear: The laser engravings on a black anodized aluminum flashlight can be concealed by coloring the bare alu with gunsmith bluing liquid, even if it's designated for the use on steel.
Imo there's no way to remove any engravings completely than mechanically by filing/sanding/reanodisize.

 

[Tatjanamagic]

So U recommend sandpaper, nice polish finish and gunsmith bluing?

 

[Stillphoto]

On a Surefire of mine, I used Birchwood Casey Aluminum Black seen here .

Worked like a charm to turn the letters black, they blend in nicely with the greenish color Surefire anodizing. But note, they are not gone. Just less noticeable. To remove the actual laser engraving (yes the laser makes engraving you can feel) you'd have to do as you said...Remove the current finish, polish the area smooth, and then refinish.

 

[Tatjanamagic]

Thank U folks...

I want to completely remove that so I must get this aluminium bluing liquid.

I will go with sandpaper and fine polishing and then I will apply aluminium bluing liquid...

But maybe just maybe... Would be a fat layer of some kind of spray over letters be good?

 

[Stillphoto]

Maybe temporarily or if you don't plan on using your light. But anything that you spray on isn't going to adhere/last under regular use.

 

[Sub_Umbra]

If it's HAIII anno on aluminum that has been laser engraved you are actually dealing with a ceramic when it is freshly done. The suggestions so far won't have any effect on it. It's a byproduct left on the surface after the laser engraving -- it is often quite white and will remain that way until it's abraded off and exposes the bare aluminum -- which will then be hard to read.

If it is laser engraved and you have to 'sanitize' it the best approach would be to probably be to treat it like the name of an old GF tattooed on your skin. Pick out a busy graphic and have it laser engraved over it.

For small jobs the setup fee will usually cost more than the actual engraving. Depending on how well your 'copy' is prepared I'd guess $25 for setup and a bit less for the actual engraving.

It's either that or abrasives.

 

[Tatjanamagic]

Thank U on advices...

Tomorrow I'll try with Aluminium bluing liquid...

Here I can not find laser engraving...

This is only thing that I can do.

Probably I will not get same black tone as HA III black finish but I hope it will be black.

 

[Tatjanamagic]

I used aluminium bluing liquid...

First i did some fine sandpaper work with 200 gradient.

After that I cleaned with steel wool...

Apply aluminium bluing. Wait for 1 minute. Washout and clean with steel wool after it drys.

Repeat that procedure 5 times and U will get an excellent black finish...

It would be same as HIII black only if it would have gloss finish...

It is visible difference between HIII black and aluminium bluing black but looks decent...

 

[xover]

i have a Nd:YAG and a CO2 laser marker.

it is possible to engrave on the old writing, something like a tab, and to engrave your name / logo on other side

 

[Tatjanamagic]

That would be good also... But here I don't have anyone that could do that...

 

[jamesbeat]

Hi, I hope this response isn't too late to help you...

The impression that I got from your description was that the white writing is screen printed onto the surface.
If this is the case, the letters will feel raised above the surface if you run your fingernail over them.

If they are indeed screen printed, it's pretty easy to remove without marring the surface.
Anodizing is pretty hard, but if you try to use sandpaper to take the lettering off, you may damage the anodized surface.
This is because most abrasives are as hard or harder than the anodized layer, in fact a lot of abrasives are made of Aluminum Oxide, the same thing as an anodized surface...

The method I've had most success with is to use a knife blade to gently scrape away the screen print.
Try to slide the knife edge so that it hits the edge of the lettering.
If you're careful, you'll be able to chip away the painted letters without marring the finish whatsoever.

Of course, if the letters are recessed this won't work...

 

[Lynx_Arc]

one solution is to put heatshrink tubing or a rubber grip over the body to cover the logo completely.

 

[Tatjanamagic]

Thank U guys...

I tried with knife... No way...


Only method. 100 % checked by me :)

Take your old file or rasp (it must not be too big)

Put sandpaper on it. I recommend gradient 120.

U must do very very fine work to took letters off. Surface must be fine also so after sandpapering with 120 gradient take 180 and after treatment with it finish it with 220 gradient and U will get very fine and bright surface...

The best thing after that is to take air compressor and blow small remaining particles of surface.

If U don't have compressor use steel wool to gently clean the surface...

And final:

On such surface use aluminium bluing liquid on this way:

Take small stick for ear cleaning. Drop it into liquid and then gently rub on well prepared surface (mentioned above) for 5 minutes till U get desired level of blackness.

After that rinse it with cold water and rub with old cotton clothing.

Leave it few hours on warm and that's it ;)

Blackness level is not same as on flashlight but is very good. Thrust me.

This is only way to remove laser engraved letters.



If someone has better solution please post here.

Thank U guys. Especially to STILLPHOTO for reccomending me Birchwood Casey Aluminum Black I had no idea till now what that can do...

It really does fine job. But remember that depends on your fine work...


BTW: I have been thinking and shrinking tube is great idea! Thanks man!

 

[Jumpmaster]

Sorry for bringing up an old thread, but "someone" was apparently upset about me talking about this elsewhere...figured this would reduce the S:N ratio (at least the noise from him).

Has anyone tried removing the text on a V10R Ti or similar? I gather that it is laser-engraved...in that case, my proposed removal method would be Scotchbrite, then progressively finer grades of sandpaper, then polish. It would be good if the bezel could be removed and placed inside a mandrel to fit onto a drill...I think it would work faster and the scratches would be more uniform, though that shouldn't be a problem after it's polished properly.