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PSA: Saw a guy at the Wichita car show using a heat gun to remove old badges cleanly
Was at the Wichita car show last weekend. Watched a guy carefully heat an old, glued-on emblem with a Milwaukee heat gun for about 30 seconds. He then slid a plastic trim tool under it and it popped right off, no paint damage. No residue left either, just a clean spot. Anyone else use this trick for debadging, or got a better method?
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leewalker26d agoMost Upvoted
Oh man, that's the only way to do it. I used the same trick on my old truck's tailgate, but with a cheap harbor freight heat gun. The key is to keep it moving so you don't cook the paint, right? A little heat makes that old adhesive just let go.
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calebc4026d ago
Absolutely! I read a whole forum thread where guys were debating heat guns versus hair dryers for badge removal. The general takeaway was exactly what you said, keep that heat moving in circles. Someone pointed out that if you see the paint starting to look shiny or wavy, you've already held it there too long. Slow and steady wins the race.
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mianelson26d agoMost Upvoted
Honestly, I used to be so impatient with this stuff. I'd just pick at badges with my fingernails and leave a huge mess of glue behind. Reading those forum debates totally changed my method. The whole "shiny paint means stop" tip is a game changer. It forces you to slow down and actually pay attention. Now I swear by the hair dryer and a slow circle motion. What are you planning to work on?
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