Removing print from anodized alu?

I couldn’t find anything anywhere about this.
Many flashlights could do with less BS printed on them.
Sometimes, when it’s not done so well, you can sort of chip it off with your fingernail.
Mostly it’s stuck very well on the anodizing layer…
But surely, there must be a (chemical?) way to get rid of print, like on zoomies heads, with the dots and the percentages… :weary:

C’mon, there must be a proven way, and it should be easy to find on BLF. :slight_smile:

It’s just paint.
The proper solvent will depend on the paint used.

Well, I just tried Google again, and it seems that nobody knows, but MEK might do it.
But the problem is that it’s more than often UV cured stuff that even MEK can not harm…

Most writing can’t be removed without stripping all anodizing. Its laser etched through the anodizing into the aluminum. You can feel with your fingernail and see with magnification that its cut in below the surface.

When it’s etched there’s no way to remove it, obviously…
But it’s not always etched (recessed).

You can still strip & re-anodize. DIY Anodizing BLF thread.

Might not be any reports of successful removal with paint just because etching is most common. Even my $1 lights are etched.

My Jacob A60 for example has print on the anodized layer.
My SC01 seems to be etched (and filled with paint or something)

Not sure if you know this but drano (and other drain cleaning chemicals) will strip the ano right off so don’t try that for the paint.

Didn’t know that.

Maybe i should tell you there are several topics on several forums with this question to be found on the wwweb, but no real answer, accept for “MEK might work”
I wonder if that stuff is even available around here…