[Vince]

Originally Posted by Dwight87

ahhh, drown a cotton ball and use gloves!

nonono,
you need to take a clean cotton ball to get the ink off and on soaked in remover the get the remover onto the chip!

[JoseRijo]

I used ethyl rubbing alcohol (not isopropyl) for my St. Joe $5's. Soak them in the alcohol for five minutes (or even less) and the hotstamp will melt right off. The alcohol does a great job of cleaning the chips as well.

Of course, you'll need to oil them afterward. But I think rubbing alcohol is the way to go.

[Vince]

Well, the remover I use contains some kind of ethyl also instead of aceton.
Maybe I should give your method a try.
But doesn't that alcohol bleech out the colors?

[JoseRijo]

In my experience, the alcohol did not bleach out the color. But it did clean the chip, which dries it out.

As always, you should practice any cleaning method on a few brave "volunteers" first.

[Vince]

japp!
I'll go for the $5 first, they are the easiest with their giant labels.
Got to know about the bleeching, I wanted to oil'em anyway.
The white ones are the toughest, aren't they?
Maybe soudns a bit stupid, but I don#t know that well about the common stuff you got in the US, so could you explain "rubbing alcohol"
Guess it is not alcohol for rubbing, huh?

[gmunny]

Originally Posted by djriley

rubbing alcohol works best. I think 91% isopropyl alcohol is the stuff I used. Put the chips in that for a minute or two and the stamp just falls off.

Jason,
Use Ethyl Alcohol, not Isopropyl. You can get it any drug store or walmart. And don't use the nail polish remover, its messy, you will use a ton of cotton balls and the smell is awful. I soaked about 10 chips in a small container for <5 minutes and then rinsed them under running water and the stamps came right off. I changed out the alcohol once it was harder to rub the stamps off. I think it becomes diluted or something. I think I cleaned about 600 St Jos with 2 or 3 bottles. Just used my finger under the running water. Goodluck!
Greg

[Harlequin011]

Originally Posted by gmunny

Jason,
Use Ethyl Alcohol, not Isopropyl. You can get it any drug store or walmart. And don't use the nail polish remover, its messy, you will use a ton of cotton balls and the smell is awful. I soaked about 10 chips in a small container for <5 minutes and then rinsed them under running water and the stamps came right off. I changed out the alcohol once it was harder to rub the stamps off. I think it becomes diluted or something. I think I cleaned about 600 St Jos with 2 or 3 bottles. Just used my finger under the running water. Goodluck!
Greg

Thanks Greg!

I had some isopropyl, but that was only working moderately so I got out the non-acetone nail polish remover. I wasn't thrilled with the smell or the mess but I got the chips clean, only had 25 or so to do.

I really feel that the Ethyl alcohol is the best way to go. And not so rough on the clay.

[Vince]

Thanks for your advises!
i got myself a Bottle of Ethyl alcohol, almost that same "denatured alcohol" you can light your BBQ with.
But it says "Ethyl alcohol" so it's gotta be the right one.

[Ranman]

I've been following along and used denatured alcohol on my sample set and it worked real well.

I do have a question. Before I try this on my Pink .50 hot stamp, will it work or will it take off the hot stamp?

[Vince]

Beware, it will take away the original 50ct hotstamp also!!!!!