How To Remove Anodizing?

[300meter]

Was wondering if anyone knew how to remove anodizing from steel or aluminum. Are there any chemical products you have used or would recommend? Where can you buy them? THANKS

 

[spclark]

I don't think you can.

Anodizing is an electrochemical process that alters the crystal structure of the surface of the metal being treated.

You can learn more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anodizing

What's your goal in this?

 

[Ksmirk]

It's called caustic soda, it's a powder you mix with water and it heats up like you wouldn't believe but don't leave the part you are trying to strip it WILL remove material especially threads and in case you haven't figured it out wear gloves it's nasty stuff ;D Later,

Kirk

 

[300meter]

The goal is to remove the colored anodized coating from some steel parts. All I want is to have bare metal when I'm finished.

 

[spclark]

If the parts are steel, they're probably not anodized. Is a magnet attracted to them? Can the color coating be abraded with sandpaper or other abrasive? It's possible what you have is powder-coated steel, which can be stripped. You may want to explore this option first, or look for an automotive body shop that can do bead-blasting for you, similar to but not as abrasive as sand blasting.

A caution about caustic soda: nasty stuff, otherwise known as lye or sodium hydroxide.

In contact with water it creates a great deal of heat, so anyone handling it should wear protective clothing and eyewear as the water can boil in a very short time.

Aluminum - anodized or not - will be etched (short contact time or low concentration) or eroded (extended immersion) by sodium hydroxide, leaving behind aluminum oxide, water, and liberating hydrogen gas which is flammable.

 

[butchlambert]

You can not anodize steel!
Butch

 

[300meter]

Found my answer on You Tube. Thanks for all the replies.

 

[SUDDEN DEATH]

easy off ovan cleaner will do it.