Could it be LEAD Paint??

[Micro469]

I have another 4m that someone has repainted. When I put stripper on it, the first coat came off revealing a second coat that is a kind of blue/grey color. This paint is THICK!! The top has large cracks in the paint as if it shrank. The stripper (Polystripper) won't touch it. I tried using a heat gun, it bubbles a little bit then starts to smoke and char. Almost as if it's igniting. It does loosen up abit, but is still a bugger to get off, and this was just the lid. I'm thinking this might be lead paint, and maybe I should get it beadblasted rather then do it myself.......

[caseydog]

Well, if it is lead paint, you don't want to eat it or breathe it. If you can get it blasted for a reasonable price, why not?

It may be just old, thick, hard paint that isn't full of lead, but even if it won't hurt you, I'd go with the easiest way to get down to metal. To me, the fun is in the refinishing, not the stripping.

CD

[doug hodder]

John....I'd try a more aggressive stripper. Jasco or the Aircraft stripper might do the job. Just about any paint that is older than the 70's is going to have lead in the formula, just as gasoline had lead in it. You won't go blind and all your hair fall out if you try to strip 1 stove with lead based paint. Mop on a heavy coat of a really hot paint stripper and let it sit a while. If the blasting is as much as you previously indicated, this is the route I'd take. Otherwise, you'll end up with 150$ in a 40$ stove. Doug