Also known as Bakelite, polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride is a type of synthetically engineered plastic first made in the early 1900s. If you try to aggressively remove paint from an old Bakelite knob using only friction-based abrasion, you'll likely scar the Bakelite. To effectively eliminate the paint without damaging the underlying plastic, utilise a relatively mild solvent that will soften the paint without damaging the knob.
Prevent a potential rash by wearing rubber gloves.
Dampen a rag with white spirit solvent. Wipe down the painted Bakelite knob with the rag.
Quickly cover the knob, using plastic masking sheeting. Tape all four edges of the sheeting down to prevent air flow from drying the solvent.
- Also known as Bakelite, polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride is a type of synthetically engineered plastic first made in the early 1900s.
- Quickly cover the knob, using plastic masking sheeting.
Wait five to 10 minutes; remove the sheeting.
Scrape the loose paint from the Bakelite knob using a 2.5 cm (1-inch) wide plastic putty knife and sandpaper.
Scrape paint from detailed inundations, using a dental hook.
Clean the Bakelite knob using steel wool dampened with solvent. Dry the knob with a fresh rag.
WARNING
If your Bakelite knob is affixed to an item that runs on electricity, unplug the item before beginning work; white spirit is highly flammable.