Removal of Masking Tape...Please Read!

[Greg Gore]

One word of caution about various products sold to soften and remove paper
label residue and old hardened tape and glues etc. I recently tried one of
them on a Johnson Viking II and it dissolved the paint under the tape. In my
case here the Viking II had masking tape on the front panel that was old and
hard, maybe it was 30 years old, who knows. In any event the solvent was
applied to the tape and the softening action was very slow. In the course of
about a week the solvent eventually penetrated the thickness of the tape
softening it enough to rub it off. I had been checking the progress of the
solvent everyday and rewetting as required. When I was finally able to get
the tape to move I was very disappointed to see that it had removed the paint
under the tape as well. Of course I tested the product on the paint at an
inconspicuous spot first and it didn't react. My guess as to what happened is
that over the course of time possibly due to the effects of temperature,
humidity and sunlight the glue in the tape might have reacted with the paint
altering its properties enough to allow the solvent to soften it, or possibly
the solvent just had enough time to attack the paint, who knows (maybe we
could get Dr. Barry Ornitz to help us here). The product I tried was "Goof -
Off" and is probably not unlike many of the others out there. A while back on
one of these reflectors one of the wise old owls said he had been using and
recommending just plain old kerosene with good results and another said he
has used WD-40 with no ill effects so this might be worth a try. Also I have
heard of Go-Jo being used but haven't tried that yet either. In my case all
is not lost as one of the guys who restores Johnson gear is about to make the
silk-screens for the Viking II so I'll talk to him about getting it repainted
I guess.

Have fun,
Greg Gore; WA1KBQ