Anyone have experience and tips on removing old vinyl overlay sticker from Fire Chief porcelain sign? Looks like slow tedious work to me. Thank you, Skate

Warm it up with a hair dryer and it should peal off. Just don't let the wife catch you using her stuff !

From a porcelain sign, easy. Spray with Goo Gone (or similar) and wipe it all off!

Thanks for the tips guys. I think her hair dryer is under lock and key from the last time I used it. Skate

Laid a similar panel out in the lawn/sun here one summer day,and within an hour it all came off in 1 piece.

Paint stripper will remove it and not damage the porcelain.

I used a heat gun on the lowest possible setting to allow it to peel off.Worked like a charm!

If you don't have a heat gun - it's time you did.

Once you have one, you'll find numerous uses for it.

Just slightly heat a corner and start peeling. Once you get to the end of the heat, you will be able to tell as the vinyl will stop coming off. Then just wave the heat gun over the next inch or so and go back to pulling.

The trick is to keep the end of the gun away from any skin! LOL

I'd suggest screwing the plate down before starting. This will make it easier to pull against and remove the possibility of grabbing onto an overly-warm spot.

Later . . .

Jim

LEAVE the sticker on, it's part of it's History. Easy enough to find a FIRE-CHIEF.
How many Others have one like it?

if you dont have a heat gun... buy one. harbor freight has them for like $10. as mentioned above, they work well for anything plastic/vinyl that has adhesive, like stickers, decals, and especially car emblems!

Good point. It will be collectable one day. Dave

IF this was a pump w/ any patina, you'd be telling him to Keep it as original as possible!
Why go to a strip bar, when you know what is under the costumes?

Thanks for all the suggestions. Not sure if I should remove it or not now. Never seen this vinyl decal on any other sign. Wish it was in better shape. Got a feeling by looking at it, the porcelain may have been preserved by the decal. Might be mint. Tough decision. Definitely will get a heat gun for all the other uses mentioned by members. Thanks again. Skate

You can get dead mint(NOS) ones anytime. Leave it as is. Get a mint one and display them both next to each other...

I don't think those decals are hard to come by?

I've got a stack of them and the sky chief ones that are NOS. I've put some of them on tin and use for a cheap decoration in the shop:)

Leave it as is and buy another plate

It is interesting to see the different opions and advice. You get a lot of good information from enthusiasts and experts all over the country. That is interesting about the stack of decals that are NOS. Thanks to everyone that has responded. Skate

By installing one of his NOS Stickers on a FIRE-CHIEF Porcelain Pump Plate you are Re-creating what was done in the past. What you have is an Original Remanent from the Past.

Restoring a pump is Creating a Decoration. Displaying a pump as found is Preserving History.

Just has the most interesting ways of putting things!

That pretty well says it all.

Why go to a strip bar, when you know what is under the costumes? [/quote]

I don't know. No matter how many times I see what's under there, it still seems like the first time.

Have a heart for history and be carefull with the heat gun peeling the 70s decal off, and then place it firmly on cardboard.
Someone else was a cake decorator when the put it on . They probably worked for texaco. Guess they didn't care for history.
All said and done its yours. Do as you please.
Keep the Vinyl cardboard, who knows .

Gene

Interesting analogy about the strip bar. Haven't been to one in over 30 years, but faintly remember (seems like the beer was overpriced). We all love collecting, trading, buying and selling for fun and preserving memories and history. I already have a couple Fire Chief signs, so I will leave this one alone.
Thanks to all for the comments, opinions and advice. Skate

I don't know. No matter how many times I see what's under there, it still seems like the first time. [/quote]

LMFAO....

Not going to a strip club because you know what's under the costumes?
That would be like going to Baskin Robins for a Vanilla Cone when there are 30 other flavors to try! guess some guys only notice the "costumes"...

Just like anything else it's your sign do what you want with it...

Bob