cleaning a tin

[jtmattison]

I have a empty shoe polish tin I want to use for lube or whatever. How do I get all of the markings off the tin?
Will burning it get the stuff off?
I don't want to be found in the woods with a tin full of KIWI black bullet lube ::

Huntin

 

[Stumpkiller]

Yep. You can use a propane torch (outdoors!), which sometimes gives it a crackly alligator-skin appearance as the paint shrinks up, or just bury it in wadded up newspaper and toss it in a wood fire for 15 minutes or so. When it's been baked I rub it with old motor oil or WD-40 and a rag and then buff it up with balled newspaper to remove the soot.

Don't use a wire brush unless you want a shiny finish. It removes the 'patina' that burning the paint off gives. If you wipe it with acetone and then coat it with boiled linseed oil it looks like an antique 'japaned' tin box. Otherwise, just wipe it with whatever lube is inside to keep it from rusting. Varnish would probably work, too, but I haven't tried it.

I just did one and didn't realize until after it was baked that the "ALTOIDS' lettering was pressed into the metal. D'oh!

 

[tommy b]

Yeah, you gotta watch the Altoids tins. Some are embossed and some have the name just painted on.