Removing decals from corny kegs and shining them ?

[brewman !]

I've got a bunch of used corny kegs and all of them have decals on them. What is an easy way to remove the decals ?

I've got a low RPM car buffing wheel/pad and compound sticks. Should I use them after the decals are off to remove the glue residue ? Or will the glue residue get into the buffing wheel and mess it up ?

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/remove-stickers-and-labels-and-glue-from-kegs.75986/

 

[day_trippr]

Definitely remove labels and adhesives otherwise they'll load up your polishing pads and generally make the job much harder and longer.
Not sure that a torch is a great choice for that. I used a heat gun which worked really well, then some mineral spirits on a stiff rag to clean the residue before starting with the polishing regimen...

Cheers!

 

[brewman !]

I tried a heat gun and it worked really well. Labels come right off as a gooey mess, but there is still glue residue on the keg. I'll try some acetone and see how that works.

Moderator: this thread should probably be in the Kegging and Bottling forum. Feel free to move it.

 

[z-bob]

Warm the labels with a hair dryer, or a heat gun turned down pretty low. That should soften the glue. Peel the label off **slowly** and most of the glue should stick to the label instead of the keg. Remove the residue with something like charcoal lighter fluid. (naphtha or kerosene) The slower you peel off the label, the less glue you'll have to mess with.

 

[Transamguy77]

A couple of cleaners that work well is a automotive cleaner call brakekleen in the red can and Acrisolve in a green can. They work awesome getting rid of glue residue on kegs. Brakekleen I used with a green and brown 3m stubby pad and acrisolve to get rid of all the residual residue.

 

[AkTom]

+1 for the charcoal lighter fluid. It is magic!

 

[SFC Rudy]

I'm more concerned on what goes in the keg.

 

[day_trippr]

Well, of course, that's the Primary Objective.
Still, there's something cool about a shiny bright 50 year old keg. I did one myself, it still looks so brilliant I gotta wear shades
I'd do the other 15 but life is short enough as it is, and there are beers to brew and pours to consume...

Cheers!