How to remove stove black/polish

[acp104]

Does anyone have any suggestions for the best way of removing stove black/polish from the Mama Bear I'm planning to refinish? I'm planning on trying a wire wheel (knotted maybe) on a 4" grinder, but wasn't sure I should try removing the stove black the last owner put on it first. They used stove black on all but the back and door, and seem to have applied it right over some existing light rust. I believe I saw where Coaly stated Stove Black is water soluble, so I thought either strait water or simple green and water might be best for removing the stove black before getting out the wire wheel. Just looking to make the job the least painful it can be.... I get the impression stove black is a pain to remove. My goal is to get it cleaned up and painted with proper stove paint.

 

[coaly]

The door is the worst, (and the material stove black is made for) so that's a good thing.
You can try a wet rag or with soap to see how much comes off black. I've used mineral spirits that comes off black, and continues to come off black....... even lacquer thinner appears to remove it, until heated up and wiped again. The wheel takes it off to an extent, then wiping with thinner I think is the best. It should be wiped with thinner before paint anyway.
Water does go through it, just like washing your hands with soap and water when a certain amount comes off easily. It looks like it's all coming off, but your hands stay stained black from it. After washing it off, you can buff your hands and the residue left will shine. Soap and water ceases to do anything. Then it has to wear off. I guess that's why the label says to wear rubber gloves......... The legs and lower sides where it doesn't bake on is the easiest, so I start there and work up. It doesn't seem as bad as when you start with the top. That's the worst.
I've had rusty stoves that you wouldn't know were blacked and buff them with a wire wheel, rust comes off, and when you wipe with spirits or thinner, it's like you just blacked it again. You'll probably find if you wire wheel it, then wipe, it looks good. You just colored the rust....... No matter how many times I go over it, rags come up black. Just a matter of when you think good is good enough. It's not bad when it's on top of paint, but it spreads to bare metal as you buff and wipe it.
I've never tried Citristrip stripping gel paint remover. That may soak in to loosen it up since it doesn't dry quickly like spirits or thinner.

 

[acp104]

Do you think there is any value in pressure washing it first to try to remove some stove black since that'd be a pretty easy way to start? Or would you be concerned about creating yourself more work in additional surface rust? I've attached a couple pics to attempt to show general condition. Also, what do you recommend doing on the inside of the stove on a cleanup/resto for stove you plan to burn. Included a pic of the inside too. It does have some broken fire brick. I believe you normally recommend just replacing them all. I am still planning to redo the outlet like we discussed in another thread. Just waiting on a little warmer weather to get started on this project.

 

[Don H]

What I've done on the inside is to remove and replace all brick, scrape off any creosote, and scrape off any loose rust.
No paint on the inside.

 

[sportbikerider78]

Put it on a trailer and have someone lightly sandblast it. Done. Can't be that much money.

As far as I know, sandblasting is the only way to really get rust out of all the pores in a stoves metal.