Brent- I took your tip on a toleware cone last summer, used
the acetone, and it worked like a charm in about two days. the black background
sort of pickled and flaked right off, leaving a beautiful white
Yuengling cone, not the usual cardinal. Also have seen a better postwar
Steg Gold Medal cone done this way, plus some sodas. I did work a little
too hard on the flower area right over the label, and scratched up the
face of the can there. Be as gentle as possible. If you can't get it to
flake off, go have a beer and come back when you're more patient. I wish I had.

Barry, was that you who first posted the Craig's List collection of 3,500 cans
in Northern Virginia back in August? If so, I owe you a bonus!!

Yeah...that was me.I'm glad someone acted on it!I love living vicariously (one of those long forgotten vocabulary words thrown out to make me seem smarr...err,intillyg...yeah)through you guys on the board.

Its exactly what you said Brent-kind of a sea green with violets on it.Acetone it is-isn't that basically nail polish remover?

Wow, I think I put this info out last year, now everyone is doing it!

Just some further info. When removing the can from the acetone place it under warm running water and use a soft tooth brush to scrape the paint off immediately, do not wait even 5 seconds. Also, this does not work on silver crowntainers, the paint comes right off. I have also tried it on overpainted tray's with no luck. The tray paint comes off too.

I used to pick these things up on ebay for $10. The last one sold for over $120!!!! Remember you are taking a chance on these paint overs, as a lot of them are soda cans, and some of them were severly damaged before they were painted over.

My paint overs have been Yuengling (Script), 2-Sunshine, Oertels 92, Leisey's, 2-Ginger Ale and 2-Root Beer (The Soda cans did not hold up, different kind of paint I guess). The Crowntainers: Ortliebs, and Old Reading (Both disasters).

Good luck guys!

CANDOG