Recycling painted Shells?

Baneykinz · Post by **Baneykinz** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 5:16 am

Is there ANY way to safely remove the paint from a painted shell so it can be reused in a safer, more health conscious manner?I would hate to have to throw the shell away when there's such a shortage of wild shells.If anybody can think of a way to do this, I think we'll have a large problem solved.There's one website online I found where they only sell the crabs in painted shells, and while I'm tempted to get a potential pretty for my bedroom shelf, I don't want to intentionally waste the perfectly good shell underneath all that paint.Poor Crabs(just for referance the site is www.thecrabisland.com)

breezeetew · Post by **breezeetew** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 5:23 am

It depends on what type of paint is used.I have two that crabs came in that I can't get that paint off for the life of me!I have a few that were painted with what looked like nail polish, and polish remover did a good job of taking it off- I have boiled them twice since and the smell is gone so I may reintroduce them to the rotation.I have several that I got as assortments that when they got chips, I boiled and the paint bubbled right off. I just peeled about 5 of those about an hour ago- easily removed paint with beautiful shells underneath..