How do you remove liquid lead 'faux' stained glass from a window?

Answer 1

If it is actual glass and not plexi-glass it's easy. Just take a straight razor and scrape it off. The only exception to this would be if it has an acrylic over coat to protect it. You can also use fingernail polish remover, it the other doesn't work.

Answer 2

Leaded glass windows can contain an amount of copper at the seams depending on the method used in creating them. If the window was created using Lead came it can be cleaned with a wash cloth and soapy water. If the lead is black, this might actually be a treatment the artisan put on and shouldn't come off with some industrious cleaning.

If the project was created using the copper foil method and the foil wasn't completely covered with the solder, it is possible for some of the copper oxidization to show around the edges, which will show up as that green patina people so often want.

You'll be able to tell if it's copper foil method if the solder lines are slightly uneven and look a bit lumpy. (this depends also on the artisan's skill with their iron, but even an adept artisan will have a few waves if it's copper foil.) Lead came is straight and uniform except at the joints.

Machined lead came, which appears in most of the manufactured stained glass or leaded windows, have the perfect seam with perfect alignment. Too perfect, sometimes, though skilled artisans have been known to come very close to indistinguisable joints.

Cleaning the copper foil method might be a little tricky as its possible you could accidentally lift the copper foil under the seam and de-stabilize the seam. If it's not too much oxidization and is relatively small, you can use an exacto knife and scrape the bit off then wash it clean. If the window contains a LOT of oxidization and it really doesn't look right, try to find a local artisan that specializes in stained glass. They can help either clean it and treat it to prevent further damage or at the very least quote you a price for re-seaming the broken parts. Most are quite helpful.

Answer 3

Turn it upside down and heat with iron, gravity will load the iron.

Heat to liquid and hit with compressed air.

use solder wicking, a copper braid product with flux in it.

cut it off with a sturdy knife.

grind it off slowly with a rough dremel bit.

clip it flush with flush cut wire cutters.

use a solder sucker tool, common in electronics assembly.

Answer 4

Stained glass windows are harder to clean than plain glass windows. The supplies you will need are a non-ammonia based glass cleaner, old rags, old tooth brushes, whiting, Qtips, single-edged razor and extra fine steel wool. To clean the glass, spray the cleaner on the cloth and clean each piece separately. Since all glass cleaners leave streaks, clean with a dry rag dabbed into a small amount of dry whiting. Qtips are excellent for cleaning small pieces of glass and getting into the corners. Tooth brushes are good for cleaning textured glass.