I do tend to yes James, I’ve found it’s good practice as the amount of surface defects the paint and dirt hide can be very surprising, it gives me the opportunity to correct anything I find before spending money on surface finishes. It also gives you a really good insight into how they were made or cast when you see them completely bare.
For instance, once you remove all the paint off a steel piece you realise how badly they have been cut, really rough edges, weld splatter all over the place, grinding marks covered up with thick paint etc. It’s a real eye opener.
