[header] How to strip paint from hardware [title] Protect your paint job from peeling. [step] Paint can easily pull away with your hardware when you remove it from the wall. Take a utility knife or a similar tool and cut along the perimeter of the hardware. 
Remove all supplemental parts, like the spindle and knob of doorknobs, pieces connected by a hinge, and so on. [substeps] In some cases, you might not be able to completely cut through the paint with your cutting tool.