Removing anodized colouring
 

I recently got a aluminum PGC slide for my WA. Since the silver version was discontinued, I decided to get the black version. Anyone know how to remove the black anodized coloring? Sandblasting it would a last resort since I don't want to remove the matte finish. Any solvents that would dissolve the black color?

Try oven cleaner (such as Easy Off), or sandpaper.

...or Google.

Just an fyi, any action of removing anodizing off aluminum will pit the surface. I highly doubt that's what you'd want to happen to your $120+ slide... Just keep the black colour.

Realize that the process of anodizing is a chemical process that changes the properties of the metal, and in fact, will harden the anodized surface. If you can find a solution caustic enough to dissolve the anodized coating (such as lye), it would also eat away the interior aluminum in shorter time, hence, the pitting.

Anodizing is very difficult to remove. The finish is comprised of a dye infused into a very inert and very hard layer of aluminum oxide which is thin but nearly diamond hard and almost as chemically inert as glass.

Your best bet is to sandblast which will leave a matte finish. No solvents would work.

Easy off (oven cleaner)

It works and does not attack the finish of the anodizing.

A perfect anodizing is the exact same color as the original alluminium.
Colored anodizing (be it black or blue or purple) is some controlled imperfections.

Did it with a lot of RC alluminium parts. No damage, just no more color.

However, any abrasive action WILL damage the part.