If you are going to use a solvent based remover you might want to protect the mastic that holds the blade in the hilt . There's always a chance it may soften along with the paint . You might want to melt a little paraffin wax and paint a few layers of it over the mastic .
I would think any decent gel type paint remover will do the trick quite well .
In the US that would mean 5F5 or Strypeeze .
