Lye is effective but so strong. There are strong bases that are safer to handle. I’m sure sodium metasilicate, trisodium phosphate, or soda ash would work as a concentrated solution. Heat helps.
This really works I made and used it to strip oil base paint off of wood metal particle board and heavy plastic. Tip mix the corn starch with warm water first before mixing with lye water avoids getting lumps you get a smooth gel like consistency, I also add a little pure lemon oil helps eat the paint, don't put it on aluminum it has a violent reaction. I agree man I ain't fond of green either
I have good luck cleaning rust and grease off of steel with a bath of muriatic acid. Not expensive and no scrubbing. Have to coat it as soon as it washed and dry because steel will flash rust.
I use a lot of hydrochloric acid (toilet bowl cleaner) for old rusty parts. I like it because you can get it in gel form and it sticks to the parts better. Just never use it on aluminum lol
Mopar guys would call that color Sublime Green. I use Easy-Off over cleaner to get paint off of stuff, but it needs to be in the Yellow can. I spent nearly 30 years in grocery retail putting the stuff on the shelf. We finally had to quit carrying Red Devil because the meth heads would come in and wipe us out the day after we have restocked the shelf.
It's lye and corn starch mixed in water. The corn starch makes it thicker so it will stick better. after the paint it stripped just wash it real good and dry it off and paint it.