Nightmare damp proofing please help me!

[windy5809]

Hello glad I've found a great diy forum.

I really hope u guys can help me, I well the missus wanted to remove the old sandy mortar plaster from above the fireplace mantal, to get it back to bare brick in our living room.
Now I did spend time on removing plaster back to brick but now due to it being a victorian house we have unearthed the garstly black bituminous damp proof paint which we are trying to attack it by scraping off.
I'm getting so annoyed with this (going to ages), is there a quicker way of removing it to bare brick?

I've tried melting it but it's just soaking into the brick which is not good, all so we can't jet wash or use highly smelly petrol or solvents, due to it being indoors.

Can any one help me
Thank you soon much

 

[Newboy]

Almost impossible to remove - it soaks into the brick

 

[handyjack]

You will never remove it without doing serious damage.

 

[RNReindeer]

Cover it with brick slips.

 

[Whitespirit66]

Get it plastered over again, and tell the wife that bare bricks are a bit last year. Nice bare brickwork may work if you live in a loft apartment. Crumbly old Victorian brickwork in a semi covered in pitch needs hiding. As was always the intention.

 

[windy5809]

I thought it was a no go'er, I gave up and left her to it, it ow looks "thankfully" that with all ya help and my decision to make some b plasterboard battening to make a insert frame for my new tv will be a a better option.
Thanks for swaying the missus And ya help.

 

[masona]

Have you tried olive oil or white spirit?

 

[Micilin]

Is it just above the mantle on a chimney breast?

If so it may have been done to stop soot coming through rather than damp?