Abstract: A method of exposing a metal pipe that is resin-coated by which part of the resin coating layer can be easily removed to expose the metal pipe. Blade tips are advanced into a resin coating layer in a region of the circumferential surface of a pipe with a predetermined spacing in the longitudinal direction of the pipe, and circumferential notches are introduced into the circumferential surface of the resin coating layer by rotating blades with respect to the pipe. A blade tip is advanced into a resin coating layer between the two circumferential notches and by moving a blade in the longitudinal direction, a longitudinal notch is introduced into the circumferential surface of the resin coating layer. A force is caused to act upon an outer circumferential surface of the resin coating layer between the two circumferential notches in the direction opposite that of the longitudinal notch and the resin coating layer is peeled off, thereby exposing a portion of the metal pipe.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a treating agent for liquid crystal alignment, which comprises a polyamic acid compound having a reduced viscosity of from 0.05 to 5.0 dl/g (in N-methylpyrrolidone at a temperature of 30° C. at a concentration of 0.5 g/dl) and containing repeating units represented by the general formula [I]: (wherein R1 is a tetravalent organic group constituting a tetracarboxylic acid which has an alicyclic structure having from 2 to 5 rings condensed and wherein all the carbonyl groups are directly bonded to the alicyclic structure and said carbonyl groups are not bonded to adjacent carbon atoms in the alicyclic structure, and R2 is a bivalent organic group constituting a diamine), or a polyimide resin obtained by imidizing said polyamic acid compound, and a liquid crystal alignment film and a liquid crystal device employing it.