Experiences stripping paint from minis

I figure that on a forum largely about vintage figures, this is a subject many will have an opinion on...

What is your favourite way to strip paint from metal models? Does it depend on the model in question?

Let me give you some backstory for why I am asking this. A bunch of eBay lots I’ve bought are arriving, and some were painted models. First were some Necromunda House Cawdor, undercoated white (not certain whether spray or hand). I tried some Simple Green but after soaking for a day, a lot of scrubbing was still needed to get the paint off, and the recesses were stubborn. So then I tried some acetone, and the paint literally sloughed off them instantly, leaving them pristine.

Great, I thought, let’s use acetone for the next batch (some Ogres, fully painted, and I think from their sheen they had also been varnished).

This time it didn’t work so well—it didn’t dissolve right away like the Cawdor gangers did, and although the top coats of paint came off with a scrub, the black undercoat is very resistant to removal in the recesses. I’m going to leave it another day and then maybe try Simple Green again for them.

I guess the difference could be due to different paints used on the models, or possibly my ‘dual application’ of Simple Green and then acetone on the Cawdors. But I don’t have enough experience stripping to know for sure. Does anyone have any tips or comments they’d like to share? Or is there any miracle-compound that Works Every Time people recommend?
 

Naagruz

Member
As a general rule, what Simple Green (SG) can't do, acetone can & vice-versa.

SG is at it's prime about 48 hours later. I actually use a high pressure hose prior to toothbushing minis. ;)
 
Naagruz":1bxf1tik said:
As a general rule, what Simple Green (SG) can't do, acetone can & vice-versa.

Oh, heh. Looks like I have two good ingredients then. :) Thanks for the tip! Will swap the Ogres over to SG tomorrow.
 

Naagruz

Member
One thing I forgot to mention is that holding a mini submerged in an acetone bath while using a stipple brush to work the paint off is really effective. This allows you to target the crevices that are typical problem areas.
 

Selkie

Member
I use Nitro-Mors, usually just dunking the mini, leaving it for a couple of mins followed by a quick scrub with an old toothbrush is enough, nasty fumes though. Anything difficult gets left a few hours longer or a second dip.
 

ardyer

Member
If you can't get the acetone to work, I've got a big thing if paint stripper that will remove anything. It's pretty much a last resort kind of thing as it's toxic, but you're welcome to use it if you need it (and it'll save you from buying some).
 
For metal models get a can of Kilz wood stain stripper. You need a glass jar. You're in Virginia so Mason jars should be falling out of the sky, but if you don't partake in the moonshine an empty spaghetti sauce jar will do. Make sure you keep the lid because Kilz stinks.

Put your metal models in there. Metal only. Kilz will turn plastic into goo. Let it sit for 30 minutes or so and then get the models out. Kilz will kind of irritate your skin so latex gloves are a plus. Scrub them in the sink under running water with dish soap and an old toothbrush. If your sink is metal you're fine, but if your sink is PVC or something the Kilz will eat it.

If you have a wife or other woman-like creature dwelling with you she will yell at you because Kilz stinks. I only use simple green on plastic models otherwise it take forever to strip metal models in SG.

Make sure you wash your models well after taking them out of the Kilz goo.
 

Blue in VT

Moderator
Step up to the Pro Simple Green (which is purple) it works much better and faster than the original SG...24 hours is more than enough. Whatever it leaves behind a quick dip in acetone will take care of...just make sure you have good ventilation when working with acetone...it's nasty stuff.

Blue
 
I use dettol (or it's non union lidl equivalent) and I find the key ingredient is time.

I can leave lads in there for a week or more and the paint coming off with very little scrubbing at all.
 

phreedh

Member
I use something called ColourOff, from AutoSmart. For plastic models I use a type of spirit consisting of 95% alcohol, some acetone and other additives (to make it indigestible). T-röd in Swedish. I have been leaving plastics in it for weeks without any adverse effects. And to think I just recently discovered this! It's a common house hold chemical. I should have used it earlier. Haven't tried it on metals.
 

Asslessman

Member
Actually never seen paint that couldn't be removed by acetone apart from small traces of enamel. Its main point is it melts paint and not only removes it like dettol, to get in the recesses it can't be beaten in my book, just the vapors of it are enough plu sit removes all traces of glue. Drawback is that you have to wear a facemask not to get groggy by the funny smell... :grin:
Acetone for metal and dettol for plastic, I've been stripping minis sincethe late 90's and nevere needed more so far.
 
I used to use acetone, but since I read somewhere around here about Dettol Ive been using that to great effect-maybe its just been a while since I used acetone but Im finding Dettol to be my go to stripper (besides Candy :razz: )
 

phreedh

Member
Acetone is expensive and also a bit of a pain in the ass (or hands) to use. I do agree it yields great results!
 

Asslessman

Member
phreedh":17s8oews said:
Acetone is expensive and also a bit of a pain in the ass (or hands) to use. I do agree it yields great results!

Well, I'm biased towards acetone because In France it's actually quite cheap and we don't have much apart from Glanzer to remove paint on models.
I'm used to stripping models in 10 minutes with an acetone bath and a good brush work. When I use dettol, i find it good but it feels waaaaaay to long and hard to remove paint. :grin:
Another major drawback is that when stripping lead, you actually remove some of it, so if you add the toxicity of acetone itself, it becomes quite a dangerous sport...
 

phreedh

Member
The toxicity of acetone is a common misconception. Quoting wikipedia:
"Acetone is not currently regarded as a carcinogen, a mutagenic chemical or a concern for chronic neurotoxicity effects."

It's highly flammable, and it stinks to high heavens, and if you sniff the fumes you'll start to feel bad - but none of that is in and of itself actually harmful in any long term way AS FAR AS WE KNOW NOW. Once, Earth was considered flat so I tend to approach most facts with a grain of salt. =)

It will dry out your hands though, and might do your mucus membranes in for a while too if you work with it for a long time. It's not toxic though, and it won't eat away your flesh.
 

Asslessman

Member
See Honey ! wikipedia said acetone isn't toxic ! I can even lick my fingers after stripping minis!

ok, I stop playing the fool. Good to hear that, since I'v used about 20 liters of the stuff in my life. Vapors are nasty to breathe anyway so I'll keep anyway and there's another point, since it evaporates very easily, you can actually get seriously cold fingers when using it. (I remember stripping omdels in th egarage when the temperature was about 6-7°C and I couldn't feel my fingers after 10 minutes because of the combined effect of cold and acetone... :?
 

Harry

Moderator
I have used all kinds of stuff over the years. I even found the active ingredient in Nitromors and used that neat ... nasty stuff. Burns skin. Melts everything else.
But then I discovered Fairy power spray (Kitchen cleaner) which unbelievably seems to do just as good a job as anything else I have ever tried and leaves me smelling pine fresh. :grin:
 

ardyer

Member
Blue in VT":1vwcz8y2 said:
Step up to the Pro Simple Green (which is purple) it works much better and faster than the original SG...24 hours is more than enough. Whatever it leaves behind a quick dip in acetone will take care of...just make sure you have good ventilation when working with acetone...it's nasty stuff.

Blue

I wish I had known that like two weeks ago when I bought a large bottle of regular simple green to replace the one I just used up. Thanks for the tip!
 

Chico

Member
I use Dettol or Fairy Power Spray (Prefer Dettol to be fair) i just leave the figures in from anywhere from a few hours (If I'm impatient) to a month (If i forget), Easy to use
 

Fimm McCool

Member
Chico":lk09nxz6 said:
I use Dettol or Fairy Power Spray (Prefer Dettol to be fair) i just leave the figures in from anywhere from a few hours (If I'm impatient) to a month (If i forget), Easy to use

I have to agree with Chico and the Vole on this. After three or four days in Dettol pretty much everything has a comical, inflated look and the paint just peels right off. Undercoated models are less stubborn and white undercoat removes better than black, but given a week in standard Dettol not much sticks.
 
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