Topic: Who Strips Minis? What Do You Use?

[Kernschatten]

Questions on stripping miniatures come up on a fairly regular basis. It might be nice to have one thread that we can direct members to. I would prefer that this does not turn into a debate over what works better or whether or not it is worth it to strip miniatures at all. I'm particularly interested in what our members outside the USA use to strip paint.

That said...

Do you strip miniatures?

What do you use? Where do you buy it?

Have you ever had any problems? (Melted plastic, pitted/discolored metal, and so on...)

Do you have a link to a good tutorial?

[Fafnir]

For stripping paint off metal miniatures I use nail polish remover. It can be bought very cheap in Scandinavia from large, down-market store chains like Spar, Lidl or anything with the word 'Euro' in it.

I have no experience in successfully stripping paint off plastics.

[Racticas]

I beleive that the active ingredient in said nail-polish remover is Acetone.

What does that mean?
1. That real acetone will do the same thing, if you have that and not nail polish remover
2. That non-acetone nail polish remover is not likely to work
3. That it will melt plastics

I also agree that it's a fine way to strip metal models.

One probably international option is automotive brake fluid.  It's very inexpensive, and if you like cars you probably have an old bottle of it you can use anyway (since it sort of goes bad and you shouldn't use it in your car after a certain point anyway; this won't affect stripping figures).

I suggest putting your figures to be stripped in a tub of some sort (like a washed-out plastic tub you can get sour cream, yogurt, or cottage cheese in), pouring brake fluid in until it covers the figures, then leaving them 12 to 24 hours.  Afterwards, you should be able to remove the paint without damaging the figures using an old toothbrush (remember to wash the residue off the figures after this step, before you try to prime them again!!).  This has always worked well for me on figures of all types, but some people have said that it can melt plastic figures if you leave them too long.  This may be true, but it has never happened to me; scrubbing the figures with a toothbrush does not even scratch the surface of the figures in my experience either, so no apparent softening takes place.

I have had one experience when the primer didn't come all the way off; it may have been weird primer, or I may not have left the figures in the fluid long enough.  But Kernschatten assures me that that can happen with any other stripping method, depending on the original primer.

[Kernschatten]

Kernschatten: when this is full of advice, why don't you compose a tutorial with the combined wisdom of the site and propose it for the workshop?  than we won't have to find the link to the thread every time-- we can just direct them to an easily-accessible article.

There are a few good tutorials floating around on the internet already and I hate to reinvent the wheel. But I am slowly leaning in that direction.

[Midaski]

It is a topic that comes up fairly regularly, and new members are going to ask here first - so if we are going to direct them somewhere, our workshop is as good as anywhere.

{ Where did racticas' quote come from - I cannot see the original post }

I have bought a lot of metal minis from ebay and I use Polycell extra strong paint stripper.
I have an old glass ashtray which I put some minis in, and then I pour the syrupy stripper over it, and then 'work it in' to the crevices with an old half inch paintbrush, then leave to soak for 15-20 minutes.

Then I will rinse and employ the toothbrush.

Elbow grease seems to remove most of the paint, but sometimes I find that a different type of paint has been used and it may take 2 or more 'soaks' to remove the paint.

A side effect of this stripper is that it does soften and 'break' the superglue, but as a lot of the metal minis I get from ebay have more glue than paint on them, this can be a very good thing.

I never buy second hand plastics though.
I think this is for 2 main reasons:
firstly I am never convinced that I will like the poses/build,  and these days most of my plastics are NOT put together in a 'standard' set up.
Secondly I have never been convinced about a method of stripping them effectively - and to be honest have little inclination to do so.

Is this strange? Somehow second hand metal minis can be stripped, possibly converted, and repainted, and they are MINE.
Second hand plastics are somehow always 'tacky'. The few I have acquired from time to time have been sliced apart and had new arms and heads, and they still seem 'different'.
 

[Grutch]

This topic rears its ugly head every other month.

I have a mind to make a permanent link this article on the painting clinic:
-Click Me-

Or their more detailed article:
-Click Me-

I've stripped paint using various methods.  The best results come from degreasers like Castrol Super Clean or Simply Green.  I like it because you can soak your plastics or metals overnight then retrieve em, rinse em off and brush em with a toothbrush, then leave em to dry and they're done.  

I used brake fluid, which is terribly toxic and difficult to remove from models.  After a soaking, I had to follow up with another wash with dish detergent in order to ensure my models were clear of the substance. Yes it removes paint, but it is Toxic, Stubborn, and not so cheap.

-Grutch

[Kernschatten]

{ Where did racticas' quote come from - I cannot see the original post }

Orginally there was a double post, the second post had that quote on the end of it. Looks like the double post got cleaned up.

This topic rears its ugly head every other month.

Exactly the point. Are you opposed to a submission to the Imperial Office?

[Grutch]

Exactly the point. Are you opposed to a submission to the Imperial Office?

Not at all!  I'd love for somebody to draft up an article regarding paint removal!  It would be good if someone could make mention of possible paint removal materials availiable in europe and the Uk as well.

Throw in a little step by step with some pictures and we're in business.

-Grutch

[dal thingaz umgisson]

once written on the bugmansbrewery

In time every warhammerplayer or collector jumps into the same question. How to remove paint from your mini’s. Removing paint is a hard job, especialy becourse the used paints are of superb quality and most of the time the painter has token all the actions to make sure his paint will not bladder off in years, by degreasing and priming his mini.

Before to start with the great advices so generously written down at the forge, by our experienced dwarfpainters a brief warning is in place.

Most of the liquids you can use to peel off the paint of your mini are chemicals wich are hazardrous for your health. They can cause serious ilness like cancer when absorbed by your body via air (breathing), skin (dripping, moisturing) or eating (eating your food with dirty hands).

Read the Label

Always use gloves, closed yars for soaking (glass made marmelade ones are good with a small nailhole in the lid to prevent pressure building up) Work in open spaces (outside) or in well ventilated rooms. Take care for open fire (mothers cooking oven, candles, fools with cigarettes, etc) Most chemicals have an explosive effect when exposed to high temperatures.

Treat plastic mini’s and metal mini’s separate. Some solvements working great on metal are melting down plastic mini’s at high speed. If you are confused what to use trye some of the stuff on a base. When its melting away don’t use it on plastics.

When you are finished with paintstripping make sure you throw your leftover liquid away in a proper environmental way like you should do with all chemicals.

To remove paint leftovers extended use of toothbrushes is required. Don’t put them back in the famely thoothbrushtin. If they have some hairs left keep them stored somewere els. Start a old thoothbrush collection for you will need a lot of them.


Plastic mini’s (and metal) (and metal converted with greenstuff

Phoenix Precision paints produce a stripper called Super Strip. It's non spectacular on metal models (Elbow grease required, but no more so then any other stripper I've used), but where it really shines is plastics. It doesn't melt or distort the plastic, and it removes the paint (and sometimes glue) to the point where you'd think the model was brand new. I left a 40K model in it overnight, and came back to find the paint floating about 1mm from the surface of the model.

Phoenix is a UK company BTW.

Dettol
It strips both plastic AND metal effortlessly. Leave it overnight, then drain it, and rinse out the container a few times to get some hangy paint off, them scrub them with an old toothbrush.
Be sure to buy a bargain pack of 50 or so though.. It ploughs through toothbrushes fast.

Ordinary ovencleaner:
I have had good results with Easy Off - plus it has a nice lemon scent.
Same deal - put mini's in a container. Spray in oven cleaner. Wait. rinse.

Methalated Spirits
I've found that Methalated Spirits works wonders when stripping the paint off metal *and* plastic miniatures. Soak the minis in the Spirit for 6-8 hours and then scrub with a toothbrush. (hard bristles work best)

Just be sure to use spirits and not Turpentine, as the latter will disolved plastic figures in a matter of minutes. Try testing it out on a expendible miniature if you're not sure.

Rubbing Alcohol
I've soaked the old plastic clansmen in rubbing alcohol for a few hours... it works though the plastic will appear a little bleached. They've been repainted and I've noticed no ill-effects. Just rinse them off while scrubbing them with a toothbrush.

Castrol Super Clean
Used for de-greasing (cleaning) car engines, comes in a pretty purple bottle, you can find it in most North American stores which carry automotive supplies. I've bought mine at Wal-Mart and Canadian Tire, but I've seen it a number of other places.
Castrol Super Clean strips multiple layers of paint off of either plastic or metal and I have left unpainted plastic minis (a goblin and a zombie) in the CSC for a week with no visible damage, although one of the arms on the zombie look like it was starting to soften, it's posed lower than I remember...

T-Röd
For the swedes of the forum, I have succesfully used T-Röd to strip the paint of both metallic and plastic models. I let the models I wanted to strip bathe in T-Röd for about 48 hours, and then I scrubbed the paint off with a toothbrush under a stream of warm (not hot, but warm) water. It worked like a charm.
As I said, stripping plastics works fine with T-Röd as well. I made an experiment once when I let a plastic model lie in the liquid for a whole week, but it wasn't damaged at all

Some bad experiances with T-Röd:
I´d like to comment on the T-röd for the swedes too.
its horrible..Dont bother with it.
I have tried it on several occations and never had any good results.
The best I got after even a full week in the red stuff and a hard scrub with a old toothbrush, was some bleaching and minor (very minor) chipping of the paint I wanted to strip

Pinesol
A substance called Pinesol is fantastic at stripping plastic minatures, you can find it at hardware shops etc, doesnt damage the plastic and has a nice pine-y smell.

Only metal mini’s

Nitromors Green
I've used Nitromors Green to strip metal models before. I plonked a load of metal models that I'd bought off Ebay in an old coffee jar and covered them in Nitromors, then put on the lid and left it for a couple of days. All I need to do then was to gently scrub any stubborn paint away with an old toothbrush. Wash and dry the models thoroughly before you paint them again as any traces of Nitromors makes it bubble up.
You need to be careful with it though as it's got very strong fumes - it's also best not to pour it down the sink or drains either (Not very environmental...)

Acetone, (nail polish remover)
Nail polish remover (containing acetone or not) works wonders on all metal models.
**Be careful when using nail-polish remover. If you're soaking your minis, keep an eye on them, 'cause ive had a few metal models fall apart after forgetting that I was soaking them for a couple of days.
Acetone will melt plastics, or atleast soften them up after even a quick dip.

Brakefluid
If nothing works anymore you can try soaking your mini in brakefluid for some time (24h) Then use the toothbrush and rinse with (hot) water. But becarefull, brakefluid is known as one of the most hazardous stuff and it certainly causes cancer if you spoil it on your skin, etc.

[Fatbeard]

Castrol Superclean is the best you can get.  It's designed to not hurt plastic or metal but everything else is fair game.  It will also desolve glue so your minis will come apart.  Be warned that it will eat your skin alive

[General Helstrom]

brakefluid is known as one of the most hazardous stuff and it certainly causes cancer if you spoil it on your skin, etc.

I think that may be slightly exaggerated

[BK]

Those who are paranoid about break fluid can use isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol), but to realy work it has to be 96% and p.a. (ie. get it from your school/university not a hardware store, those in hardware stores usually have some acetone in it that will damage plastic). It takes longer then break fluid - about 48 hours, but everything can be removed from plastic...
Another option (little less messy then a break fluid but also poison) is glycol (fluid you put in your car to prevent water from freezing). It takes about 24h to work and will not damage plastics.