Stripping Metal Minis

[irredeemable 3742xp 0]

Hails all,

I recently primed a set of old ‘Home Raiders’ minis for a friend of mine as he wanted to play the game with his kids. The paint schemes are all quite bright so rather than my usual choice of Chaos Black, I used Wraithbone.

The paint looked to have gone on okay but very quickly I noticed it was rubbing off quite easily and a simple scratch with my finger nail was enough to take strips out of it.

It’s only a guess, but with GW not really producing metal minis anymore, Wraithbone could have been formulated to work with plastic and not metal. Given that these are going to be handled by young kids, any paint job needs to be robust.

Which means I need to strip these guys. The minis are quite large with a lot of flat areas so I’m worried about using the wrong product as I don’t want to damage the surface. I’ve bought stripped minis before and the metal was definitely textured from mild corrosion.

Stripping minis is nothing new so I’d love some advice from any of you guys that have a bit more experience with it.

Cheers in advance.

[sundancer 42985xp 3]

@avernos did a Can about that. That should give you a good starting point.

Gerry Can Show You How To Strip Your Miniatures!

 

[zorg 18801xp 2]

Ooh a stripping video.!

Lol.

[sundancer 42985xp 2]

But no hot tub!

[zorg 18801xp 2]

Lol.?

[templar007 52376xp 4]

I’m based in the USA and have found the best liquid cleaner to be…………

 

LA’s Totally Awesome all Purpose Concentrated Cleaner.  I’ve used it to strip metal minis, plastic minis, and resin minis.  I’ve even used it to clean car upholstery, my mechanic’s hand tools and grease spots from jeans.

 

When stripping minis I use it in it’s concentrated form.  For other  cleaning projects I dilute it.

 

It can be found on Amazon.  But they want around $17 for a 32oz bottle.  I buy it at the Dollar store and pay $1 per 32oz bottle.  Unusual grab a 10 bottles for a whooping ten bucks plus tax.

 

 

[deaddaveParticipant 15122xp 2]

For metal minis, I use Nitromors paint and varnish stripper, just remember to remove the bases as it will melt them. For plastic/resin I use Biostrip20.

[ced1106Participant 6224xp 3]

99% Isopropyl alcohol is useful for getting rid of the “first layer” of paints, and it’s less caustic than stronger cleaners. (Do not use 70%, since it won’t work.) Then gloves and an old toothbrush. If any primer is left on the miniature, that’s usually fine. Then onto the stronger stuff, if you want.

There’s also USA Walmart’s Purple Power. But LA’s Totally Awesome is on my list.

Strip Paint off Miniatures Cheap and Easy – A How-To Guide

[alfonsothetraitor 12968xp 2]

If you are dealing 100% metal miniatures I just grab a mason jar and fill it to just above the miniature with turpentine. Sit for a hour and brush off the paint with a old toothbrush. Save the rest of the turpentine for the next metal miniature you need to strip.

[demonsub 12746xp 1]

If you’re not in a hurry I’d had very good results with Detol. I generally leave the miniature in for around 24 hours and once it’s had a good go over with a toothbrush the metal looks shiny and new. Only downside is the smell as it can be very strong. Also don’t use water until all of the Detol infused paint is gone otherwise it’ll turn into a sticky mess (or so I’ve heard, never had that myself).

I’d imagine nail varnish remover would do a good job as well but I’ve never tried it was I’m happy with the Detol.

[irredeemable 3742xp 2]

Cheers for all the tips guys, quite a few options there.

I’m based in Ireland so that might limit my choice with the US products but still plenty to go on.

I’ll let you know which one I end up using and how I get on.

[torros 23816xp 2]

I recommend Biostrip

[dawfyddParticipant 11926xp 2]

Yeah, Biostrip 20 does a decent job on metal mins as well as plastics & resins. Sometimes takes  few more goes/longer dunkings but it’s Good Shit. Plus it’s non-toxic and safe to touch with bare skin, unlike Nitromors and even Dettol that can dry skin out quite badly. I’m at work right now but I’ll post some picks of the metals I’ve stripped using it when I get home.

[captainventanusParticipant 4936xp 0]

I’d second the Dettol suggestion. Works well, and reasonable quickly. Is readily available too.

[strontydogParticipant 1461xp 1]

For metal minis I use Acetone. I use an old Spray paint lid and drop the mini in then fill with acetone, wait a few seconds and scrub with an old brush. Works a treat. Acetone is pretty cheap and found in hardware stores but if you’re gonna do that you gotta use a mask, wear gloves and do it in an open area.

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