Sometimes, if you're like me, you look at some of your first miniatures and think: "This is okay, but it could be so much better" and that's okay.
(1. Original, 2. Stripped, 3. Current (WIP))
All of us will have improved since our first time painting a model. Even if you only painted it 20 minutes ago, you've improved since. You will have hopefully learned something to help you paint better, faster, and to your own unique style.
I'm not particularly proud of my first model by my current standards. The paint is too thick, the tones are all wrong, the highlighting is messy as all hell. However, I would be more than happy to put it down on the table to slay some scum when the time arises
That's not to say they couldn't look a bit better though, and that's where stripping comes in (not like that...). With just a crusty old toothbrush and a bottle of IPA, you'll be able to scrub the paint right off those old warriors to give them a fresh lick of paint. You may even get to be one of those lucky chaps on Reddit who discovers a layered tree-ring of old paintjobs, though this is more common on second-hand miniatures.
WARNING!
Look, I know you're probably going to ignore this but just read it because it's important. IPA is toxic as shit and highly flammable. I highly recommend that you wear gloves when handling this stuff and, for the Emperor's sake, keep it away from any open flames or sparks. Wear nitrile or latex gloves too. I would even suggest doubling up. This stuff can soften your plastic gloves and make holes that can provide ample access to your skin. That being said, it's not the end of the world if it gets on your skin. Just rinse it under some water as soon as possible. It's alcohol after all. As such, it can dry your skin out and cause rashes and cracking.
Another thing: Don't strip your whole army at once. And if you do, crack a window and wear a mask. Just because I subjected myself to this toxic shit for almost a whole day, does not mean you should under any circumstances. Do as I say, not as I do.
So to finalise:
- Wear protection - Rubber gloves and even a dust mask can go a long way for your health and comfort while still remaining fairly cheap.
- Ventilate - Crack a window, turn on a fan, open some doors. Things will get stinky and fast. You don't want to be in a tiny room like I am, either. Honestly, even doing it outside is a good bet.
- Take a break - I was stripping minis from the time I got off work (4pm) to the time I went to bed (11pm) while following very few of my own safety guidelines from sheer laziness. By the time I went to sleep, I felt sick and had a headache. Take a break to let things ventilate and to give your body time to recover. There's no rush worth your safety here.
- Do not ingest or put IPA near an open flame - If you smoke, maybe check out the previous advice and tie it into your break. Do not get open flames near this stuff unless you want to look like Vladimir Komarov (look him up at your own risk) and don't drink the bloody stuff, whatever you do.
The Method
Now you've been briefed on not drinking the stuff, take a plastic Tupperware or glass jar and fill it with as much as you need to strip your minis. This will depend more on how quickly you plan to strip them as doing them one at a time will save you IPA from reuse while taking longer. I would also suggest making sure whatever container you use has a lid of sorts. This will save on ventilation issues and IPA quantities as this stuff evaporates very quickly. I used a coffee jar for this and it allowed me to strip an entire squad of space marines with a little finagling.
Take your model and leave it in there for roughly 30-40 minutes. A good rule of thumb for me is to shake the container a little. if the paint looks like its coming off in a decent amount then it's ready. Be careful not to leave the model in there too long. Anything besides metal will probably warp, Citadel Finecast especially. This stuff is not something you want to leave your models in overnight or before you go to work.
Moving forward, take your trusty old toothbrush, preferably one you don't plan on using again but you do you I guess, and give your model a firm but careful scrub. The paint should start shedding right off. Dip in some water to help with the excess and get a better view then scrub some more. You can put your model back into it's bath to soak a little if there's still some paint giving you trouble, then scrub again. Keep at it until your model is stripped to taste (not literally please!).
(Even took the time to replace this dudes head with one more 'templar-ey')
Do also note, the plastic may be stained underneath and some paint may not come off. This is nothing to worry about and is usually not enough to notice once you've re-primed the model later on. That being said, if you really really want it off and scrubbing isn't doing it for you, you're welcome to take a file or scalpel to your model and scrape off the staining. Though it shouldn't matter much.
And you're done, (almost) as good as new. Simply wait a while for the IPA to evaporate, making sure to leave your models somewhere dry and ventilated, then spray on some primer and give them a fresh lick of paint.
I hope this was informative. I only recently stripped my models for the first time, myself, and it seemed easy enough. If I can do it, anyone can.
Best of luck to you all!
-Ryan
No comments:
Post a Comment