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Hello everyone, I just recently bought a pot of nuln oil to replace my old badab black. The first model I used it on came out incredibly shiny. I thought it may be an anomoly, but it happened on the next model as well. It works similar to the badab black, but it pools slightly strangely and just ends up with a very noticeable sheen. Has anyone else had this problem, or is it just a bad pot? Thanks.

I've seen a lot of people posting about this lately. I think everyone's supply of Badab Black is running out at the same time. Did you try shaking the Nuln Oil? I've had that problem myself if I didn't shake the pot. If not, maybe they had a bad batch recently.

Can't say if its regular or not. When the big paint change was happening someone told me GW would be getting rid of the washes. Like a fool I believed them and stocked up on all my favorite washes before they disappeared, so I'll be using Badab black for awhile considering I still have like 3 unused pots of it.

However I have used some of the other new washes and have not noticed a sheen to it really. Perhaps its just the nuln oil? Perhaps its a bad pot? Not 100% sure.

I haven't noticed any 'shine' to the Nuln Oil. Are you using it on the new layer paints or the old paints?

I didn't shake it, I'll try that on a model I don't care about thanks. As for paints, I am still using the old paints. Would that make a difference? If so I don't like the idea of replacing all my old paints, but I might have to.

starhawks wrote:
I didn't shake it, I'll try that on a model I don't care about thanks. As for paints, I am still using the old paints. Would that make a difference? If so I don't like the idea of replacing all my old paints, but I might have to.

I doubt that'll cause a problem. I've been using a mix of both for awhile now and have noticed no negative side effects.

I've had the shiny coat when I didn't shake my Nuln Oil and Agrax Earthshade.

I noticed a shine as well, but as I matt varnish everything afterwards I never gave it much thought.

The new washes separate more than the old. But I'm sold on Nuln Oil and Agrax as being far superior to their predecessors.

I've heard they separate a lot more than the old washes, so they need a good shake before each use. Never had to do that with the old ones, so will take some getting used to.

Yeah, it's all about shaking. The washes do go a bit funny if you don't shake them, and don't even get me started on what happens if you forget to shake a tub of Imperial Primer..

Sorry for this bit of thread necromancy but I'm having the same problems you guys mentioned with Nuln Oil. It is absurdly shiny.
I was using it on bases which had some sand and PVA and a base of mecharite grey, so I thought that might be the problem.

After checking this thread I tried shaking the living hell out of the pot and washed again but I got the same result.

Could this be an infamous "bad pot" (bad batch it seems)?

I was getting worried that two coats would darken the bases too much so I cut my loses and washed with some old Badab Black. Absolute lifesaver.

Once bitten twice shy, as they say. I have decided to avoid Nuln Oil (I gave that Citadel white undercoat more chances than is logical) and will look for a replacement. If you can recommend a few black shaders that I can use as Badab Black, I would be very grateful.

Trouble is, living in Japan, it's a bit hard to get hold of the stuff that usually gets recommended. I haven't seen Army Painter or Vallejo out here.

Thanks for helping out an old learner like me.

PS> Is there any consensus that shaking the Nuln Oil actually solves the problem? I almost developed a shoulder muscle shaking that bad boy.
PPS> When I was a drinker, I used to blame getting vomit-drunk on "a bad pint". Rubbish, I know. Is there anything to suggest the "bad pot" is more substantive?

I don't know if Nuln Oil is meant to be matt, however, supposing that it is, try warming the pot gently in warm water when you stir it.

I used to find that matt varnish came out too shiny unless warmed to loosen all the matting agent and get it nicely dissolved.

Apart from that, you could just accept the shine and finish the whole model with a matt varnish spray.

Western paints may be difficult to find but there are plenty of good Japanese makes e.g. Tamiya that can be found at Tokyu Hands and so on.

 Kilkrazy wrote:
I don't know if Nuln Oil is meant to be matt, however, supposing that it is, try warming the pot gently in warm water when you stir it.

I used to find that matt varnish came out too shiny unless warmed to loosen all the matting agent and get it nicely dissolved.

Apart from that, you could just accept the shine and finish the whole model with a matt varnish spray.

Western paints may be difficult to find but there are plenty of good Japanese makes e.g. Tamiya that can be found at Tokyu Hands and so on.

Thanks Kilkrazy. That is some usual* knowledge. I'll definately try the warming thing tomorrow morning.

Yeah I'm in two minds about Tamiya, it goes on so thick and I cant seem to get a good finish when I use the thinning agent. My Japanese mates use it all the time though. There is a Tokyu Hands in the city and a very well stocked hobby store (with an alarming amount of nazi memorabilia) that has Tamiya and Mr. Color. I just wondered if any who went before found a decent match with Badab.

WRT the matt varnish spray, does the spray obscure the features at all? I'm about four layers on to these Eldar guardians, they're starting to look like body builders.

*This should have been "useful". Apologees.

 cardigan wrote:

 Kilkrazy wrote:
I don't know if Nuln Oil is meant to be matt, however, supposing that it is, try warming the pot gently in warm water when you stir it.

I used to find that matt varnish came out too shiny unless warmed to loosen all the matting agent and get it nicely dissolved.

Apart from that, you could just accept the shine and finish the whole model with a matt varnish spray.

Western paints may be difficult to find but there are plenty of good Japanese makes e.g. Tamiya that can be found at Tokyu Hands and so on.

Thanks Kilkrazy. That is some usual knowledge. I'll definately try the warming thing tomorrow morning.

Yeah I'm in two minds about Tamiya, it goes on so thick and I cant seem to get a good finish when I use the thinning agent. My Japanese mates use it all the time though. There is a Tokyu Hands in the city and a very well stocked hobby store (with an alarming amount of nazi memorabilia) that has Tamiya and Mr. Color. I just wondered if any who went before found a decent match with Badab.

WRT the matt varnish spray, does the spray obscure the features at all? I'm about four layers on to these Eldar guardians, they're starting to look like body builders.

Another cool method is to get rid of GW washes and use oil washes. They seem messy when you start with them but the results they produce are far superior than any acrylic wash.

Here's a couple of vids explaining the use of oil washes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rdv-tmXjd_I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cP9cT3firLw

and a little longer version from buypainted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fdN_2YuSN4

http://taleofpainters.blogspot.com/2012/02/review-army-painter-warpaints.html

Okay, it seems like a lot of people just don't understand what's happening here.

Nuln Oil is a INK diluted in a mixing medium. The mixing medium has low surface tension so the ink will flow into the creases and recesses better. The inks GW uses are shiny by nature. If you have access to the old GW inks like Chestnut or whatever, you'll notice that they are shiny, too. To correct this, you'll want to spray your model in dullcoat once you've sealed it.

The previous paint range had Badab Black which made from different stuff than Nuln Oil. I'm not sure if it was just black pigment in a different medium or if it was a different type of ink or not. Regardless, it dried matt instead of shiny and kept color over all the surface even while shading recesses. In this aspect, the old GW washes work as a hybrid of the new Shades and Glazes.

If you want to replicate the old washes, you're going to have to check out what other companies like PP have to offer because GW's Shades do NOT work the same as the old washes. But I guess you've noticed that by now.

HI mate, this problem is because you are prob mixing water with it, and I was told from a GW worker if you put water with it it becomes shinny. But in all honesty its not a very good wash lol.. Once you go Oil Wash you never go back my friend hope this helped

 cardigan wrote:

 Kilkrazy wrote:
I don't know if Nuln Oil is meant to be matt, however, supposing that it is, try warming the pot gently in warm water when you stir it.

I used to find that matt varnish came out too shiny unless warmed to loosen all the matting agent and get it nicely dissolved.

Apart from that, you could just accept the shine and finish the whole model with a matt varnish spray.

Western paints may be difficult to find but there are plenty of good Japanese makes e.g. Tamiya that can be found at Tokyu Hands and so on.

Thanks Kilkrazy. That is some usual knowledge. I'll definately try the warming thing tomorrow morning.

Yeah I'm in two minds about Tamiya, it goes on so thick and I cant seem to get a good finish when I use the thinning agent. My Japanese mates use it all the time though. There is a Tokyu Hands in the city and a very well stocked hobby store (with an alarming amount of nazi memorabilia) that has Tamiya and Mr. Color. I just wondered if any who went before found a decent match with Badab.

WRT the matt varnish spray, does the spray obscure the features at all? I'm about four layers on to these Eldar guardians, they're starting to look like body builders.

I never had any luck with Tamiya either. I tried it when I first got here. Went on sticky and had no opacity. Where are you at in Japan? We've got a couple stores stocking GW and one with Vallejo paints here in Nagoya. For just basic paint, I use a lot of this these days. Cheap as chips, find it at Tokyu Hands, no problems so far. http://www.decoart.com/cgi-bin/Products.cgi?Americana_Acrylics

 Capamaru wrote:

 cardigan wrote:

 Kilkrazy wrote:
I don't know if Nuln Oil is meant to be matt, however, supposing that it is, try warming the pot gently in warm water when you stir it.

I used to find that matt varnish came out too shiny unless warmed to loosen all the matting agent and get it nicely dissolved.

Apart from that, you could just accept the shine and finish the whole model with a matt varnish spray.

Western paints may be difficult to find but there are plenty of good Japanese makes e.g. Tamiya that can be found at Tokyu Hands and so on.

Thanks Kilkrazy. That is some usual knowledge. I'll definately try the warming thing tomorrow morning.

Yeah I'm in two minds about Tamiya, it goes on so thick and I cant seem to get a good finish when I use the thinning agent. My Japanese mates use it all the time though. There is a Tokyu Hands in the city and a very well stocked hobby store (with an alarming amount of nazi memorabilia) that has Tamiya and Mr. Color. I just wondered if any who went before found a decent match with Badab.

WRT the matt varnish spray, does the spray obscure the features at all? I'm about four layers on to these Eldar guardians, they're starting to look like body builders.

Another cool method is to get rid of GW washes and use oil washes. They seem messy when you start with them but the results they produce are far superior than any acrylic wash.

Here's a couple of vids explaining the use of oil washes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rdv-tmXjd_I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cP9cT3firLw

and a little longer version from buypainted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fdN_2YuSN4

Very interesting indeed. To be honest though, it's probably a little above my confidence level.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

kronicpsycho wrote:

HI mate, this problem is because you are prob mixing water with it, and I was told from a GW worker if you put water with it it becomes shinny. But in all honesty its not a very good wash lol.. Once you go Oil Wash you never go back my friend hope this helped

That's surprising, diluting with warm water seemed to have the best result. They test figs dried pretty nicely.
Yeah that oil wash stuff... it certainly looks good on those vids posted earlier.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Mr. Konrad wrote:

 cardigan wrote:

 Kilkrazy wrote:
I don't know if Nuln Oil is meant to be matt, however, supposing that it is, try warming the pot gently in warm water when you stir it.

I used to find that matt varnish came out too shiny unless warmed to loosen all the matting agent and get it nicely dissolved.

Apart from that, you could just accept the shine and finish the whole model with a matt varnish spray.

Western paints may be difficult to find but there are plenty of good Japanese makes e.g. Tamiya that can be found at Tokyu Hands and so on.

Thanks Kilkrazy. That is some usual knowledge. I'll definately try the warming thing tomorrow morning.

Yeah I'm in two minds about Tamiya, it goes on so thick and I cant seem to get a good finish when I use the thinning agent. My Japanese mates use it all the time though. There is a Tokyu Hands in the city and a very well stocked hobby store (with an alarming amount of nazi memorabilia) that has Tamiya and Mr. Color. I just wondered if any who went before found a decent match with Badab.

WRT the matt varnish spray, does the spray obscure the features at all? I'm about four layers on to these Eldar guardians, they're starting to look like body builders.

I never had any luck with Tamiya either. I tried it when I first got here. Went on sticky and had no opacity. Where are you at in Japan? We've got a couple stores stocking GW and one with Vallejo paints here in Nagoya. For just basic paint, I use a lot of this these days. Cheap as chips, find it at Tokyu Hands, no problems so far. http://www.decoart.com/cgi-bin/Products.cgi?Americana_Acrylics

Yep, I had that problem too. Somehow the Japanese guys I play with seem to make it work. I guess they're used to it from painting gundams with it for years. I'm in Hokkaido, so I guess I should be able to get the Vallejo stuff. I only here good things about it. And there seems to be a lot of correlation with the GW colours.

dem shiney oils