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As the topic says, I'm looking for something I can use to strip models that will take away absolutely everything on a metal model. About two years ago i did a pretty terrible job on some Steelhead Halbardiers, and now that I've gotten some extra models i'd like to make them better, but the old models are full of super glue and primer that is rather well stuck in all of the little details. I have some simple green, which got most of the paint off, but what would you recommend to totally kick the ass of anything stuck to the metal figures? Especially, as i've said, globs of super glue, globs of primer, and globs of primer stuck to super glue. If it takes the figure apart, all's the better. What we need here is a veritable exterminatus on these figures; A blasting clean to a pristine state. A state that lasts just as long as I can keep my grubby paws off it.

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If they're all metal models, then I'd go straight to the paint stripper - the stuff you use for washing out your oil based house paints. I've used them on old metal models, and it certainly takes care of the paint. I don't know if I'd soak the models for a long time in it, and I'd recommend a test model.

I use either paint stripper or straight up yellow pine sol for metal models.

Or check out my tutorial on stripping paint. Its as simple as dumping them in and wiping them off with no hard to any models, weather plastic, metal or resin

 Cruentus wrote:
If they're all metal models, then I'd go straight to the paint stripper - the stuff you use for washing out your oil based house paints. I've used them on old metal models, and it certainly takes care of the paint. I don't know if I'd soak the models for a long time in it, and I'd recommend a test model.

I use either paint stripper or straight up yellow pine sol for metal models.

+1 to this. I had to strip a heap of metal models a while ago, and got some industrial strength stripper. Paint was coming off as I was sloping it on. It was (no overstatement) one minute per model.

Sounds like I'll need to raid a dollar tree in the future, and my garage in the meantime - I suppose I'm so used to being gentle to minis that paint thinner did not even occur to me, duuur.

Brush restorer will strip just about anything but it will also dissolve any polystyrene parts and it is poisonous, so use with care and dispose of correctly, not down the drain.

 KingCracker wrote:
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Pretty muich what, this sexy and dashingly handsome person said.

Use Simple Green. It is the best stuff and non toxic. It will strip mos of your models over night. I would use gloves while handling the product and wet minis as the simple green will pull all the moisture out of your hands.

I've stripped hundreds of models and used just about all the products listed above (LA, Simple Green, Purple Power, Brake fluid, oven cleaner, etc, etc) All those are good suggestions -I use purple power for most models-, but sometimes you've got gunk on a metal model that won't come off and you have to get out the big guns.

That's when it's time to break out the Methyl Ethyl Keytone ( aka MEK).

It's the main ingredient in laquer stripper, and you can buy MEK by itself at most hardware stores. It's volatile, poisonous, caustic melts all kinds of plastic (you can use it as plastic solvent glue) and will kill you if it gets the chance, but it works great! It's my go-to solution for stubborn models and quickly stripping the paint from die cast cars.

Just make sure you use it in a well ventilated area, use "Solvent resistant" gloves (I recommend Solvex brand), store MEK and models in MEK outside and be careful.