Oxidisation of Lead... huh

ManicMan

ManicMan

Lord
I kinda guess this isn't 100% unheard of but a bit of a first for me.

The Toon figures I got recently, has one of them partly painted. So I decided to strip it. I seam to have lost the one stripper I had (didn't have alot left) and my metal paint stripper has pretty much run out So I decided to use some Biostrip 20 I picked up and does a good job on plastics and stuff. well.. Alot of the paint on this mini just doesn't want to come off. I don't know why. It doesn't feel/look like Enamel matt paint but I felt as it didn't want to come off, maybe it is (some bits of paint did come off but alot hasn't). So I gave it a quick small bit of Enamel thinner as that is meant to be okay to use and not too bad for stripping enamel (I have some from something else cause I don't use Enamels much with anything, less with Miniatures). Didn't have it on for long..

Anyway, didn't seam to make much difference so no clue what kinda paint this is.. but have noticed the figure has now Oxidised. So it's got a white coat ¬_¬ not sure how to remove some of that and might have to.. erm.. just prime over it but.. well, never seen oxidisation on a lead miniature in person. Seen a couple of photos of really old minis like it but.. just kinda interesting I think. I don't know if the Biostrip or the Enamel thinner was the cause. Maybe one of them kinda attacked whatever the coating on the metal (or whatever it is) was on it. the other figures which weren't painted don't have oxidisation on it, so I would have guessed it was one of them two things I used to try to strip the paint. Good thing the paint isn't too thick so just putting some primer over it isn't a huge issue.
 
I've never had any issues with Biostrip 20. I've seen some minis go very dark with some other paint strippers I used in the past, but never managed to generate a white oxide on one. These days I tend to Biostrip and then if there is any stubborn stuff they might sit in some Acetone for a bit to give it an extra kick, generally not needed if I leave the Biostrip to do it's think for a day or two. I was lazy today and only let the Biostrip work for a short while so I currently have the latest ebay sacrifice in the Acetone to make up for my haste. Might go and check on them in a minute...

sacrifices.jpg


Anyhow I digress. I guess the Enamel thinner is mostly Naptha? Although who knows quite what's in any of these things. We could do with a fully qualified chemist around here, I didn't go past A level so some of it is a little wooly this many years later! maybe the reaction was between the two? Did you wash the minis after they came out of the Biostrip?

Do you have a photo for the curious?
 
I'll have to take a photo tomorrow when I get a chance ^_^ I was thinking about it but haven't had the time in a way (even though long posts). Normally I give them a dip into the biostrip which gives them a nice think coat, put them in a little pot where some does drip off but mostly doesn't, then wash them in water, then sometimes sit in a bit of water which I move around a bit.

The thinner is by Humbrol.. They don't seam to say what's in it and the label is a bit rubbed. While I did a bit at secondary school, most of my Chemistry information seams to be the old 'try it and see' approach mixed with 'Ohhh.. I wonder why it did that, lets find out' and researching stuff. mm.. wonder if Enamel thinner works with acrylic or does something nasty to it.. mmm..

Oh side note, who's the big boy? don't recognise him but that might be the angle.
 
He's quite a beast especially compared to the ogre. All started because Eldar are supposed to have two crew for weapons platforms and I have three platforms and three crew - so grabbed the two extra crew to start to make up the numbers then got a bit carried away :oops:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top