"Stripping paint from Heroclix/Mageknight etc?" Topic

I've found some sites with heavily contradicting information. Has anyone tried and with what results?

Acetone pops up frequently, but it is also said to affect the plastic.

I would not strip the paint off but rather just paint over top. The process they use to keep that paint there is a good one. I would go buy a general automotive primer (that does not fill cracks) and use it overtop the paint that is there. Automotive primers are good on plastic and rubber as well as metal.

PJ

Acetone works extremely well on the paint they use. You need to take the figure off of the 'clicky' base first though, as acetone melts the base. Dip it in acetone for 2-3 minutes then remove and lightly scrub with toothbrush. repeat if neccessary. Don't leave them in acetone much longer as some of them are damaged by it if left too long. Sometimes they feel very 'rubbery' afterwards. This goes after a day or so, and they return to normal rigidity.

Acetone can be bought fairly cheaply from chemists.

hope that helps,

regards

jim

Overpaint, don't strip. Acetone is not a substance to be mucked around with lightly.

Overpainting is definitely the way to go.

Stripping would not only involve solvents, but the plastic they use for those figs is heavily resistant to chemical attack. Though that means you could strip the paint off with a mild solvent and not damage the plastic, it also means that the plastic is likewise resistant to repainting/priming.

You'll find it's MUCH less trouble if you just use the WK paint job as a layer of primer, and paint right over it.

I turned the D&D Miniatures Black Dragon, into a 15mm Dragon, no really it was simple, by just over painting it. Using a razor knife to pry the thing of the stand was the biggest challenge.

Just like Fairoaks024 said, acetone is the way to go with these. I've done it and actually left them in overnight without any ill effects other than the rubbery-ness, which does go away and returns to its bent sword positions.

I have done over 30 of the trolls and orcs with Acetone. I let them set for several days in the jar. This does two things, 1 it removes all of the paint effortlessly, 2 it removes the glue that they use to hold the model together.

Once they are gently tooth-brushed / rinsed off and allowed to dry they can be trimmed and primered like any other mini.

I suggest that you try it with some of the models that are not important to you and determine for your self which way to go.

Thanks for all the replies!

In some cases, painting over just isn't a valid option. Some of the Heroclix minis especially have the "2mm Paint coat" syndrome, which means no details left whatsoever.

Do not overpaint! There's a lot of detail on some of the figs that is hidden by the thick paint they use. Acetone works fine on most of WK's paints, but not all. OTOH, it does soften the plastic they use for figures. I recommend hosing a figure down with acetone, brushing what will come off with a toothbrush, rinsing in cold water, repeat. Stop once you notice the figure getting soft. Let is sit for half a week or so and continue the process 'til you're happy. Acetone is to be mucked with - it's only two hydrogens shy of being rubbing alcohol and it produces a pleasent cooling sensation when it evaporates from your skin. BTW, I've found ELO to be a complete waste of time on WK figures.

Personally, Although I also have used acetone, I wouldn't reccomend immersing them for more than a couple of minutes, I once tried to strip a Riddler figure (from DC Heroclix), and after soaking for about 30 minutes, It got torn to shreds by the toothbrush I used to scrub it, because the acetone had softened it too much. Just be careful and check it every couple of minutes to be safe.

Do not mess around with acetone if it belongs to your better half, and she needs it to remove fingernail polish!

Buy your own!

Some of the clicky figures are indeed fairly well sculpted, I read somewhere that they bought some of the old Ral Partha molds at some point, and the paintjob is often ultra-thick and hides a lot of detail.

I haven't tried it on the clicky figures nspecifically, but the acetone/toothbrush method works fine for vinyl Airfix, so it should work on the clickies.

Make sure you let them dry for a day or so after, I use Gesso to re-prime, that also needs to dry at least overnight.

This was discussed at legnth here:

TMP link

I would suggest a good pair of solvent resistant gloves and a product high in Xylene.

Best of luck,
Terrell

If the paint is water-based (i.e. acrylic), soaking it for a few days in 70% isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol will loosen it up. It won't harm plastic (I've left plastic figures soaking for weeks. Doesn't seem to craze them very much. Resins, epoxies, some glues on the other hand....)

Most of the time the old paint will slough right off. Use an old toothbrush to do that task, but *do not* put the figure in water while you clean it. That will just drive the old paint to stick to the figure even worse.

If you have an old brush you want to salvage (such as clogged with dried acrylic paint) you can soak the bristles and clean it with RA too. (I have a plastic film canister suitably modified for just that purpose. Hole poked in the lid to fit the brush through. Easy!)

I've found that Pine Sol works wonders with the PVC-based stuff that HeroClix and Mage Knight figures are made of. You can soak those buggers for days, and they won't soften or melt, but the paint will peel off nicely with a toothbrush after a few days.

I agree that the thick paint used on these figs very much obscures the details; I really liked the Painter's Edition figures they released a while back... but they didn't sell well (sigh)...

I tried simple green to no avail.