A comparative test of paint-stripping liquids

[zemjw]

For the Dettol spray, at least you killed 99% of any viruses and bacteria on the mini, so it wasn't a total loss

I'm disappointed by the Isopropanol's feeble performance I thought I'd read of folk using it for stripping minis, but your experiment saves me wasting some of mine, so thanks for that

[Daeothar]

For the Dettol spray, at least you killed 99% of any viruses and bacteria on the mini, so it wasn't a total loss

That's for certain, especially because I handled all the minis wearing nitril gloves.  But I'll give the Dettol angle another go when the real stuff arrives later today.

I'm disappointed by the Isopropanol's feeble performance I thought I'd read of folk using it for stripping minis, but your experiment saves me wasting some of mine, so thanks for that

Same here; I had great expectations for that one, or I wouldn't have added it to the lineup. It may of course have to do with the nature of the paints on the minis I used for the test; I have no clue as to what was used, apart from the fact it was relatively thin, and there was some obvious drybrushing involved. Which leads me to assume we're talking acrylic paints here. Which makes it all the more disappointing. 

I am pleasantly surprised with the St. Marc option I must say. Pine resin is some potent stuff it seems...

[Von Trinkenessen]

SERIOUSLY 
The best thing I have found for stripping metal figures from ebay + convention bring and buys with paint administered by palette knife also works on plastic is:-
Biostrip 20 by www.fuse-products.co.uk
Odour free, Non Toxic, water based.

Takes between 3 - 5 hours depending on the quantity of  GLOOP.

best of luck
Guy T

[Cubs]

I forget the name, but I think it's Lidl that do an own-brand disinfectant that also has isopropyl and pine oil, so it works almost as well as Dettol, but is a little thinner and not quite as stinky (although I didn't think it was quite as effective either - almost though).

[Daeothar]

Is it this one?

[Cubs]

Is it this one?

No, maybe it's discontinued.

[Elbows]

For me the main component is an ultrasonic cleaner.

Metals are cake with almost any cleaner I've tried - as paint and primer simply don't adhere as well to metal and you can be more aggressive when brushing, etc.  Plastics are a different kettle of fish - with topical paint coming off relatively easily but spray on primer remaining despite most stripping solutions (however this is normally minimal enough to be primed over with little to no loss of detail).

-Castrol Super Clean degreaser is excellent (Walmart offer "Purple Power" as an alternative) - though all a bit caustic/toxic.
-Isopropyl Alcohol has worked well on plastics for me with the ultrasonic, but heating that stuff up and breathing it in isn't ideal.
-LA's Totally Awesome with the ultrasonic has been pretty solid for most things, again excluding primer "stain" on many miniatures.

I don't normally ask for birthday gifts but I think this year I'll ask for a slightly nicer ultrasonic cleaner, as I've borderline killed my cheap $30 one.

[eilif]

I'm not at all surprised the old Super Green is the best so far of what you've got access too. 2009 is old enough to still contain 2Butoxethanol.  It seems to be the ingredient that makes Super Clean and Purple Power(my preferred chemical. Cheap and easy) work so well.

2Butoxethanol was removed from Simple green some years back and it noticably reduced it's effectiveness in paint stripping.  I'm not sure if products with that chemical are available in the UK or Europe, but it might be worth looking at industrial strength degreasers containing it for a strong, reusable paint stripper that is only moderately toxic.

[Elbows]

Yeah, I didn't see what "era" Super Green you were using - but it definitely became less effective in the later versions.

[AndrewBeasley]

...
Biostrip 20 by www.fuse-products.co.uk
Odour free, Non Toxic, water based.
...

Seen this but never used it - a metal figure was stripped during lunch!


The website is actually https://fuze-products.co.uk/product/biostrip-20-paint-stripper/ note the 'Z'

[Daeothar]

Eilif: that's very useful to know, in case I would be tempted to import the stuff from the US (again).

Update: I put the former clear Dettol and Iso minis in the brown Dettol yesterday evening, and about 12 hours later, the minis are stripped clean.

However, since I already had a workable solution by that time, I also put all the other minis of the lot (another 43) in two tubs and submerged them in St. Marc. And 12 hours later, the paint is flaking off in, at least, the same amounts as from the Dettol ones. So it takes a few hours more, but it eventually cleans off just as well as my old Simple Green.

One thing I did notice with the Dettol, is that the paint will get a bit goopy, whereas the Simple Green and St. Marc would 'dry' flake the paint off. And, not unimportantly; the latter two also remove the basing material and glue, whereas the Dettol minis retain those, and they will have to be removed mechanically.

Also; the pine scent of the St. Marc is indeed nicer to the senses than the Dettol smell, although I find it not nearly as pungent or off putting as was suggested.

And since the St. Marc is available locally, and is a heck of a lot cheaper than the Dettol too, this will be my new go to I think

I'm going to be away for a couple of days, so I'll leave all the minis in their agents for the duration, and this will probably mean they will all be squeeky clean by the time I get to clean them off...

[Flinty]

ANother vote for Biostrip, it does strip plastic without any melting/damage, but it will weaken or remove plastic cements. Most Ive ever left it is 20 minutes, and the 500ml tub lasts will treat a lot of figures. Quick scrub with a toothbrush, good rinse and job done.

Ive had a tub for a couple of years, now about half full and no drying out or deterioration. Big plus is no stink.

[NotifyGrout]

I usually work under the assumption that primer simply might not come off. LA's Totally Awesome gets the paint off like Simple Green used to. It's $1.25 for a spray bottle refill sized container and something like $5-6 bucks for a gallon of concentrate. Probably not quite as good as Biostrip, but it's inexpensive and it's a solid cleaning concentrate in its own right.

Hopefully Biostrip will find a good US distributor. Someone should contact Miniature Market about it 

[jon_1066]

...

Also; the pine scent of the St. Marc is indeed nicer to the senses than the Dettol smell, although I find it not nearly as pungent or off putting as was suggested.

...

This is because you have no associations for the smell.  For Brits of a certain pedigree any time they were sick as a kid the Detol would come out to clean up so now we associate it with vomiting!

[Harry Faversham]

I've found Acetone does the job admirably. But I only ever tend to strip a handful of figures at a time, might come a tad expensive fettling a full army with it?