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Author Topic: Looking for polished steel finish  (Read 2416 times)

Offline Doug ex-em4

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Looking for polished steel finish
« on: June 22, 2022, 11:27:07 AM »
Not sure if this should go here or Workbench.

Can anyone recommend a paint or a painting technique to achieve the look of highly polished steel - I’m thinking of a Lifeguards cuirass. I find silver to be quite a dull finish (I’m using Vallejo).

Doug

Offline robh

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Re: Looking for polished steel finish
« Reply #1 on: June 22, 2022, 12:25:25 PM »
Assuming white metal alloy wargame figures not resin or plastics you can do this by burnishing with a rounded end needle (leatherwork not tailoring).
Quite a common technique with 54mm and above display modellers (often with a dremel ball tip on larger models). Works well in conjunction with Tamiya "Smoke" translucent paint to give the shading and roll edges.

Offline has.been

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Re: Looking for polished steel finish
« Reply #2 on: June 22, 2022, 12:34:21 PM »
I agree with Robh, but I use a small wire brush (originally for bringing
up the knap on suede shoes.  Very good on fully armoured things like
Wars of the Roses dismounted knights, as once you have burnished
& sealed it with Tamiya 'smoke' you have to carefully undercoat & 
paint all the non metallic bits (face, gloves, boots, belts etc.)

Offline OSHIROmodels

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Re: Looking for polished steel finish
« Reply #3 on: June 22, 2022, 12:35:11 PM »
You can buy chrome pens in decent art shops. Take a bit of practise though.
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Online Michi

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Re: Looking for polished steel finish
« Reply #4 on: June 22, 2022, 01:47:18 PM »
There is some polishable metallic paint by Gunze Sangyo called Mr. Metal Color (different metals). It works perfectly on strictly even surfaces, but any varnish will destroy the effect.


Offline Doug ex-em4

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Re: Looking for polished steel finish
« Reply #6 on: June 22, 2022, 04:24:04 PM »
Assuming white metal alloy wargame figures not resin or plastics you can do this by burnishing with a rounded end needle (leatherwork not tailoring).
Quite a common technique with 54mm and above display modellers (often with a dremel ball tip on larger models). Works well in conjunction with Tamiya "Smoke" translucent paint to give the shading and roll edges.

I agree with Robh, but I use a small wire brush (originally for bringing
up the knap on suede shoes.  Very good on fully armoured things like
Wars of the Roses dismounted knights, as once you have burnished
& sealed it with Tamiya 'smoke' you have to carefully undercoat & 
paint all the non metallic bits (face, gloves, boots, belts etc.)

Interesting. May be a bit fiddly on the back and breast of a 28mm figure but worth a go - doesn’t cost anything….thanks for the input.


You can buy chrome pens in decent art shops. Take a bit of practise though.

I’ll have a look at them - thanks.


There is some polishable metallic paint by Gunze Sangyo called Mr. Metal Color (different metals). It works perfectly on strictly even surfaces, but any varnish will destroy the effect.

Sounds like it may not be suitable in this case but thanks for the info…

https://www.scalemodelshop.co.uk/30ml-xtreme-metal-chrome-ak-interactive-ak-477-p4837/?utm_source=Google%20Shopping&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=52720&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIr4PoqajB-AIVDO7tCh3CEwd0EAQYASABEgIRZfD_BwE

This looks the easiest - have you used it?

Doug

Online Silent Invader

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Re: Looking for polished steel finish
« Reply #7 on: June 22, 2022, 05:34:24 PM »
I quite like Chainmail Silver in the Vallejo Game Color range
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Offline Dags

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Re: Looking for polished steel finish
« Reply #8 on: June 22, 2022, 05:42:49 PM »
This looks the easiest - have you used it?

Yep - got some when it was launched. It's very good but, for me at least, has limited applications so ended up passing it on to a mate rather than have yet another pot sitting around,  gathering dust, never being used

Offline Doug ex-em4

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Re: Looking for polished steel finish
« Reply #9 on: June 22, 2022, 09:26:10 PM »
I quite like Chainmail Silver in the Vallejo Game Color range
That’s the range I use - I must double check and see if I’ve got that one.



Yep - got some when it was launched. It's very good but, for me at least, has limited applications so ended up passing it on to a mate rather than have yet another pot sitting around,  gathering dust, never being used
I missed out there, didn’t I? :D

Doug

Offline giles the zog

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Re: Looking for polished steel finish
« Reply #10 on: June 24, 2022, 08:14:06 AM »
To be heretical the GW/Citadel metallics are quite good. They need a damn good shake and stir. I think Runefang steel is the brightest silver metal paint.

The only other GW paints I use are the orange ones.

Foundry metals are so-so not used them as much - but otherwise they are my go too range.

I generally paint the figure, varnish it, and even using non shine army painter spray I end up doing another coat of the brightest silver for weapons.

ironically the medieval swords in museums are much duller, probably due to ageing process/oxidisation.
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Offline vexillia

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Re: Looking for polished steel finish
« Reply #11 on: June 24, 2022, 11:14:28 AM »
On 15 mm figures I use craft paint silver as it's very bright and glossy.  I normally add black to tone it down but will highlight with the neat paint for white harness etc.  I also blend the layers with a dilute wash of matt black.  Examples in links:

https://blog.vexillia.me.uk/2019/04/tudor-commanders-at-bosworth-1485.html
https://blog.vexillia.me.uk/2021/05/15-mm-war-of-roses-commanders-redux.html

Offline Doug ex-em4

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Re: Looking for polished steel finish
« Reply #12 on: June 24, 2022, 02:06:52 PM »
To be heretical the GW/Citadel metallics are quite good. They need a damn good shake and stir. I think Runefang steel is the brightest silver metal paint.

The only other GW paints I use are the orange ones.

Foundry metals are so-so not used them as much - but otherwise they are my go too range.

I generally paint the figure, varnish it, and even using non shine army painter spray I end up doing another coat of the brightest silver for weapons.

ironically the medieval swords in museums are much duller, probably due to ageing process/oxidisation.
Thanks, Giles - I’ll have a look at the GW item. For most metal these days, I tend to use non-metallic paints - greys and white highlights. I’m not keen on silver for swords and armour. But these cuirasses are a different thing altogether being deliberately burnished to a dazzling brightness. There’s no thought of practicality :)

On 15 mm figures I use craft paint silver as it's very bright and glossy.  I normally add black to tone it down but will highlight with the neat paint for white harness etc.  I also blend the layers with a dilute wash of matt black.  Examples in links:

https://blog.vexillia.me.uk/2019/04/tudor-commanders-at-bosworth-1485.html
https://blog.vexillia.me.uk/2021/05/15-mm-war-of-roses-commanders-redux.html
Thanks. Your examples show a nice finish for serious armour that is meant to be fought in but see my above reply regarding these cuirasses that I’m on about. They have a totally impractical finish, which is what I’m trying to replicate. I’m tempted now to go for a duller finish and claim that they’ve been rendered thus by the exigencies of active service. But really, I’d like the super-shine.

Doug


Online westwaller

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Re: Looking for polished steel finish
« Reply #13 on: June 24, 2022, 07:31:36 PM »
I've not used them but don't forget the Vallejo metal colour and liquid metal options.
Humbrol enamel silver was impressively bright and shiny when I was a kid - can you still get that?

Offline 2010sunburst

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Re: Looking for polished steel finish
« Reply #14 on: June 24, 2022, 09:41:09 PM »
Vallejo Metal colour is excellent for silvers.  Very fine pigment so good bright colouration.  Needs to go on a black undercoat to get the best effect though, as do all metallics in my experience.

 

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