Good Idea Or Really Bad Idea.

[Uruk-Hai]

Hi Figureteers!

Its late and Im tired and thats when you get ideas that either are magnificent or really stupid. So I thought I might check it with you first.

Would be a good idea to use Blacken it, on metalfigures to roughen up the surface and achieve a better grip for the primer? Has anyone tried it?

Cheers
Janne Nilsson

 

[Helm]

Never used it but TBH using car primer it should key just fine to bare metal,always has for me anyway

Steve

 

[Ulrich]

First time read about "Blacken it" and after google I know now what it is. I always airbrush my figures with acrylics and paint after it with oil. Never had any problems

 

[Mirofsoft]

No idea
I usualy prime firts with a thin layer Humbol white
Then for the skin a light tone of Humbrol skin , and for the large piece of equipment, like jacket, trousers, a lighter tone of the final coulour I want, in Humbrol
Then I can work with oils

 

[Einion]

That might work Janne or it might have the opposite result, depending on how well the black layer adheres to the metal. This is also assuming that primer can bond well to that layer.

I think the bottom line with this is simply that if you're using a good primer any additional step like this shouldn't be necessary, they should do the job by themselves and if not, try a different primer or adjust your method slightly to see if you can get better results.

Einion

 

[JonG]

Well it's used for whitemetal tracks in case any of you dont know.
All it does it oxidize? the metal and so you can lay down your weathering over this, no primers/base coats needed, this is the base coat.
My only concern with it would be, the texture, sometimes there is a visible grain to the finish, its subtle but it's there, so it may show up on the figure.
Seems like a good idea, just may end up making more work for yourself.

Jon

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Thanks for your thoughts, and please remember the original question, it is not that Im looking for a primer but rather the effect of Blacken it.

As I stripped a figure yesterday as I wasnt pleased with the finnish and some parts had gone wrong, I notice that there is quite a different finnish on the metal after stipping it in alcohol. It has oxidized to a small extent?

Cheers
Janne Nilsson

 

[Einion]

As I stripped a figure yesterday as I wasnt pleased with the finnish and some parts had gone wrong, I notice that there is quite a different finnish on the metal after stipping it in alcohol. It has oxidized to a small extent?

What does it look like exactly? Unless it's noticeably whiter and more matt I don't think it'll be oxide, since the oxides of many metals used in casting are white or light grey.

Alcohol or other organic solvents should have no effect on metals (literally nothing, even after months of soaking) but when I've stripped kits with a solvent in the past it does often leave the metal looking different which I think is from the primer itself, not the stripping process. Anyway whatever the difference was it's never been an issue since I always polish a kit prior to priming so it ended up looking as it did originally.

Einion

 

[Steve]

NOOOOOOOOOOO! I tried it on a Pegaso mounted standard bearer (Genoese ?)and it destroyed the entire figure. I followed the instructions to the letter and was left with a pitted and deformed surface that was impossible to correct.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Sad for your loss, Steve! Could you tell us a bit more about it?

Cheers
Janne Nilsson