Enamel Testor's paint.

[ewetwo]

I bought a bunch of old Testor's paint at a garage sale a while back. Some of the bottle tops are imprinted with 20 cent's, 30 cents. So I was going through them and noticed some are separated and the thinner looks a bit thick. Can they be resurrected or should I through them out. There are some neat metallics and such there. 

Thanks. :-)

[Snake45]

They might be good, might not. Shake 'em up real good and see what happens. Open 'em up and stir and see what happens. I've got paint that old that's perfectly fine, others that had solidified and can't be resurrected. Worth a try, though!

[ewetwo]

9 minutes ago, Snake45 said:

They might be good, might not. Shake 'em up real good and see what happens. Open 'em up and stir and see what happens. I've got paint that old that's perfectly fine, others that had solidified and can't be resurrected. Worth a try, though!

Some have the pigments on the bottom and the thick thinner above. I'm going to play with them and see what happens. Do you add more thinner to dilute them a bit? Thanks Snake.

[Mark]

Mix them before adding anything to them.  If they are liquid, they should still be good.  I'd mix each one (if you have multiples of one color, do them all at once) then keep an old paint brush and a piece of sheet plastic handy.  Dab a drop or two from each bottle onto the sheet plastic and see how it dries.  You might get a bottle that takes too long to dry; in that case either it's not fully mixed, or maybe that one shouldn't be used.

[Psychographic]

Whatever you do, don't reduce them in the bottle. Pour or scoop a little out and reduce what you need. Most likely you can still use it. Like anything you're not sure of, test it first before using it on something important.

Edited April 6, 2018 by Psychographic

[Lunajammer]

Sell them on ebay. I'm not kidding, there seems to be collectors of old paint bottles. 

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=vintage testors model paint&LH_Complete=1&LH_Sold=1&rt=nc&_trksid=p2045573.m1684

[horsepower]

10 hours ago, ewetwo said:

Some have the pigments on the bottom and the thick thinner above. I'm going to play with them and see what happens. Do you add more thinner to dilute them a bit? Thanks Snake.

That's probably not a thick thinner on top, but the clear in the formula that has separated from the color pigments.

[Khils]

8 minutes ago, horsepower said:

That's probably not a thick thinner on top, but the clear in the formula that has separated from the color pigments.

I agree totally with Del......used the "cheap paint shaker" thread & made one with an old jigsaw......out of 58 bottles of IDK how old...(years).....only Two (2) would NOT mix back to normal consistency.  I have not brush & dry tested these as fore mentioned, but WILL as needed.

[PARTSMARTY]

One thing i do when they still look good is get out my little electric paint stirrer and go from there.

[espo]

Many good suggestions on how to evaluate the paint condition. I have several paints that have been with me for 10 plus years and for what ever reason just never got used. I would suggest, as others have pointed out, just open and use a regular old tooth pick to break up the residue on the bottom. Keep mixing until the residue is mixed in with the clear and then reseal and shake the bottle for a while. Reopen and test as suggested. I have gotten several that I was able to save and many that I could not. I think it has to do if they had ever been opened and exposed to oxygen at some point as that would start their deterioration. If all else fails it would seem that you could sell them on EBay and make a fortune.  

[ewetwo]

On 4/6/2018 at 2:21 PM, Lunajammer said:

Sell them on ebay. I'm not kidding, there seems to be collectors of old paint bottles. 

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=vintage testors model paint&LH_Complete=1&LH_Sold=1&rt=nc&_trksid=p2045573.m1684

Wow. Who would have thought their would be collectors of old Testors paints. I just picked them up at a garage because there was some cool old metallics.  I was planning on learning to air brush with them. 

[Snake45]

55 minutes ago, ewetwo said:

Wow. Who would have thought their would be collectors of old Testors paints. I just picked them up at a garage because there was some cool old metallics.  I was planning on learning to air brush with them. 

Don't waste them. My recent experiences with Testor enamels seem to confirm what others here have said: They now take longer to dry, they don't cover as well, and they don't last as long once they've been opened. I'm carefully hoarding my stash of "old" stuff for special projects.

[ewetwo]

Hear. you Snake. I'll learn airbrushing with new paints and save the old ones for special kits. 

[oldcarfan]

Good catch! I would either keep them as a colector's item or put them on eBay and sell them for a good profit rather than try to rehab them. Unless you enjoy the challenge of making them usable. There are people who collect memorabilia like that.

[Dave Darby]

5 hours ago, Snake45 said:

Don't waste them. My recent experiences with Testor enamels seem to confirm what others here have said: They now take longer to dry, they don't cover as well, and they don't last as long once they've been opened. I'm carefully hoarding my stash of "old" stuff for special projects.

If you use their airbrush thinner they dry much faster and harder. I often times mix in a drop or two of that thinner in a little paint in a cap when I brush paint with it, too.

[Dave Darby]

1 hour ago, oldcarfan said:

Good catch! I would either keep them as a colector's item or put them on eBay and sell them for a good profit rather than try to rehab them. Unless you enjoy the challenge of making them usable. There are people who collect memorabilia like that.

I don't know that there is much demand for the newer bottles. 20 and 30 cents are 70s and 80s era. The real money is in the old 50s - 60s bottles. 

Edited April 8, 2018 by Dave Darby

[nascar03]

Others have made some good suggestions.

I find it helps to set the bottles in some warm water for a while.

Then start shaking...then warm water again.  Repeat.

The warmed up paint may allow you to stir easier.

Good luck.

graham

 

Edited April 9, 2018 by nascar03