Metal Figures -- technique for shiny metal

Hi Dave,

As a person who builds 99.9% U.S. WW2 aircraft, I thought I'd take a break and I worked on a couple of metal fantasy figures. One had battle axe. After painting, detailing and weathering the figure I was all done with it except for the metal axe blade. After giving it much thought I finally decided to just leave it as is. I decided that based on something someone once said about bare metal foil on a model: "Nothing looks more like metal than metal." I didn't overcoat it with anything. I just left it as is and I am very happy with it. I'm sure that this string will now be filled with people slamming that idea as it tends to happen a lot after I put my two cents in. But anyway, that's why I left the blade "as is" and untouched.

Eric

Something else you might want to try David is burnishing the metal with graphite. I've used this technique with my armour models and am very happy with the result. I just grind enough pencil lead for the project at hand, stick my finger in it and rub the area that I want metalized. Try it, a cheap and easy technique that I think you might like the results from.

I've tried the metal polishing before, and was quite satisfied with the result. I've never seen any article describing a "proper" way of doing it, though. I just used a bit of sandpaper until I got the desired sheen, then threw a coat of clear gloss over it to protect it. After 10 years, it still looks shiny.

demono69

Eric -- Thanks for the reply. "Nothing looks more like metal than metal." -- I can't argue with that. I think I'll try it and leave it as metal. Of course I'll try to polish it a bit more.

Robert -- I'll give it a try. The only question I have is what's the purpose of the graphite -- is it primarly meant as a polishing agent and do I clean it off when I'm done? Or does it also serve as a weathering material?

Ive done quite a few figures which had metal weapons with them. A method I use is paint the entire metal part with flat black. Once its dry , using the wire brush in my moto tool I go over the whole thing to remove most of the paint and shine it up. The purpose of the black is it remains in the crooks and crannies to give it that old metal dirty used look. And it helps to bring out some of the detail thats in the swords. You can use a dullcoat over it if youd like. If you notice, most metal weapons ( medieval etc) are worn and a bit dull from the weather and rough use. The only part really shiny is where they sharpen it quite often.

David,
Try burnishing the piece you want to shine with a sewing needle.
Clean up the part as you normally would. You may even try a brass brush in your dremel tool. or 0000 steel wool. Then burnish it with a needle, by rubbing the piece with the side of the needle. It will bring it to a high sheen.

David - I guess you could say it serves as both a polishing and a wethring agent. It certainly gives a glossy yet weathered look to anything that I've worked on. And you don't need to wash it off, it gets to stay.

I used Micro Mesh polishing cloths to polish a white metal prop blade on a kit once. The final outcome looked like chrome. I did not seal it in any way after I was finished. That was over ten yeats ago and it is still chrome looking. It has been touched hundreds of times and has not dulled a bit or got finger prints on it.

I wanted to try the graphite last night, but I wasn't able to. It's Mike's (renarts) fault.

Great information though. Thanks guys.

I use graphite over flat black to give weapons a 'steely' look. It also worked well on Lords of the Rings plastic figures (also primed black) for chainmail and stuff like that.

The best metal on figures I've ever seen was always the real, unpainted metal. I'd put a thin coat of Future over it to protect it from corrosion though!

QUOTE: Originally posted by djmodels1999 I use graphite over flat black to give weapons a 'steely' look. It also worked well on Lords of the Rings plastic figures (also primed black) for chainmail and stuff like that.

I've seen the technique of priming figures in black and then drybrushing over the armor with silver or related color. I would like to try the graphite once. I imagine it'll look different than drybrushing.

So many things to try now.

QUOTE: Originally posted by David Voss I wanted to try the graphite last night, but I wasn't able to. It's Mike's (renarts) fault. Great information though. Thanks guys.

He didn't write another of his manifestos again last night did he?