Acrylic flat black from a bottle

Vallejo

 Vallejo Model Color

MM NATO Black.

Polly Scale or Floquil Steam Power Black, Grimy Black, all OOP unfortunately.

Agree with Vallejo Model Color, the design of the little capped containers goes a long way toward cleanly dispensing, and storing the paint over time.

You hit on one of the problems with conventional jars, when you pour over the side, paint inevitably gets in the threads and ruins the fit of the cap. That allows air to enter the jar and the paint begins to solidify to the gel state.

It's also not for the best to shake the conventional jar to blend the paint, that is not an efficient way for blending anyway. Plus, that brings so much material up to the caps seal and gets into the threads and rim of the jar, further preventing an efficient seal for storage.

I recommend stirring the paint only, that's really the only way for a complete blending, then once painting is finished the cap will be perfectly clean and will store the paint for a very long time. But Vallejo Model Air will solve your problem best, I think.

Patrick

I don't like acrylics cause unless you prime with a solvent type primer the paint will easily  lift or scratch with Tamiya acrylics being the exception.

I use Testors enamels in the small bottle  because it goes on smooth without brush marks.  Their "Rubber" color enamel in the small bottle is perfect for tires.

You are correct about some going bad after a short time and it seems their quality control has gone down. The older Testors paints I have are still good after 20+ years. I have some small Humbrol enamel tins from the early 80s still in great shape.

Floquil grimy black and engine black are great but unfortunately OOP as previously stated.

Thank you for your inputs, as your suggestions are based on tried and true endorsements formulated from many years of experience. I come to appreciate the critical thinking that modelers have, with their ability to sift through mentally and differentiate that which is wheat, and that which is chaff. Vallejo looks to get the nod, and this product appears to be substantially less expensive from Amazon, when compared to eBay (at this time). Sorry for the follow up question, but here it is: If I need to apply the product as thin as possible (because the component that I am painting is tiny and I do not want to lose detail), should I dilute with water, Vallejo Airbrush Thinner, or Vallejo Thinner Medium? Thank you, and have a good, quiet, and safe Thursday.