Can't open my paint bottle

what I do is give the lids good hard taps all the way around by hitting it on the edge of a table, if that doesn't work use a good pair of pliers

Yeah, I have tried pliers  and all I am doing is mangling the lid. I am bummed. It's the color I want too, aircraft grey

Run very hot water over the cap for a few seconds  - use cloth over the cap and open (boiling or near boiling water iseven better) - the heat of the water will soften the dried paint allowing you to twist the top of safely. 

Eureka !  Bottler is now open and I will clean the lid and top of the bottle to ensure this will not happen again !

I used a lighter, the bottle started smoking, then used a pair of channel locks  and it came right open !

Thanks gmeister !

Use this:

ThomasfrmPA

Eureka !  Bottler is now open and I will clean the lid and top of the bottle to ensure this will not happen again !

 

I used a lighter, the bottle started smoking, then used a pair of channel locks  and it came right open !

Thanks gmeister !

Yepper, I've  always used a lighter as well for metal-topped bottles, like Testor's and Testor's ModelMaster Enamels(Cue "Safety-Na zi Speech" about bottles bursting into flames and burning houses down, killing all within 12-block radius- )

 VERY hot water for plastic-topped bottles like Tamiya...  Seems like no matter what, no matter how careful one is about cleaning the lids and threads,  you'll always need to do that sooner or later...

I have a heavy duty shop vise bolted to my bench, and a set of rubber jaw magnetic attachments from MicroMark.  I snug the bottle into the vise, between the rubber jaws, and twist the cap off with a pliers.  Works every time, never broke a bottle. 

Hans, I usually use a lighter but as you noted, the "Safety-Gehiemestatspoletzei" would probably descend upon me in full force  so I didn't mention it - (Aren't they the same folks the push the line that if 1 part per quadrillion of metthyl chloride or a like chemical is any where within 10,000 klicks of me I'll die immediatly if not sooner?)

I had that problem recently with a bottle of Tamiya acylic. I tried the old fashioned "running hot water over it"...Maybe the water wasn't hot enough? Or, I shoulda used boiling water? Then, I broke out my trusty vice grips and very carefully...stripped the lid. What finally worked was going around the lid with a small screwdriver, prying it along. I guess some paint had gotten in the grooves.

All I do is invert the bottle, and with an eyedropper squirt a few drops of lacquer thinner between the bottle and the cap, wait a minute or two, and unscrew it with my bare hands (most of the time - rarely do I need pliers of any kind).

ruddratt

All I do is invert the bottle, and with an eyedropper squirt a few drops of lacquer thinner between the bottle and the cap, wait a minute or two, and unscrew it with my bare hands (most of the time - rarely do I need pliers of any kind).

CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN the lid & bottle threads.....

Then Use Cling-film/Saran Wrap on the bottle covering the top & threads before putting the lid on...

Then switch to Vallejo paint with their drip bottles...

go to the cheapest Dollar store type of place around you,,,,,get a box of sealable sandwich bags, cut into squares slightly larger than your lid diameter

you will now have a stack of squares that will let you seal glass paint bottles the same way that chemistry students do,,,,,except you will have to capture the plastic sheet (they can stretch their sheets over the bottle without a steel cap)

then, find old style plastic soft drink lids from Pepsi company products (new lids since Nov 2011 no longer work), those double seal on MM bottles

Lifecolor and Talon acrylic lids will both swap onto MM/Floquil bottles also,,,,,both have a "permament seal method" in their lid design, LifeColor is molded with a sealing ridge, Talon has a "sealing cone" part in the lid

sandwich bags work better then wrap, because they are slightly thicker, I have had both saran wrap and aluminum foil cut off around the bottle rim and fall into the pain

hth

Rex

edit to add: If you say "but, I don't want to spend half my remaining lifetime collecting LifeColor lids",,,,,,then just get half LifeColor and half "glass bottle brand" paints,,,,,,you will have some that are easy to get open because they are plastic lids on the glass bottles,,,,and some that are easy to open because they plastic bottles with steel lids with a liner,,,,if using steel lids with a liner, get the thickest clear plastic bag product you can find and cut lid-fitting discs out as inserts

That is one reason I like the little Testors square bottles. I cut a little tool out of a piece of 1/8 aluminum sheet. It has a square notch in the end to match the cross-section of the bottles. I grab the top with pliers and slip the glass in the notch, and I can always turn the lid off.

or... buy a new one.

As Mike and Len stated I also turn the bottle upside down and pour lacquer thinner with an eye dropper into the seam between the lid and bottle and let it sit. After an hour or so it almost always comes off.

Another tip I have used with good results to prevent this......put a drop of Badger Needle Juice or similar airbrush lubricant onto your finger and rub it around the threads of the lid after it has been cleaned.

This will not allow the paint to adhere as strongly to the lid.

GreenThumb

As Mike and Len stated I also turn the bottle upside down and pour lacquer thinner with an eye dropper into the seam between the lid and bottle and let it sit. After an hour or so it almost always comes off.

I'm just not that patient, lol... If I can't get the lid off in a couple minutes I tend to use the Hammer-hammer...  

haha,,,,,,,yup

thump!!!,,,,,and filter out the glass particles with old nylons,,,,,,,into a new bottle and cap

for some reason,,,,,I can picture this very clearly, Hans

Starting with a new bottle, first thing I do is wipe the lid clean. After that, I stir with a "T" shaped bit of sprue in the Dremel....never shake....never have a stuck lid.....never have wasted building time!

TarnShip

haha,,,,,,,yup

thump!!!,,,,,and filter out the glass particles with old nylons,,,,,,,into a new bottle and cap

for some reason,,,,,I can picture this very clearly, Hans

Actually, I just punch a hole in the cap, Tarn, lol..

now, where is the fun in that??

not to mention the satisfaction,,,,,,,"I am Jarhead,,,,,thump,,,,,,,me got paint open"

If I was a Marine, I probably woulda just chewed it open...

Hans von Hammer

If I was a Marine, I probably woulda just chewed it open...

Yup, that's what I'd do.... I love the feel of metal between my clenching teeth.....

quit a few years ago my kids got me a set of Sear Craftsmen strap wrenches for a fathers day gift these are great for forzen jar caps. Put the rubber strap around the cap get a good grip on bottle push handle cap off.    ACESES5                       ON BENCH ACADEMY 1/35 M3 GRANT

When I do get a stubborn cap that won't come off, I just place the paint jar in a small glass or a coffee cup, and run the tap water till its steaming hot and let the jar sit in that for a few minutes.  Then just use the pliers and twist it off.     Then clean the lid out before I close it back up.

I know my ball cap is too small to read in my avatar on here

It says "once a Marine, always a Marine"

That is why I make so many dumb Jarhead jokes

but, on this topic, all kidding aside,,,,,,I have actually broken paint bottles trying to get them open,,,,,and even cut the "holding hand" once, while prying the cap off with pliers

Now, in my old dotterage,,,,,,,,,if a cap is that stuck,,,,,,that paint is probably as old as my son, lol (he was born in '79, the year I got out of the Corps)

So,,,,,I just don't play with it if it wants to be that stuck,,,,,,I use it for "shooting a basket" into the ole round file,,,,,,and either pull out another bottle with a newer date on the office dot I put on top of them all,,,,,,,,or get a new one soon at the paint store

as expensive as hobby paint is,,,,,,,it reallllllllllly stings if you get that paint carrier fluid in a fresh glass cut on your hand

Try dipping the enamel bottle cap down into lacquer thinner and let it sit for a while.  I've never used acrylics but, I'm guessing the same treatment as the enamel bottles but using denatured alcohol would work.

Good luck

Ray

The Hammer hammer -chuckle -chew it off -big chuckle ... you guys are killing me now my face hurts --Thanks !