Holdfast (Mal Mayfield) has really "done the business" on this one! Prepare yourselves for a Mega-Review... Mal re-defines the term "in-depth" with his look at White Ensign''s range of enamel paints. Enjoy.... :-)

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If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!

I must appologise to White Ensign Models for taking so long to get the review published. It was my first ever review and I must have re-written 3 times

Also thanks to Rowan for his help in getting it published. I'll have to do more now :-)

Is anyone interested in a little featurete of how to use and preserve paint in tinlets? There is a post elsewhere, saying how paint in tins is a nightmare, because of the need to stir and that it goes of before the tin is half empty. I have tins of paint that I have had for years which are still good.

Mal

Hi Mal,

As regards the tinlets, I have to agree with you. Most of my Yank brethren gripe about tinlets, but my own experience is that paint stores far better, and far longer in them than in bottles. I've got 20 year-old Humbrols that are still useable, while most of my bottled paints turned solid in far less time than that. That's one of the reason that, in addition to Colourcoats, we also offer empty, unlabelled tinlets for sale. Not a plug--just an observation.

Cheers,
John Snyder
White Ensign Models

Yes jars are very nice but if the lid gets stuck you can break the jar trying to open it. Or when you open them dry paint falls inside. This is particularly true of faster drying acrylic paints. The new squeezy type bottles, that vallejo paints are supplied in, are a neat idea and wonderful for decanting paint. The problem is that you can only shake them to mix the paint. If there is any dried paint in them it will clog the nozzle and contaminate the paint. Tinlets are basic and work, if you follow a couple of simple rules. Stire well, do not use the paint out of the tin, (unless you are airbrushing) but decant on to a card. Before closing the lid, wipe away any residue of paint on the sealing surfaces. Close the lid tightly then give the tin a quick shake (the paint coats and seals the lid :-) Interestingly I have found that Revell tin lids do not fit as tight as any other, once opened they will go off, even following the advice above. My mate, who owns a small model, in Worksop, stocks Revell paints. He builds armour models for a modeller with arthritis. He hand paints, directly from the tin, before closing the lid he adds thinner. He regularly finishes tins.
Mal

Hi there

I've got just about every type of paint imaginable sat on the shelf and, quite honestly, I've never found much difference between jars and tinlets. Call it equal good luck, or carelessness, but one seems to keep just as well as the other... (I haven't noticed the loose Revell lids problem).

There's certainly no need to ever break a jar to open it - if the top is really stuck on, just sit it upside-down in very hot water for a minute. The different coefficient of expansion (wwwwheeewww !! - grammar school physics is useful at last! ) loosens the lid.

Lastability? Well, I regularly use some acrylics which I bought 20 years ago... and, just for old times sake, I recently opened a 1960s bottle of Airfix enamel - the paint was just as cr*p as I remembered it... but it was still fresh!

All the best

Rowan