Humbrol enamels going downhill

Spey_Phantom · May 10, 2020, 02:07:55 PM

is it just me, or is anyone else having problems with the Humbrol Enamel tins?
they used to be my go-to-paints, but recent new tins are almost impossible to work with!
it doesnt matter how much you shake it or add thinner to it, every tin looks like a batch of sticky yellow goo (and thats for grey paint?).

i have a feeling that Humbrol has been losing quality over the past 2 years.
anyone else have the same problem?

PR19_Kit · May 10, 2020, 02:35:05 PM

I've seen the issue mentioned in other forums, and it seems it's the Chinese manufactured tins that gave the problems, Humbrol have now returned manufacture to the UK and the newer tins are much better.

The way you tell them is by the blue band at the bottom of the tin, the Chinese ones have just a straight blue band all round the tin, whereas the newer UK made ones have a sort of wave design at the bottom.

UK paint

Chinese paint

Captain Canada · May 10, 2020, 02:38:50 PM

Thanks for the heads up ! But yes, I've had more than a few that can't be shaken or stirred into the colour the purport to be !

zenrat · May 11, 2020, 04:28:52 AM

I presume Humbrol will be replacing Chinese made tins that are not fit for purpose?
Where do I send them?
$:-\$

PR19_Kit · May 11, 2020, 05:42:33 AM

Some chance!

I've only ever had one tin of paint replaced because of 'quality' in my whole life, and that was an Xtracolor tin of Aer Lingus Darker Green which was a totally different shade to another tin of ostensibly the same colour. They replaced it with 'bad grace', shall we say......

But that was because I threatened to mention the bad mix in a review of an airliner kit I was doing for Scale Models.

NARSES2 · May 11, 2020, 06:13:18 AM

Were they Chinese Kit ? I thought the dodgy ones were made in India, or was that Airfix ?

As an aside I've just started using some tins of Humbrol Metalcoat I recently found. Best "metallic" paint I ever used

kitnut617 · May 11, 2020, 06:16:44 AM

Well, I've been having a different problem, I bought a couple of the large bottles of Humbrol Thinner, I'm finding it doesn't work in my old tins of enamel, which ever tin I've used it on, it turns the paint into a lump of goo at the bottom. Stirring it (a lot) does get it back into ""paint"" mode, but even after putting the lid on tightly and leaving it for a day, when you open the tin to do a second coat, it's a big lump of goo again.

NARSES2 · May 11, 2020, 06:51:27 AM

Add that to the problems myself and Kit have had with the varnish and then this and Humbrol have some problems.

PR19_Kit · May 11, 2020, 07:05:40 AM

I've got one bottle of Humbrol Thinners that works and one that doesn't!

Could they have mis-labelled some acrylic thinners to enamel thinners? I've only ever used Tamiya acrylic thinners so I don't know if Humbrol actually do any.

Yes, Chris, it was definitely the Chinese manufactured paint with the straight blue base border line. Airfix did have some moulds done in India a while back, and they may still be having it done there too, but I'm not 100% sure.

Doug K · May 11, 2020, 09:38:30 AM

I've been struggling with the whites - satin and matt - for ages. I'll go take a look at the printing on the tins. The white is like working with icings, it needs to be thinned 4:1 to work then it needs 3-4 coats

Doug K · May 11, 2020, 11:58:44 AM

Quote from: Doug K on May 11, 2020, 09:38:30 AM
I've been struggling with the whites - satin and matt - for ages. I'll go take a look at the printing on the tins. The white is like working with icings, it needs to be thinned 4:1 to work then it needs 3-4 coats

Nope, mine have the wavy blue line so not Chinese(?). Still pretty poor.

jcf · May 12, 2020, 12:41:46 AM

Quote from: kitnut617 on May 11, 2020, 06:16:44 AM
Well, I've been having a different problem, I bought a couple of the large bottles of Humbrol Thinner, I'm finding it doesn't work in my old tins of enamel, which ever tin I've used it on, it turns the paint into a lump of goo at the bottom. Stirring it (a lot) does get it back into ""paint"" mode, but even after putting the lid on tightly and leaving it for a day, when you open the tin to do a second coat, it's a big lump of goo again.

Why bother with their "branded thinners"? Just use VM&P Naptha, or if you want a really quick dry use
lacquer thinner.

zenrat · May 12, 2020, 02:27:16 AM

Quote from: NARSES2 on May 11, 2020, 06:13:18 AM
... I've just started using some tins of Humbrol Metalcoat I recently found. Best "metallic" paint I ever used

I've got a tin of metalcote gunmetal. It's a gelatinous unthinnable glob.

NARSES2 · May 12, 2020, 06:02:13 AM

Quote from: zenrat on May 12, 2020, 02:27:16 AM
Quote from: NARSES2 on May 11, 2020, 06:13:18 AM
... I've just started using some tins of Humbrol Metalcoat I recently found. Best "metallic" paint I ever used

I've got a tin of metalcote gunmetal. It's a gelatinous unthinnable glob.

Right. I've got two shades of Aluminium, polished steel and gunmetal all in the 27*** series which must be over 30 years old and they are still perfect. Luck I suppose.

PR19_Kit · May 12, 2020, 07:28:10 AM

Quote from: NARSES2 on May 12, 2020, 06:02:13 AM
Quote from: zenrat on May 12, 2020, 02:27:16 AM
Quote from: NARSES2 on May 11, 2020, 06:13:18 AM
... I've just started using some tins of Humbrol Metalcoat I recently found. Best "metallic" paint I ever used

I've got a tin of metalcote gunmetal. It's a gelatinous unthinnable glob.

Right. I've got two shades of Aluminium, polished steel and gunmetal all in the 27*** series which must be over 30 years old and they are still perfect. Luck I suppose.

Me too, and Polished Aluminium too, which is REALLY bright.

They had it dead right back then, why change it? $:-\$