Adventures in stripping!

Get your mind out of the gutter!! This is about stripping models! (I think that just sounds worse...lol)

In all seriousness, I decided to try to strip the paint off of a Breyer Flash body using Dawn Power Dissolver, a cleaner that comes highly recommended on Model Horse Blab for stripping paint without stripping Apoxie. I'm putting it to the test! I absolutely LOVE Flash...I think he's the coolest new mold that Breyer has put out. He does have a wonky mouth and chin that I resculpted slightly, hence my wish to find a stripping substance that won't remove Apoxie. I had hopes of making this guy a red roan, but I ended up just using him as a practice piece for different roaning techniques (I didn't like any of them...it'll be awhile before I try a roan). Now, I'm thinking he'll make a pretty good appaloosa!

I sprayed him all over with Dawn Power Dissolver and stuck him in my sink for about 20 minutes waiting for him to dry.

This side was used for roaning practice.

I just thought this was a funny picture. From left to right we have drying rack, model horse, and dirty dishes!

After 15 minutes, I tested him to see if any would come off. It did!

And after waiting a bit longer, even more came off! The funny thing, though, is that it only stripped the oil and the acrylic coats, not the underlying primer layer. I painted this piece over a year ago and I might have sprayed a clear layer over the primer (not too sure why I would do that, but I could have). I sprayed him again with hopes of taking off the primer and the underlying OF coat. I want this guy to be truly nekkid!!

After 10 minutes, some of the primer came off, but not as easily as the oil and acrylic. I decided to wait another 15 minutes to let it dissolve more. I discovered that Dawn Power Dissolver hurts on open cuts!! It's probably best to wear gloves while doing this. The warning label says that prolonged exposure may cause skin irritation. Too bad I can't find my gloves...

15 minute later...I found my gloves!!

Nearly all of the oil/acrylic paint is off now (there is a bit in the creases of the mane). Quite a bit of the primer is off. That stuff takes some scrubbing! Now I'm going to work on the OF color. So far, none of the Apoxie has come off!

And finally, I gave up on removing the OF paint. I don't get it...I can scratch and ding OFs with the best of them and the paint just sloughs off (well, not literally, but sometimes it feels like it). But I can't get a powerful chemical agent that removed oil paint, Testor's dullcote, Krylon Matte, acrylic, and Painter's Touch primer to remove OF paint! WTF? Anyway, here's Flash drying in my dish rack with 98% of the primer removed (I'll get rid of the remaining primer with sandpaper). Any areas you see with thin or no OF paint were from prepping long ago, not from stripping today.

Overall, I give the Dawn Power Dissolver two thumbs up! It worked great for what I really needed (removing the paint and primer). I don't really care if the OF finish is still there. Plus, it did not remove or damage the Apoxie used to slightly resculpt his chin! It did remove some soda glue that I used to build up his ear, which is one point against soda glue (I really hate that stuff). I do kind of have a slight headache from the fumes. They aren't too bad, but if you're sensitive like I am you might want to wear a mask or go outside. And definitely wear gloves!

Look for Flash as a fun leopard appy later on!