There was a time when every wargamer worth their salt had a paint-stained toothbrush and a jar of mystery fluid lurking under the sink. Stripping old miniatures, restoring them to bare metal, was a core part of the hobby’s DNA. You’d come home from a bring-and-buy with a handful of battered veterans, dunk them in Dettol, and scrub until they gleamed again. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was deeply satisfying. A mix of thrift, archaeology, and creative rebirth.
So, what happened? In my latest video, I explore whether stripping miniatures is now a dying art. The shift from metal to resin and plastic has changed the landscape. You can’t just dunk a resin model without risking disaster. Add in the rise of cheap starter sets, constant new releases, and a culture of instant gratification, and suddenly restoration seems… old-fashioned?
But maybe that’s exactly why it deserves another look. Stripping a model isn’t just about cleaning paint; it’s about preserving history. Those old metal figures carry the fingerprints of decades of hobby evolution, from classic Citadel sculpts to long-lost ranges from Grenadier and Essex. Bringing one back to life is an act of continuity and a connection to the generations of gamers who came before us.
Enjoyable post, Lee! Put me into the camp of never having done it. Maybe this is due to never buying painted, secondhand figures?
ReplyDeleteNice I often have a jar of dettol at work in the garage, stripping not a problem for me, although I would strip plastic as it’s not worth the effort., I assume resin just melts ?
ReplyDeleteI strip plastic figures using pine cleaner but that is for soft plastics. I think someone said that it is not good with hard plastic. Anyhow, I put them in a container of pine cleaner or even dishwashing liquid and leave them there for a month or two. It even woks after a day or so. The paint comes off fairly easily with toothbrush. For old leads I dip those in turpentine and leave them a few days before stripping with toothbrush. James
ReplyDeleteI either strip or give away old or out of date brand figures to someone who can make use of them. I have a fascination for the old old brands.
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