So I have semi-recently come into posession of a fine set of Kanohi, including a beautiful white Kakama Mata and tan Noble Rau. The only problem is, some aspiring artist has gone and coated them all in gold paint (except the Rau, which got a splotchy earth camo that doesn’t match any official colors). I’ve been trying to clean them with rubbing alcohol, but the paint is getting progressively more resistant to removal, and I can only just barely see that the Akaku Mata isn’t actually the metallic silver that’s sitting under the gold layer. Does anyone have recommendations for some sort of light solvent, that I could leave the masks in to clean off the paint without damaging the plastic? If not, is there anything else I can try that might be gentle enough to get this mess off?
Can you tell what kind of paint it is? I’m not sure if some paint removers affect the plastic.
I’d try a scraper. I know it could effect the mask but I would prefer a couple scratches over a crappy paint job
I’ve used rubbing alcohol before, it worked pretty well, though there was some bits I had to scratch off with a pair of tweezers.
Can i see pictures?
Here’s the complete set. I’ve done a lot of work on the Rau, less on the Kakama, and just enough to see the base color on the Akaku. I’m thinking of picking up a set of dental scrapers from Walgreens or somewhere to get the nooks and crannies; the Rau is nice and clean now but there’s still a lot of stuff that needs cleaning out.
Closeup on the more special masks; I might try repainting the Kakama with black edges if the dental scrapers don’t work, just to hide the patches of gold.
And here’s the other three, turned to show base color. Honestly not worth saving; I’ve already got plenty of the default colors, and a bunch of artistic sisters who’d love to try some mask modding (and they’re not nearly as amateur, to boot).
I really can’t tell what the paint is, but the silver on the Akaku is more resistant to rubbing alcohol and it’s bothering me a bunch.
DONT TOUCH THE KAUKAU ANYMORE
ngl though that gold paint is really well done
Protip from someone who’s messed up far too many props to count: Heat them, then do the rubbing alcohol scrub. Should take some of the less sticky bits off and will definitely help with the trickier stuff.
Paint doesn’t like to stick when it’s hot, that’s why a lot of paint strippers are straight up heat guns. I’ve never done it with Lego/Bionicle pieces though, so I’d be careful about heating too much. Maybe try it out on one of the “not worth saving” once before you hit that Akaku or finish the Kakama?
~Hawkeye
I’m probably not stripping the Kaukau entirely, but the gold is actually pretty bad, and worst on that one. I’m gonna be touching up around the edges of the visor with detail scrapers to the best of my ability. I’ll try out the heat trick on either the Hau or the Miru, whichever one doesn’t get passed on for further painting.