All,

I searched for an answer to this question and had no success, so here goes...

Has anyone used AK Real Color as the top coat for chipping? I have used, with good success, Tamiya paints as chipping top coats, and Tamiya is my favorite paint to spray in general. However, I am using AK Real Colors for a particular project, and would like to use their paint over some rust color base coat and then chip the AK Real Color after a coat of AK Chipping Fluid. I know I should have planned better, but it's where I am. Tamiya chips really well, but what about AK Real Colors? Any words based on actual experience would be greatly appreciated!

AK Real colors are a similar formulation as the TAMIYA colors.

I have used AK Real colors and chipped that layer with no issues.

I did try it on a test model before proceeding to a valuable
model.

Try it this way and judge for yourself if the results are to
your satisfaction.

Cheers,

While AK RC can be chipped, I didn't find them to be perfect at it. They came off much more rubbery than I expected for an acrylic-lacquer. While not as bad as Vallejo Model Air or their standard acrylic range, it was touch to get microfine chips with it.

Thanks for the replies, guys. I just tried it myself. I found that this did NOT go well at all. In the past, though I don't have much experience, I have found chipping Tamiya paint to work outstandingly well. Today, I tried the AK Real Color, and found, like Jon, that the chips were rubbery. And, the paint came off in sheets. I know there are a HUGE number of variables involved in the hairspray/chipping fluid chipping method, but I have had no issues at all, even on my first try, using Tamiya. I will try using AK Real Colors again, but I think it will take a lot more practice.

One thing of note, in addition to the chipping issue, is that the AK Real Colors spray really well, at least as well as Tamiya. You have to thin the AK paint, similar to Tamiya, and I did so using the proprietary AK Real Color thinner, but the result is a beautiful, smooth, dead flat finish. As was noted on the Andy’s Hobby Headquarters video on these paints, it’s harder to clean your airbrush after using the AK compared to Tamiya paint, but not terribly so. Plus, the AK is almost instantly dry, at least here in the almost zero humidity of summer Las Vegas air, and I was able to use Tamiya masking tape on it within 5 minutes of completion of spraying, with no issues at all.