Stripping a model= model loses all value?

[General Strike]

I mostly play at my local GW, and I recently finished an army and wasn't happy with how it turned out. I talked about stripping the army and restarting, something I've done with many models before, and a lot of people seemed very certain that it ruins the models value to remove the paint. I swore up and down that I've done it many times before with zero damage to the models, but they swear it ruins the value of the army. I'm confused by this, is this a commonly held idea?

[Naryn]

Never heard that before.

[Dagoth Ur]

I mostly play at my local GW, and I recently finished an army and wasn't happy with how it turned out. I talked about stripping the army and restarting, something I've done with many models before, and a lot of people seemed very certain that it ruins the models value to remove the paint. I swore up and down that I've done it many times before with zero damage to the models, but they swear it ruins the value of the army. I'm confused by this, is this a commonly held idea?

This is the first time I have ever heard of this. There are certainly stripping agents that through repeated use and the mechanical abrasion of brushing can dull the detail of a miniature, but I only know this to be the case of Brake Fluid and Dettol from personal experience. I've been using isopropyl alcohol for the past 3 years and have stripped a couple of minis (metal, resing, plastic) about half a dozen times and have not noticed any abrasion of detail. Did they specify why the army would lose value?

[General Strike]

They weirdly didn't. They implied a little bit that the time to strip the army would be more than the value, but when I stripped my Knight army, it only took like 10 minutes of my focus, the rest it soaked in a bucket...

 

Apparently it was such a big deal that our page admin was getting messages about me wanting to strip an army...

[Bryan Blaire]

That's bonkers - if it's worth it to you, who cares?

 

I've never heard of anyone thinking that stripping minis removes their value.

 

Even if you sold models online, all you would need to disclose is if there isn't damage/loss of detail - you don't have to disclose models have been stripped and repainted unless it physically did something to them.

 

:facepalm:

[Subtle Discord]

Value is a very subjective thing I've learned over the years. At first I was going to comment that unless you damage the model, once it's repainted, nobody will ever be able to tell. Odds are the new paint job will be better and may even increase the value compared to what it was.

 

Now, from a time loss perspective, yeah, ok, you're going to lose those hours and need to recreate those results, but really only if you look at it in a very transnational/capitalist sort of way. I find value in the act of painting and having a finished model at a level that I'm happy with is also valuable to me. The raw hours that went into something put on some kind of a value time scale? Nope, I just don't see it like that, and if I did I'm sure the number of hours in would actually grossly overvalue the final model. This is a hobby, not a profit making venture, where value can be directly tied to labour (and other) inputs.

 

Almost seems to me like a shop trying to sell more models. "Nah, you don't want to strip them and repaint them. You don't want to waste all that 'value', buy some new boxes of minis to paint instead!"

 

It's your hobby. Do it your way.

[Dagoth Ur]

Yeah this sounds fishy to me.

[Grotsmasha]

Wow. Yeah, those guys might as well be speaking Martian....the bit that blew my mind....the Facebook bit....I mean what?

[General Strike]

It was really weird, I'm glad you guys said the same thing, I was starting to think I was crazy. I decided to list the army on Ebay, cause it is well painted, I'm just not happy with it personally, and if I can sell it and start over that will be fun.

 

I just..had never heard that. I've stripped a thousand models and repainted them.

[Tyberos the Red Wake]

If you're repainting it, you're going to have to strip anyways unless the models have extremely few and thin airbrushed layers. If you're repainting it/keeping the models, the value is irrelevant and as you already know, you can strip paint safely so no value is lost through damage.

 

If you are reselling it, the prices generally go in this order: new in box, sealed > new in box un-sealed > new on sprue > un-built off/semi-on sprue > built and unppainted > built and primed > built and stripped > built and painted poorly/undesirably or only semi-stripped/painted

 

Obviously a very good paintjob can cost even more than new in box, and varying paintjobs can make the item move up or down on that list.

[Exilyth]

The only time models loose value by stripping is when you use the wrong stripping agents, e.g. throwing polystyrol models into acetone is not a good idea (dissolves the plastic).

 

Isopropanol/Isopropyl is fine.

 

Tbh, the ability to strip minis is really valuable since it lets you reset to a clear blank gray slate whenever you want.

Stripping my first minis was a huge learning experience, but knowing I can, I'm now much more calm & relaxed when painting and I worry less about ruining models with mistakes.

 

Obviously a very good paintjob can cost even more than new in box, and varying paintjobs can make the item move up or down on that list.

Yeah, especially the extremes of pro-painted vs. 'pro'-painted.

[Klod]

 

Apparently it was such a big deal that our page admin was getting messages about me wanting to strip an army...

This is actually hilarious. Somone's been breathing to much plastic glue.

[Closet Skeleton]

Stripping actually tends to make ebay prices go up. Painting quality has to be way above tabletop/tournament standard for the painting to add any value at all.

 

Not everyone wants to acquire a painted collection they might not be able to colour match if they need to expand it. People who want second hand painted models also want them cheap so even well painted cohesive armies can be worth more stripped and sold piecemeal.

[Kinstryfe]

Yeah, whomever was making that argument is nuts. Unless a model gets damaged, it's going to have virtually no affect on "value", especially as once it's built and painted most models basically have only a tiny fraction of their starting cost in value to begin with. Funnily though, I'm in the middle of stripping a decade and a half old Space Marine Company to bring it up to my current style, and even though I anticipate losing some bits and models as I opt not to reuse certain old pieces, let's look at the breakdown.

 

6x Tactical Squad Box = $270

4x Assault Squad Box = $180

4x Devastator Squad Box = $200

1x Command Squad Box = $35

Total @GW Retail = $685

 

My Costs to Strip

Bottle of Purple Stuff = ~$20

Two big tubs to work in = $5

Scrub Brush = $5

8 Hours estimated time @ fair value = $120

Total estimated cost to strip = $150

 

Granted, this is before both factoring in buying stuff at a 20% discount or the 9 Rhinos that will follow, but it seems like even if I only use half the stuff I'm stripping, I'm coming out way ahead on the process. So basically, whoever thinks stripping is a worse option than just buying a whole new army has probably fallen prey to the fairly unethical words of someone trying to sell them a new army...

[WarriorFish]

I'd rather buy stripped models - saves me the hassle This seems very much like a misunderstanding to me, perhaps they've seen models damaged by the wrong approach and assumed this was always the case? I can't see how this argument has any weight at all, so I share the flabbergast here!

 

As mentioned, most second hand models benefit from having their paint removed as most are seeking to repaint so if anything they likely are more valuable. In my experience I can only assume the majority of those advertising "pro" painted models are talking about being a professional in a field other than painting

[Fajita Fan]

If you did a crappy job of painting an army then strip them and paint them to a better standard how is their value diminished?  Were those guys in the market for your army?  If not then ignore them. 

 

That said be careful when stripping, it's possible to lose detail in grooves but I've never cared one bit about the resale value of my models. 

[MegaVolt87]

I would be more interested in a properly stripped mini than a potato paint job one I would strip anyway. Too many mini's online listed as well painted, that are mediocre or just basic airbrush work. Ask you're friends if they are feeling alright, crazy that line of thinking.

[Arkhanist]

Purely to play devil's advocate, I have heard that metal models are worth more partly because people think it's much easier to strip them without risking damage. I guess if your method of stripping is dumping it in brake fluid for a week then attacking it with an floor sander, that might be true?

 

I've stripped tons of models, either because they were 10+ years old and needed redoing in my current style (I do love some legacy models, it's true) or because my inital test run of a paint scheme did not go to plan so they get stripped for a new attempt. In either case, biostrip 20 for a few hours followed by a brushing with an electric toothbrush under running water gets most of it off; if they need more due to lots of nooks and crannies, it's either an IPA bath (which also helps if the paint remnants has gone a bit gummy) or another round of biostrip. Really stubbon spots might need a toothpick. Once re-primed, you really cannot tell the difference.

 

Usually the glue comes loose, but I've never visibly damaged GW plastic or PVC (avatars of war) bits done this way (and it's a handy way to do a repose); the worst I've ever had happen is a few 3d printed delicate icons have chipped from toothbrushing so I do those areas manually now. Oh, and the time I left half a dozen plastic models in biostrip for 3 weeks because I forgot about them - they did get a bit flattened from resting against the tub sides, but they were old dark vengeance marines being used for testing, so no great loss.

 

edit: this is how effective biostrip is, though it does need less scrubbing if left longer than the short 10 minute demo, as he states.

 

[Trevak Dal]

Like monetary/resale value or personal/experiential worth ("I painted these space Marines back when I was 11, they look like somebody finger painted this :cuss on here,"?)

 

In the US, Simple Green or Purple Power (Walmart product) in the automotive aisle is what you want. It's non toxic and you can leave it in for years to no ill effects (my friend and myself have both done this with plastic models)

[RandyB]

Like monetary/resale value or personal/experiential worth ("I painted these space Marines back when I was 11, they look like somebody finger painted this :cuss on here,"?)

 

In the US, Simple Green or Purple Power (Walmart product) in the automotive aisle is what you want. It's non toxic and you can leave it in for years to no ill effects (my friend and myself have both done this with plastic models)

I've tried both. Purple Power worked better for me. Otherwise, can confirm no damage to plastic models from either.

 

Whomever is saying without qualification that stripping models kills value is either ignorant or lying.

[General Strike]

Yeah, I use the purple one because I was a manager at walmart for years, it's good stuff. Stripped an Imperial Knight Army and a Custodes army with it. It's weird to me also, for these people. If they don't strip their models, then they don't buy second hand? That's crazy, a local shop currently has bags of Detachments for like...25% msrp because they're painted terribly. Seriously, 40$ for three blight drones and a Plaguecaster, or 25$ for three eldar warwalkers and a farseer. They just pass up this stuff, or play them they way they were painted when they bought them second hand?

 

It's very weird, and the reactions from everyone has actually had me avoiding my FLGS for the past week or so. I get asked about it everytime I go in now.

 

In other news, I traded the stripped models for 4000 points of Tau, roughly double the monetary value of my models new in box.

[Subtle Discord]

That is so odd that they would bring it up enough to make you feel uncomfortable to the point of just avoiding it. I could see having an opinion in the moment if it came up, but to bring it up after the fact, more than once? That's very odd.

 

Many years ago when some people discovered 'dipping' miniatures in wood varnish as a painting method I considered doing it for an undead hoard army to speed up the process and mentioned it at my local shop, and I couldn't believe the "you can't do that" attitude that I received. It got so bad at one point it really felt like I was being shamed for simply considering a unique method to paint my army that had somehow been deemed bad for by the group. I ended up just shutting up about it and ignored the idea just to avoid the hassle. Yeah, group dynamics can be strange sometimes.

[Ammonius]

I mean, aren't we all here throwing money at plastic space men? People that treat armies like an investment make my eye twitch.

 

Also, I have used Simple Green to great effect, like the others who have commented.

[Fajita Fan]

Simple Green struggles with some primers, once they're on there it can be hard to get off plastic.  I used some brush on Vallejo primer on a few GSC and they've been sitting in concentrated SG for a couple of weeks with scrubbing every few days. *grumble*

[RandyB]

Simple Green struggles with some primers, once they're on there it can be hard to get off plastic. I used some brush on Vallejo primer on a few GSC and they've been sitting in concentrated SG for a couple of weeks with scrubbing every few days. *grumble*

Purple Power worked for me in that exact scenario - Vallejo brush on primer on GSC.