Paint: Question About Paint Finish

[leejim]

Hello all! I have a question about paint crazing or "spidering" - I'm not even sure that is the correct technical term. This is something that you commonly see on old tin toys wherein irregular lines run over the surface of the metal or paint, somewhat line fine veins or spider webbing on the surface. What exactly is happening to the metal / paint? Will it deteriorate over time if no treatment is applied? Is it the beginnings of rust? Is it better to leave it alone or attempt a fix?

[Blechroboter]

Hi Leejim,

I´m not sure which of two appearances you mean. Therefore I will report about both.

First pictures are showing a rare green Märklin lokomotive. The lacquer is broken.

In Germany we call it Krakelee´. I guess it´s a french term - would translate it with "scrawl".

This happens when the producer used two different layer of varnish.

The first layer is slowly drying like oil-paint. The second or outer layer is fast drying like alcohol-paint.

The locomotive shown was produced in the beginning of the second half of the 1930s.

The lacquer was broken in the 1960s. Usually this happens a few years after production date.

This happens not with lithographed tin toysusually, exept they have a clear paint-layer for protection.

No chance of prevention.

The next pictures are showing a truck made by Arnold. It was produced before and after WWII.

It´s a lithographed tin toy. The back mudguard or fender shows a rust spider (Rostspinne).

It is unknown how this happens exact. Somewhere the litho is hurt on a small spot. From there on the rust begins to crawl.

Some thought that it follows weak lines of electricity. Usually it happens in rooms with high humidity.

Normally it´s useless to restore it because the damage on the litho is bigger afterwards.

[Phil R]

Blech, I've been restoring these items for almost 30 years. I've learned a few things over the years. On the car I would sand the affected area down to the bare metal, apply a quick setting clear epoxy to seal and smooth, smooth the epoxied area with 320 sandpaper, paint to blend with airbrush matching the existing color by feathering it into rest of the fender. I then seal with a clear acrylic and several coats of polycrylic to match the rest of the piece. I have yet to get a piece back other than on tin that has flexed and paint is cracking( a rare occurrence). I've done thousands of tin lithos.

[leejim]

Thanks for the information Blech. The ones I see is something similar to the truck (Rostspinne). I have a Horikawa that has those on one side of a leg and foot, although not as bad as that in the picture. I do not see the rust (yet), just the lines. It's only noticeable when looked at from a certain angle. Quite unfortunate actually since it's perfectly good except for the 1 side of the leg and foot. Unlike Phil I'd rather leave it alone than attempt a repair as I'm apt to make things worse.

Do you think it will deteriorate further without treatment, even if the robot is displayed in a glass cabinet and not handled? Any idea how to stop the process of deterioration?

[leejim]

Phil, your repair skills are simply amazing! Do you do this professionally?

[Phil R]

leejim, I have a degree in advertising and graphics arts. I have also painted fine arts and exhibited. I worked for agencies and corporate. As a collector I started doing repairs for myself in the 70s, then for a small number of clients part time from then to 1998 when I began full time restoration of advertising, signage, pottery, toys, etc. til present. I have clients all over the U.S. and of course many clients live in eastern U.S. where there are thousands of antique dealers. :)

The Captain had to be rebuilt. Poster repaired and color restoration. Ive had less requests for robot boxes and space toys. ;)

[Morbius]

A great piece of Phil's work on a robot box shown here. Wonderful. :D

[The Toyman]

A great piece of Phil's work on a robot box shown here. Wonderful. :D

Hi Phil..." less requests for robot boxes and space toys", you'll be getting a lot more now! Those examples of your restoration work are superb, as a Dental Technician my job is to create crowns and bridgework that has to blend perfectly with the patients dentition and so I can appreciate the work you do, keep it up, you must get tremendous satisfaction from the end result!

Noel.

[Morbius]

Yes this job Phil did is generally undetectable to anyone looking at the box even from the inside. The matching he did in colour and texture is impeccable.

I was really tossed about anything being done to this rare box as I always prefer things just as they came out of the factory/workhouse, not big on the thought of restored 'bots. This box however was in such great shape (from Moktar) and I'd seen some of Phil's work here on Alphadrome I decided he'd be the one to fix this typical 'hand punch' these Planets usually cause being stored sideways in their box, this punch probably occured when it was shipped to me and I'm especially proud to display the improved version with Robby.

Originality is paramount to me in collecting these guys but I have no regret in this case. They make a happy pair.

[WJN]

Phil- Your talents are absolutley amazing!