I managed to turn out a box of 2nd hand models earlier today & found an old space marine (has a pistol in a holster & a knife on its belt) & a 1994 metal Eldar Avenger...which are painted terribly (so thick on the Eldar you can barely make out any detail).

Short of scratching it all off with my knife, is there any way of removing the paint & being able to paint over the top again?

Simple Green!!!

Check out their website at http://www.simplegreen.com/products_all_purpose_cleaner.php. This multipurpose cleaner is THE BEST!!! Smells really minty (bad for me... good for the wife). You submerge the models a day... then brush 'em with an old toothbrush. Paint will peel off! It is ridiculous! If you have something left, submerge for another day and repeat. AMAZING on metal and plastic alike! Good degreaser for the kitchen too!

Since you like in the Great UK... http://www.simplegreen.co.uk/

This is another of Dozer's I told you so... I almost bet the bastard that if that thing worked I was going to drink a gallon of it... I'm glad I did not. I tasted it, and it is nasty!

Great to use for metal.

alot of people say not to use it strait on the plastic models overnight but you have to experiment. I think it would probably be a bad idea to do this all night with a plastic model.

You might wanna tone it down a bit for plastic.

It is safe for plastic. I left some models a WEEK... I took the paint of those by gently rubbing my FINGER. I tried break fluid once... it stinks AND eats plastic. Simpe Green is the best.

But... do NOT trust me. Follow dysturbed's advice... try it with a metal model and a plastic model. Better safe than sorry.

Ok awesome, cheers guys =]

I think this metal Eldar might have to be left for about a month judging by the state of it! =/ haha

Looking at the site, they're actually based not all that far from me too!

I had been using ammonia/window cleaner for paint removal, but I just picked up a gallon jug of the Simple Green. I've got some freebie Orks soaking...I'll report on my success...or lack thereof.

Removing the green from the Orks? HERETIC!!!

I'm painting them red...only kidding...maybe.
So far the Simple Green is living up to its promise. The paint is coming off nicely, AND it's dissolving the glue. GOOD STUFF!

... and minty! Don't forget the minty smell. I think I'm allergic to mint, because I get a headache with the slightest sent of mint... so I remember that!

That's really odd Mordheimer...

Odd fact about Mathias...Local anaesthetics don't seem to effect me...I had to have a wisdom tooth out last year, they gave me twice the dose they should have as they remembered a regular dose did nothing when I had my last filling...double the dose did nothing as well...more than a little bit 'urty! =/

Short update on this Eldar...it looks like the previous owner undercoated it 3 times!

I just scratched down to the metal on one area, there's a top coat of red, over white, over sky blue, over another coat of white!

MADNESS!

That is NOTHING.

I'll do you one better.

Old metal dreadnought......based not in primer or base paint, but good ol' fashioned plastic spray paint.

layer of red, layer of white, layer of orange, layer of blue, layer of black, and a final layer of green.

And the first layer of red was thick enough that it filled in all of the details.

Oh hell =/

I can just about make out an arm & a tiny bit of face...not sure though lol

Here is a tip for you

I use two different brushes, one for plastic, one for metals.

If any of you have played golf I am sure that you have a club cleaning kit.

Well in my kit I have a double sided brush, one side with stiff plastic bristles, and the other side has wire bristles. The wire bristles are stiff enough to get all the paint off without having to scrub hard, but is soft enough against the metal that it doesn't remove details or scratch the metals. If anything my metal models have come out polished and cleaner then the day that they were made.

***** DO NOT USE WIRE BRUSH ON THE PLASTIC MODELS*****