What do you use for flat and satin black?

[LennyB]

In the past I’ve always used a Krylon or Rustoleum paint where I needed a flat or satin black.  Lately these paints have been letting me down with their inconsistency.    I’ll paint one day and it comes out fine, next time I use it it comes out with a different sheen and sometimes tacky and doesn’t dry.  I shake the cans well and even warm in some water before spraying but the results vary from the same can so that I can’t depend on them anymore.

Thought of switching to Tamiya, wondering what other people use.

[Ace-Garageguy]

For dead-flat, I tend to rely on SEM self-etching black primer, mostly because I always have some in stock for real cars.

Only problem is that it's pretty hot, and will easily craze SOME kit plastics.

To get a little "sheen", rubbing it with skin oils from your fingers or a little fine compound will do well in some cases.

I did some testing with Tamiya XF-1 flat black acrylic fairly recently, because I've never been happy with the black washes I've tried.

It works great for me as a brush-applied wash for grilles and similar things, and with their X-20A thinner it airbrushes nice too.

I bought some F-1 acrylic gloss black to try mixing custom semi-glosses, but haven't tried it yet.

Dumbguy me ruined a nice brush though, with only half my brain in gear thinking I could clean out a "water based" paint after it dried.

Nope, and no excuse, as I've used lotsa acrylics for painting paintings, and knew better.

EDIT: As an aside, though I haven't tried Tamiya's rattle can semi- and flat-blacks, I've been pretty happy with everything I HAVE tried.

 

 

Edited November 16, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy
CLARITY

[thatz4u]

I use Tamiya TS-6, works the same for me every time..

[hedotwo]

2X for Tamiya flat black spray.  Always been the same result for me.

[Monty]

I would suggest adding a tinlet of Humbrol #85 (enamel) to your paint stash.  I'd say it's closer to a flat black than satin and in my experience it provides a subtle difference in an engine bay, especially when other black shades are used (NATO black, tire black, Testors original flat black etc).  

Assuming "satin black" means the same as semi-gloss black, Model Master (you might find some on eBay) and Revell both offer enamel semi-gloss paints with roughly equivalent sheens, while Tamiya semi-gloss black (acrylic) has a higher sheen.  

[espo]

I have a large shelf of Tamiya paints that I draw from. For a semi-gloss finish use TS-6 Matt Black. For a real flat finish TS-82 Rubber Black works well. Using the TS-14 gloss Black and various clears with varying levels of gloss can get some shades not found on the self. 

[LennyB]

Thanks everyone for your input. I just ordered some Tamiya as I don’t have anywhere local I can buy it. Bill, I didn’t think of SEM, I’ve used a number of there products and I can get that across town, I’ll pick some up next time I’m out that way.  Thanks all.

[yh70]

my go to flat black is Rustoleum. i have never had a problem with a different sheen, sometimes tacky or doesn’t dry. i live in the deep south of Louisiana 30 miles off the gulf. down here you walk outside at daylight in the summer months (that's about year around) your soaking wet in 30 minuets. that's why i spray inside with a vented spray booth. so your problem may be weather related..new can i shake 3 minuets. no more no less. after that anytime i use it on a regular basis 2 minuets no less. if it sets over a month back to the 3 minuet shake. you got to because they big cans..

[bobss396]

Tamiya TS-68, NATO black is good. I also like Duplicolor Universal Flat Black, think the number is 104.

Another I like is Mr. Hobby black primer. 

[Don Sikora II]

My favorite is the Revell Black Silk Mat. The Revell #34302 spray is easily the best satin black I've found, with less shine than Tamiya semi-gloss black. The Revell enamel and acrylic brush colors are excellent as well. Another surprise is the Testors #1139 semi-gloss black enamel in the old-school square glass 1/4-ounce bottle. It looks fantastic and works well if you use enamel. Plus it's easy to find at Menard's or Hobby Lobby, which is a huge plus.

Edited November 17, 2024 by Don Sikora II

[gtx6970]

 

 

Cheap  rattle can flat black. Usually Dupli color, Rust oleum or similar in the big cans 

 

Same source for a semi gloss if thats what I need 

Its $8 -$9 for model size cans of paint.

 

I can get big cans for same money and get twice the amount exibit A is Rustoleum grey primer, Duplicolor semi gloss black. Tamiya gloss clear 

Edited November 17, 2024 by gtx6970

[Bills72sj]

For those two sheens, I go with big rattle cans too.

[Straightliner59]

9 hours ago, gtx6970 said:

 

 

Cheap  rattle can flat black. Usually Dupli color, Rust oleum or similar in the big cans 

 

Same source for a semi gloss if thats what I need 

Its $8 -$9 for model size cans of paint.

 

I can get big cans for same money and get twice the amount exibit A is Rustoleum grey primer, Duplicolor semi gloss black. Tamiya gloss clear 

I'm with you, Bill! I use anything black. I like Krylon, especially. They make semi-gloss and semi-flat, flat black, and ultra-flat black. I just like to have a large variety of paints, because there are so many variances in sheens, and depth of "color" on real vehicles. For gloss black, I've had excellent results using the old Walmart "Color Place" spray. I started using that, because of Snake's recommendation. I painted the black on the body of my Nostalgia Top Fueler, using it. They've since switched their cheap line to another name. I haven't tried it, yet, so can't comment on its performance.

[slusher]

Krylon  short cuts at Hobby Lobby Flat black looks like a satin or semi gloss when it dries been using it for years..

Edited November 18, 2024 by slusher
Added to it

[rattle can man]

I use Krylon flat and gloss black. For chassis black, I use cheap dollar store gloss black. It is a good semi-gloss finish.  I've given up on Rustoleum, I've had to dispose of too many partially used cans because they stop spraying.

[LennyB]

 Thanks guys for all your input, guess I'm just having a run of bad luck. Just went through my collection or spray cans and I see they are all made by Rustoleum. Maybe Rustoleum is the culprit. Thought I had some Krylon but I did throw some away a while back.

This is an example of the problems I've had. The interior tub below was sprayed with Flat Black. The inside was sprayed first and that came out fine. Flipped it over when dry and the outside came out shinny. Same can of paint sprayed on the same surface with no more then an hour in between. So the weather couldn't have changed all that much from one side to the other. And I'm spraying inside in a paint booth. This was maybe a week ago. I just now took the same can and sprayed a hood and it came out flat. 

Another thing I've observed is you always took a can of spray paint when you were done and turned it upside down and sprayed to clear the nozzle. If you turn these over they continue to spray paint. So I find the nozzles clog regularly.

I can't wait until the Tamiya order gets here.