Large Scale Central

Krylon Foil Metallic Paint

I don’t know how many on here will care about this but I am pretty fussy when it comes to so called metallic spray paint (or any metallic paint). From my model car days looking for a good chrome to now trains and wanting a good polished brass I have never been satisfied with the finish of silver or gold paints even the so called metallic ones. They just don’t have that super smooth ultra shiny look I want. Until now. When hoarding at Hobby Lobby i picked up a can of Krylon Gold Foil Metallic This is made to simulate foil leaf. I used it yesterday (I’ll try and remember to post a picture of it) and it goes on thin and has a very polished metallic look. Great polished brass look.

here is a picture of the results.

I’ve used it and it is great. To get maximum result, spray over gloss black. One issue, I’ve tried several clear coats and all have dulled the finish. Since it doesn’t seem you can coat, it is very sensitive to scratches.

Doc.

Hmm thanks for the tip. I hadn’t even thought about the clear dulling it. I sprayed that straight over the polished silver metal so might very well have an issue of it coming off easy since there was no tooth to begin with. I wonder if a self etching black primer would help. Get both the black and some holding power maybe. I will give that a try before I spray anymore of it.

Spray your hat with it Devon !

No Roos I am not gonna do that. I already have a problem trying to keep all the ladies from attacking me. A sexy Gold hat would make me completely irresistible.

Devon Sinsley said:

No Roos I am not gonna do that. I already have a problem trying to keep all the ladies from attacking me. A sexy Gold hat would make me completely irresistible.

I think that hole in your head is making you delusional (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)

Dan Hilyer said:

Devon Sinsley said:

No Roos I am not gonna do that. I already have a problem trying to keep all the ladies from attacking me. A sexy Gold hat would make me completely irresistible.

I think that hole in your head is making you delusional (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)

You’re right. I don’t need a fancy gold hat to be completely irresistible.

I remember painting a bike in metal flake green in the early 70’s … (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

That’s a really good look. I’m always searching for a good paint to offer as an affordable alternate to 24K leaf. Ralph Lauren made a very nice color called Parlor Gold in an acrylic. It didn’t have a super metalic finish, but it had a great color and an acceptable finish when sprayed. Unfortunately by the time my first can was gone it was discontinued. I have replaced that with Modern Masters Pharaoh’s Gold acrylic which looks pretty good on a sign…

I should pick up a can of this and put a test patch outside for a few months. My experience with other spray golds left outdoors has been that they dull rapidly.

Jon I would be really interested to see if you do test it. It has one of the nicest close to gold/brass metallic finishes I have come across. In my experience metallic paints are either way to thick and do not lay down nicely like enamels or they look like paint not metal. So far this stuff lays on nice and thin yet looks like metal. You will see a lot more of it put to the test on my loco build as I am doing a heavily polished brass look and simulated leaf lettering. I just hope that Doc is wrong (I don’t think he is) and I can find a clear that won’t dull it. While I do plan to baby this one at the same time I am gonna run it so it has to stick and it has to stay shiny.

I was going to use actual leaf until I saw this stuff.

Devon, I sent an email to Krylon explaining my experience. Still waiting for their response.

Doc

Devon, did you find a silver color that looks good? I’ve tried painting some of the printed diesel horns to match the chrome of the Aristo FA units.

Greg

Not sure in todays day and time but their aluminum paint use to oxidize when it got water on it

Looking for chrome, aluminum I got, a fair amount of that in various manufacturers (yes horns were normally aluminum color, but the Aristo Diesel FA has chrome)

Greg, Have you checked out Alclad II paints? They have a good selection of metal paints including chrome.

I have a Facebook friend that does model trucks and I will ask him what he uses, I remember him doing some tests with different chrome paints. But to be fair I know his stuff is all indoors.

Thanks Don yes, I have tried that specific brand, and it’s not bad.

Thanks Pete, all info welcome.

Greg

Greg there is a silver version of the same paint I am referring too. https://www.amazon.com/Krylon-K01060000-Premium-Metallic-Silver/dp/B007RH9RBW while I have not tried it yet if it has the same properties as this gold then it will be about as good as I have found. I have never found a “chrome” paint I like. And when doing cars I swear I think I tried everything. The buffable Model Masters by testors, the aluminum was what I did use what it still did not look like chrome plating. I would give this stuff a shot and see. It is, so far the closest to real metal look as I have found. Now with that said, I never did it, but some of the model car guys I ran with used silver leafing. https://www.amazon.com/silver-leaf/s?k=silver+leaf but I never tried it as it is a tedious process for such a small return on small detail parts.

Doc,

I hope they either have an answer or come up with one. It would be a shame to have such a nice paint only to not have it stay that way when you clear coat it to protect it. I do want to try it over a self etching primer or my favorite goto matte black which is chalkbaord paint. I am hoping the tooth of self etching primer or chalkboard paint will hold it on and then not need to be clear coated. I will report back.

Still waiting for a response. Not sure if I will considering what’s going on in the world.