Humbrol

[Hardwicke]

Does anyone know what Hornby are doing with Humbrol? I went to a model shop yesterday (yes, an actual shop) and they had removed their whole display and had only acrylics and an small range of lacquers. Apparently the Humbrol range contained carcinogenics and was banned in the EU according to the chap in the shop and so the company went quiet on supplies and as a result he gave up on stocking the range. He had plenty last year. What are we to do as the Precision range is also a shadow of what it was.

[Hardwicke]

I've looked online and apart from one single colour everything was available, no mention of carcinogenics or problems with the EU, so is it just a shop not wanting to stock them and unfairly blaming the EU and Humbrol? They had no model railways.

[Terry Bendall]

I beleive that the contents of the Humbrol enamel paints range has been changed to overcome the EU objections. Most stockists have most colours and Squires list the full range on their website and have them at exhibitions although they now have a minium order charge .

Terry Bendall

[jim s-w]

The carcinogenic chemical was to stop them skinning over apparently. Didn't seem to do a fat lot in my experience though!

[martin goodall]

After the hiatus in supply when there was a safety scare resulting in the temporary withdrawal of this range, the art shop in Oxfordshire that I use regularly now has a full stock of Humbrol enamels, and I have bought several tinlets of various colours from them in the past couple of months.

If some retailers are no longer stocking these paints, it is probably their own decision, and they are just using their previous temporary unavailability as an excuse. Humbrol enamels may be a slow-selling line, and this could possibly explain the reluctance of some retailers to stock them.

[martin goodall]

On the subject of skinning over, or drying out in the tin, I find that this can be prevented by ramming the lid firmly home on the tin in the vice. Relying on squeezing it between finger and thumb won't produce an air-tight seal.

And for those of a nervous disposition - No, I haven't burst or squashed a tinlet by doing this.

[nigelcliffe]

On the subject of skinning over, or drying out in the tin, I find that this can be prevented by ramming the lid firmly home on the tin in the vice. Relying on squeezing it between finger and thumb won't produce an air-tight seal.

And for those of a nervous disposition - No, I haven't burst or squashed a tinlet by doing this.

Same for me. Used the technique for years. A few firm taps with a small hammer can get the lid decently home so it won't come out before final squeeze.

[johndarch]

My only supplier in Ireland has stopped selling Humbrol enamels. Acrylics only.

[David B]

I find the Revel paints a good enamel. I only buy Humbrol these days if it is the colour I particularly want or it is cheap.

[martin goodall]

I second David's recommendation of Revell enamels.

They are of excellent quality, and certainly better than Humbrol.

If you have a Humbrol colour chart (very useful) they have tables of equivalent colours in other ranges, including Revell, which can be quite helpful.

Although 'Revell' is (I believe) an American marque, their paints appear to be made in Germany.

[Tim V]

There is this chart, provenance I'm not sure of.

Humbrol conversion.jpg

[Hardwicke]

.

If some retailers are no longer stocking these paints, it is probably their own decision, and they are just using their previous temporary unavailability as an excuse.

I won't be patronising that particular model shop again even if they had a useful range of metal.

[nberrington]

We couldn’t get Humbrol for many years because of their refusal to have bilingual labelling - warnings have to appear in English and French. Apparently it was too expensive.

I see them on shelves now, but have moved on to better paints.

[Stephan.wintner]

Revell was founded in the US but for decades has had a German based subsidiary which at times was actually larger than the US operations. Their paint seems to be a German-only thing, I've seen it in German shops but never seen it offered in the US, same story for some items like putty. So I suspect it will be readily available in the EU and kept compliant with EU regs..

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revell

Stephan

[DaveHarris]

Humbrol created a paint conversion chart in 2018 (their ref P1158). It shows the equivalent references for 10 other paint manufacturers. it was and still should be available from good model shops who specialise in the likes of Airfix,Revell, Tamiya plastic kits. Some shops seem to charge about £2 for the multi page 'brochure' which has the conversion numbers on one side of the pages and the Humbrol colour ; Gloss, Matt and Satin samples on the reverse sides. They also produced a color chart for Acrylic dropper bottles at about the same time (their ref P1159).

[Noel]

viewtopic.php?f=40&t=6870

[Hardwicke]

The amusing thing about the shop is that they now stock Tamiya which has a cancer warning on it...

[kelly]

Revell was founded in the US but for decades has had a German based subsidiary which at times was actually larger than the US operations. Their paint seems to be a German-only thing, I've seen it in German shops but never seen it offered in the US, same story for some items like putty. So I suspect it will be readily available in the EU and kept compliant with EU regs..

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revell

Stephan

The Revell history/story is a rather convoluted and complex one really, with the German one being sold off iirc and the US one being acquired and then later both coming back under the same banner.

Getting back to Humbrol, they've recently relaunched a new version of their Acrylic paints, though I've yet to try any of them myself. Vellejo or AK Interactive seem to be the preferrance in the Scale Hobby world currently, with some preferring Tamiya's paints.

[pete_mcfarlane]

The amusing thing about the shop is that they now stock Tamiya which has a cancer warning on it...

That might be to allow it to be sold in the US. Everything seems to cause cancer in certain US states (California).

[David B]

The amusing thing about the shop is that they now stock Tamiya which has a cancer warning on it...

That might be to allow it to be sold in the US. Everything seems to cause cancer in certain US states (California).

There's a rumour water is going to get a health warning slapped on it in the US. I wonder about guns . . . . .

[Phil O]

It won't stop skinning, but it will keep paint usable, store the tin upside down, but make sure that the lid is on tight, to prevent leakage.

[Hardwicke]

The amusing thing about the shop is that they now stock Tamiya which has a cancer warning on it...

That might be to allow it to be sold in the US. Everything seems to cause cancer in certain US states (California).

But not sunshine.
And guns don't cause cancer.