Hey, industrial chemist here. PLEASE wear gloves when working with this product. I don't know what advice or chemical information comes with it, but as far as I can find it contains DMSO and formic acid, both of which can cause skin damage, allergic reactions or worse. DMSO can be easily absorbed through the skin and is known to interfere with other medications. Never be fooled by a "green" product name or lack of smell: if it'll destroy paint, you do not want it on your skin or (worse) in your eyes. It certainly looks safer / greener than old school Nitromors, but please don't treat it as harmless. PS please paint something organic with your fancy drybrushes, I want to see how they'd help me paint my collection of dragons!
Thanks for the tips Richard, I'm going to add this to the stickied post, and will also ensure to in my follow up video in the future! There's some very organic stuff planned in the near future, starting with a Gargant :)
I can absolutely confirm that. I got some of that stuff on my fingertips and it didn’t really burn or anything, but my skin became very rough and dry - took about 2 weeks to regenerate. Just wear gloves and be safe.
Genuinely surprised by this. I was wrist deep in some of this for about 2 hours while bulk stripping old models. Other than getting wrinkly fingers, I had no side effects.
@@cptncutleg I think its one of those... 'could' and not will. I'm like you, used it with bare hands for a while and felt no ill effects. However, that doesn't mean it isn't doing something.
@@cptncutleg I think its one of those... 'could' and not will. I'm like you, used it with bare hands for a while and felt no ill effects. However, that doesn't mean it isn't doing something.
The quality of your videos continues to impress! I’ve been stripping figs for a long time, I find no matter the solvent you use it’s always good to add baking soda to your stuff bristled brush, it really helps with getting the crud stuck in the crevices out and won’t cause damage.
I've left models soaking for weeks (because I have been too lazy to sort them out) and I cannot see any issue with the plastic. The paint does come off nice and easy, but I would have to agree and say that 3 short soaks are better than 1 soak of the same duration. It might be worth mentioning too that when I try to strip models that have been primed with Citadel rattle can primer, it is incredibly stubborn to remove. The surface is left chalky and the colour of the primer doesn't entirely go. I don't know if trying to strip the Citadel primer causes an issue or not. All my other models are primed with Vallejo airbrush primer which just falls off the models when put in Biostrip20. Also, use an old brush to slop Biostrip20 onto models instead of dunking it into the tub. Whatever the reaction with the paint is leaves a slimy painty mess that is crap at stripping models. Or even dip them then use a brush to get it in the recesses, then wang the model on a sheet of tin foil for a while. Sorted : D
I have been using this product to strip models for myself and friends for about 5 years now and its amazing. Tips for resin and finecast though, brush the biostrip on at the sink, move it around with the brush and then rinse off and repeat. I have had friends come to me and say Krist please save this model as they got it 2nd hand and its been covered multiple times with paint. I have been able to save some really expensive Forge World models because of this product. Whenever anyone on a group or forum asks the best thing to strip models, I will always recommend this. I have never used gloves when using this product and I have never had any problems with my skin, definitely be aware of any cuts as it stings like made when you get it in one, trust me!!
I haven't heard of bio strip 20 till a friend told me. i had a couple of minis i wanted to repaint or to remove the paint of them. so this stuff was amazing. Now for my experience with it. It works AMAZINGLY well. i actually forgot a mini in a pot with the bio strip covering it for 2 or so WEEKS and it came out alright. the plastic definitely has degraded a bit since the colour on the plastic was bleaching a bit, but it did not ruin the details that much (Remember, i left it in this solution for about 2 weeks, so overnight wont harm your minis so much). And if you use plastic glue and made sure the sections where you used that glue has a good bond(Such as rubbing the joints together), Bio Strip wont remove the glue so easily. The tips are. you definitely need to use the solution twice at-least to remove the paint off the mini completely. and leave it in the solution for about 1 to 2 hours (I prefer 2 hours just to make sure). and of-course clean it the best you can, preferably with warm soapy water as it will help remove the solution off the mini better. And the solution is re-usable. i think with the same small amount of solution i was able to strip 2 guys completely. Also, it is safe to handle the solution and dump it down the drain.
thank you so much for responding to my comment it really means a lot i think later today i will do some more painting i am about halfway done and then i have about 60 more infantry to paint! its gunna be a long journey but im happy to have support from awesome people like you!
This is the striping method I ended up with and of the once I tested this by far the easiest 😁. I found that when leaving plastic miniatures over night the surface gets kind of rubbery and soft. And also if you strip many miniatures I ware a glove because it tends to dry out my skin. Great video!
USER EXPERIENCES AND TIPS BELOW! Hi guys, Biostrip can be found at the below - can any USA/International viewers please help out with equivalents/places to buy abroad? Also how many uses have you got out of 1litre (or 500ml)? Thanks for your input and help!
I have a bunch of old models that need to be repainted sooner or later I'll save this for when I get around to it but knowing me that'll probably be never
Another paint stripper I recommend is Super clean, it’s a purple liquid that works really well in my experience plus it doesn’t really damage plastic (you need to like soak it for 5 days for that to happen)
@@ArtisOpus yeah its nice, you can leave the mini in overnight, only real issue has been really small nooks and crannies that the brush struggles to get in. Dont know if its anywhere other than NA but you i've found it in the car sections of some stores, where they keep the de-greasers.
I have had really good success with Super clean, but you really should wear gloves with it as I have a friend who got it on their skin and had major irritation. Auto parts store usually sell it.
Super Clean is the BOMB.. it also will strip clear coat off of aluminum, so watch out for that. I use it to clean my engine bay on my car and strip paint off my minis. Doesn't harm even .. eeehhh.. finecast nor the slightly better, but still awful, Forge World Resin. But it strips paint like a champ. Done right it will leave all the paint on the bottom of the soaking bin. THREE NOTES: 1-At full strength it will ETCH CONCRETE (I had a leaky bin on the garage floor and it dissolved part of the concrete.. who knew. Actually make sense when you realize what is in it. 2-At full strength over-night.. it will ETCH (pit) white-metal minis. Not heavily, it is a very fine texture, my 20 strong old school metal Chaos Termies showed it but you cannot tell once painted. 3-Wear Gloves, Do not get in EYES. It is an irritant.
Biostrip has been my go-to friend for a few years now. Many an Infinity model have been plunged into the gloopy stuff. It removes paint from metal minis perfectly although resin bases tend to not fair too well. That might be my fault though if I’ve left them too long. Speaking of Infinity minis, I’m having a blast painting them with Artis Opus drybrushed using methods you’ve shown on this channel. Cheers Byron!
@@ArtisOpus Sure, what’s the best way to share? I’m sure I’ve used a litre pot for a year or more using it as and when. It gets a bit murky but it remains effective. I replace it when it starts to look unhygienic, you’ll see what I mean eventually 😁
You can leave over night if needed, that tends to depend on the type of paint on the model. It can struggle with enamel paints for short baths, so leaving it over night, give is a brush, then give it another bath over night tends to break down enamel quite well. I do find its tricky to get into the recesses with brushes to clear paints but you get that with all paint strippers. I am now trying Diall's Paint Remover as its a fair bit cheaper and does not have a harsh smell like others. So far so good with it, it just struggles with taking off glossy primers - which is where Biostrip will come in handy
Great to hear dude, I've gone through a very steep learning curve, listeners have been super helpful! I'll probably release a #2 to this once I've screwed up on a few different minis, and have some new practical tested points to share :)
Finally a video about this product. I wanted to first see how to use it and how it works...and obviously the results before buying. I think you convinced me to buy it to strip minis I buy from eBay.
Thanks for this. I decided to get my old childhood minis out the loft from 20 years ago. The paint jobs were so bad! I tried allsorts to strip them to no avail. This stuff did the job in less than an hour. Ready to try my hand at painting again now :)
You've given me a thought to go back to some of the models I made a mess of years ago and clean them up. And I'm going to do that! About six years ago, I used a diy spray paint to undercoat them with and all I got was some awful small particle-lumps over them, including the recess. Since then I learned now to just get the spray paints for the miniatures, not dyi. Unless I test them first before I use them on the models or not.
I had a bad chaos black last month, first issues I've had in 20 years, it can happen any time with them! The DIY/Motor ones do tend to be a fair bit more coarse, so unless you're doing terrain or something I'd stick with the solid ones, chaos black doesn't care about humidity at all, so is great in the UK :D
I thought it was a really refreshing change of pace to cover this man. You have a good voice for this, and I'd welcome whatever creative hobby videos you put out. Cheers mate.
this is really cool if it works as said with no trickery (first time ive seen your channel so you will have to pardon the skepticism) back when i used to do 40K plastic was always a problem as i never could find anything to get the paint off it without it eating the plastic too.
Entirely trickery-free, dude. You don't have to take my word for it, check out the viewers' comments in the pinned one. It really is magic, I'm sure you won't be disappointed. You can let us know how it goes if you decide to give it a go 😊
Thanks Rob, we'll always try and keep things helpful for as many people as possible, it's a nice change of pace (and allowed me to spend hours painting a gargant, which'll be the next one :)).
Couple things to bear in mind with this stuff: You should really wear gloves with it, if you don't you'll find that your fingers go really smooth to the point of being unable to grip anything for at least a week or so. It also depends how long the paint has been on the minis; the longer the paint has been on the less effective it is. If you used a spray primer the mini will be left with a strong stain finish, which is a pain to try and remove, I just gave up and sprayed over it again. Biostrip is good but I don't think it's the best, Acetone FREE nail varnish remover is better and less messy. Okay it smells(scented) but it does the job much better.
Great video, definitely useful! The weaponised primer all around the sink comment had me chuckling for quite a while, bought back memories of spending hours trying to clean a new white ceramic sink... would have been cheaper to buy new minis . Will give this a try and let you know
I used to use Drain-O on pewter figures, it is a crystalized drain cleaning product in the US. It worked wonders in a small heat resistant container, but it does cause quite a lot of heat in the process, as it is a chemical reaction. Harsh, but cheap. (used to use, because I have not used pewter figures in 20 years.)
Great video! Thanks for going over it, I have some minis waiting for me to get my act together and strip them! I've always been concerned about the damage to the models so this seems like a solid solution! Cheers!
I've used this stuff a lot. Half an hour to an hour is enough to shift most paint, varnish and the like, really hard primer can take a few hours. With a second dip you get right down to clean fresh plastic. This stuff will even break down superglue bonds neatly if left long enough, best stripper I've used by a long shot. No stink, water based so easy to remove. Should be in every hobbyists toolset.
@@ArtisOpus A quick dip with resin is ok but after a few hours it can soften. For resin I just put some on a toothbrush and gently scrub at it and it most cases it lifts off after a few minutes. if you do what I did and leave plastic in there for 10 days (I forgot) it will also soften but I've left plastic in for 48 hours and had no issues at all. In most cases 30 mins to 50 mins can shift almost anything and you can wash it off and re-dip. It's perfect for ebay rescues or fixing those bad screw ups.
Awesome vid again Byron will look to invest next time I get paid. Thanks again for your continued hard work supporting us and providing us easy to follow instruction
I just used some of this to restore an old dark elf lead model I massacred as a 12 year old, so therapeutic, the thing looks brand new out of the box now. I think I might be addicted to saving old models
I use biostrip but cleaning off the solution I use an old electric toothbrush. I put gloves on and hold the model in an old jam jar under water. Then stick the toothbrush head in the water, switch it on and give it a thorough clean. Takes a while but so worth it, especially on resin models.
Cool video, something a bit different to normal never hurts. I've been using Biostrip 20 for a while now and I've got to say you absolutely can leave models in for longer than few hours safely. Generally, I do tend to leave mine overnight but I've also had times where I put models in it, been distracted by my 2 year old and forgot about them and gone back to them 2-3 days later and there's no damage to models whatsoever. I will say I have only used it on plastic warhammer models and star wars legion miniatures though in case that makes a difference. Keep the hobby tips coming though!
Not sure if its available everywhere (Im in USA), but Simple Green works great. Just soak for a day or so in 50/50 Simple Green and Water mix and brush the paint off. I've never had any issues with melt/loss of detail and it completely strips the paint/primer in one go. Simple Green is just an average multi-purpose cleaner, non-toxic, etc. It has a pungent smell but a quick soap/water rinse and it goes pretty quick and doesnt linger.
Very helpful! I’ve been very curious about stripping methods. I’d love to give it a try and be able to offer stripping and repainting as a service for my little paint studio! Thanks!!
Awesome! I was thinking of rescuing some first born marines on eBay but didn’t know what to use to strip the awful paint jobs. Seems like this stuff might help break the glue down as well, double win! 😀
I've heard mixed opinions about what it does to superglue (yes/no) - it left the plastic glue untouched here (I don't glue on marine arms to help painting - let me know how it goes, dude!
Look I'm gonna be honest you had me at "How to Strip". the rest is just gravy. I just finished stripping my old models from the 00's using simple green. Worked better than anything I'd tried previously. I haven't heard of this stuff before. When I run out of simple green I'll definitely give this a go
Awesome! Got some eBay orks that might need this, and a rolls Royce armoured car that sort of bacame a balls-up. Dunno if it will fit in the tub, may have to be a bit creative with that, but deffo going to try this out!
Sounds perfect Simon! A large zip lock bag may be a useful tool for the vehicle. If not you should be able to brush it on with similar results, even if you have to repeat it a couple of times 😊
Good vid man. I've always been a big advocate of Biostrip. It's a huge time saver. However, it isn't entirely perfect. Contrary to popular belief it can damage some plastics. Like anything else, plastic can come in various concoctions and Biostrip will eat some of them. Remember, acrylic paint is plastic in nature, and Biostrip breaks that down before your eyes. Most GW plastics are fine, but it does pay to test first. Leave a bit of sprue in there (especially a piece with writing on) and see what happens after it's been exposed to Biostrip for an hour or two. Like I say, most are fine but I've had some of the stuff GW has made in China lose the definition. It hasn't come out like the guy at the end of RoboCop, but you can definitely tell the plastic has been softened, resulting in loss of definition of the more finely cast bits. Metal minis? Throw 'em in. Biostrip gives no fucks. This stuff will even strip the metal body shells of die cast cars if you're into Gaslands. Can you use it on resin? Yes. But testing first is an absolute must. At least Forgeworld are generous enough to give you more waste resin than actual miniature, so those gates can be put to good use. Forgeworld resin is surprisingly hardy, but never soak it in the stuff, just use a little on a toothbrush and scrub carefully. You can take that as the rule of thumb for any resin really; never soak. I had resin from one manufacturer get destroyed by this stuff, so always test first. I'd still advise using gloves with this stuff. It's a little like handling the resin you use for a 3D printer, you develop a reaction to it over time.
This stripping agent works very well also for a more budget alternative Dettol undiluted works wonders if you don’t mind waiting 12 hours and the residue that has to be washed off afterwards
This looks pretty interesting. I’ve used airbrush cleaner from an aerosol can in the past. Works really well and fast but the strength of it was enough that I was always worried it could melt the model.
Before going out and buying this product - how many times can it be used, if the army your stripping is multi-coloured? I use alcohol to strip mine and them wash it off with water much like you showed , leave a few days and batch paint into Space Wolf colours using my airbrush.
I've heard you can literally get through an army! I'm going to amend the pinned comment to encourage some answers to this, sure the viewers can assist :)
@@ArtisOpus I did a few boxes worth of zombicide minis using about a litre of this Biostrip. After being a little wasteful with it to start I found that dipping minis in the biostrip and then popping them in to food containers made it last so much longer. You only really need a layer of the stuff for it to work and doing it this way stops your main pot getting 'infected' with all the old paint you've stripped off each mini. Also, always wear gloves. To make it last longer you can reclaim most of the used Biostrip by scrubbing your minis with a toothbrush over/ in the food container. The Biostrip you clean off will be caught in the container rather than being washed away as would happen if done under the tap. Do that then pop the minis in to a bowl of hot, but not boiling water, then after a little soak theat should knock off any remaining paint. Pour the used Biostrip in to its own pot and you can use this just like the fresh stuff, but I found it does tend to take a little longer to get some paints off
@@space_cowboy007 Maybe leave them for an hour or two and the paint should start sliding off. The website from the guys who make it state it should start working within 20-30 minutes so I definitely wouldn't go leaving them over night as I've seen some people recommending. Anothe bonus of dipping and leaving them to stew in a different pot is you can always open it up to check and then seal it up again if they aren't quite ready. If you drop really small minis in to the main pot it can be a pain trying to find them again once they've sunk to the bottom.
Meths is my go to - an initial 5 min soak, then a scrub with a toothbrush, then a 10 -15 min soak and a final scrub gets down to plastic. Had a very limited test on resin, which was ok - basically stripped a spellcrow helmet crest on one of my ultramarines, and there was no damage. Not sure how it performs with GW resin though. Similarly, not seen much on how biostrip works with resin.
It seems to be a firm fav of a lot of people, from the comments it seems biostrip is all good with resins, you just need to soak it for less time (even finecast is apparently o.k.)
Check out our rogue Idol, that's the closest we have for now, but we will get to this at some point once we've worked through the immediate to-do list, I have a few tips which I think could make things way easier for people.
Not heard of this one before, always used detol (horrible mess to clean up) or methylated spirits (generally ok but can be poor on primer), this looks far better than both if a touch more pricey. But will definitely give it a shot next time, anything to make paint stripping easier!
Same as my previous experience dude (+ 95%+ alcohol) - This is *miles* more pleasant, I'm collecting some more info from experienced viewers about life expectancy, and will ensure the pinned comment/description are updated :)
@@ArtisOpus The one thing I can recommend from my experience is an electric toothbrush for cleaning off whatever goop has been used, gets into the gaps well and less scrubbing involved :)
@@ArtisOpus Yeah! Only left the mini's in for 2 hours so maybe another hour but can't complain! Need to get my knife to some of the details (Blightlord terminators) but apart from that.. it was easy! After the scrub I stuck them in a container with soapy water to get any missed bits overnight which helped.
Nice to see, but would like to maybe see it on further painted and maybe older style paint to see how it works. On a primer coat is maybe not an acid test, Bt still great outcome.
I'll definitely get a chance to do this next time I screw up :D. It cut through chaos black primer, which is heavier than almost anything apart from varnish I'd brush on, so I expect it to work wonders!
Great video. Always a pleasure to see the vids you put out. Sadly for me almost all stuff i see in videos cannot be found here in sweden. Think I have to save up some money to pay for the shipping and get me all the stuff from uk i want. 😊
Sorry to hear it. There are a few large Scandinavia retailers that stock AO products and should have reasonable shipping. You might be able to request for them to stock Biostrip 😊
ah, I see you're a fan of 'Angry Yoghurt' too. Can confirm, be careful with resin in there too long, my venomthrope was in 4 hours instead of 3 and he's suffering from some serious brewers droop.
Biostrip is my go to, has been for a few years now. I's advise not putting your models into the pot, I have a tupperware box that I decant into, then strip in that so that I don't contaminate the whole batch. After 2-4 batches, I replace the Biostrip with fresh. I've left plastic in there for 1-2 weeks with no ill effect, its not going to attack the plastic like Nitromors does, so its fine to do so. Its great for stripping back Ebay purchases for repainting from fresh. It even takes off grainy primer which saved some Epic minis I'd got second hand that otherwise would have ended up in the bin. Not done resin with it yet, so that is the on that might go a bit floppy if left... but plastic is totally fine to leave in there for a few days.
I used Modelstrip in the past but found it wouldn't work on a model undercoated with a GW aerosol can. I don't know if it is even still available. Bio strip seems to do the job though. With Modelstrip you applied it to the model and left it in an airtight bag for up to 10 hours. I was wondering if you could leave your Bio strip coated model in a bag to save the paint messing up the whole pot. Just a thought that may be useful. Thank you for a great video.
Methylated spirit strips models quickly and cleanly. It is very cheap and there is no need to soak the models. Aceylic paint comes off in big chunks with a light brushing over with a soft toothbrush.
Thanks Robert, does it have the secondary effect of basically ractivating the paint? Keeping the sink and surrounding area clean without faff was a huge plus of using biostrip for me :)
@@ArtisOpus It lifts the paint off the model. The paint can then be pulled off the toothbrush and binned or left in the bowl and be disposed when you dispose of the methylated spirit. You don't need to soak for very long for it to be effective bit I'd advise using a relatively soft toothbrush so as to not remove any more delicate detail. Methylated spirit works on metal, resin and plastic and doesn't cause any melting or make the paint gloopy like disinfectants or acetone can. It is also very cheap and easily disposed off since you get poor it down the sink as it is water soluble and non toxic when diluted. I've been using it for 20 odd years for various models and it is my number one go to for removing acrylic paint.
I'd be interesting to see if it is as gentle on resin / other adhesives (like CA)... I have a mixed-media Maschinen Krieger scratchbuild with home produced resin parts / plastic / metal, that needs a better paint job, now that I airbrush things.
I use B&Qs own paint stripper, it is also Benzyl Alcohol based, however it is only 1/3rd the price of Biostrip, it works exactly the same and I've left plastic minis in it for days, I partially fill the sink with warm mild soapy water and it rinses right off with a tooth/nail brush
50/50 Vallejo airbrush cleaner and airbrush thinner, 10 minutes and brush. The paint falls off very easily and it looks like its never been painted, much better results than what you just demoed. If you want you can leave to soak for days (though its not really needed) and will not damage anything.
Hi im looking at buying some of this, i was wondering how long the tub (1000ml) will last? Im asking because the paint seems to stain the biostrip and thinking after a few models it might not work
Check out the pinned comment for more users' experiences. From viewer accounts it sounds like it lasts a really long time... some people also decant it into a jam jar or similar to avoid contamination 😊
I would like to see you tackle this Product with different problems. Primed, Varnished, metal paints, thick coat. Etc. Hopefully this Product is easy to import to Sweden, or find a similliar Product here. Oh! And The spray bottle version would be Nice too have a look at!
There's also a product called Super Clean that is an extra concentrated detergent. It will take the paint off of pewter and plastic miniatures with a soak and a little toothbrush, but you're going to want to wear gloves and glasses. Doesn't deposit gunk into your sink, but don't use on resin models unless you want them to melt!
Been using this stuff for a awhile now and you do not want to leave a model in there over night as it does weaken the plastic after awhile and the model will break when you are cleaning it off. It is also not great for resin as it is a thick liquid and seems to get stuck in the more tiny details you get in resin. It will also undo super glue which can be a bonus. Also, when you clean do it with the plug in the sink or you will lose an army or head. Don't get me wrong, it works really well but the longer you leave a model in the weaker they get.
Could of Qs: Does it strip varnished models? You dipped him straight in the pot? Will that degrade the whole pot of stuff? I assume it would pull all the basing material off... further contamination? 😬
This was perfect timing. I messed up priming yellow over black with sprays (didn't leave it 24h between, which I _HIGHLY_ recommend if you are spraying with cans). Sadly, I just checked and cannot get it in Canada from anywhere. If someone knows how, please tell me. Otherwise, I think I'll try some high proof isopropyl alcohol.
@@ArtisOpus I got 70% isopropyl alcohol at my local pharmacy and it was slower but it did the job well enough. Looks like it might be tarnishing the GW plastic though so I might need to try something else. It did not remove the Rustoleum primer but the acrylic primer came off with some patience and a tooth brush.
This is exactly what I do. A couple 5 minute cycles with about 1 part power purple to 4 parts water and the mini is stripped down to grey plastic. Any leftover paint with come off with a toothbrush and warm water.
This kind of video is good as I'd heard about this, but without a reliable recommendation I was unsure, so any type of quick product recommendation or "don't buy" would be good, along with the usual painting advice
Absolutely mate, I'm the same... wish I'd grabbed some to try sooner! If you grab some you won't regret it, such an improvement to an unpleasant process :)
@@ArtisOpus I'd done a lot of research and seen dettol, liquid green, super clean, alcohol among others, but so many varied and inconsistent feedback, probably due to the various products and varnish people use so I'm happy to stick with this, and most environmentally friendly. 👌
I've been using methylated spirits but I've noticed some minor loss of detail on plastic minis some of the time. I haven't found it to give me consistent results.
For beginners, if you just use Tamiya Flat black xf1 as a primer, then paint it with Vallejo paints, or any other acrylic paint. Then if you make a mistake it is very easy to remove all the paint, use a bar of Dettol soap, just shave off about a quarter of the bar into a small dish and dissolve the soap in warm water, do not put the bust into boiling water. Test the water until its lukewarm. Leave it for a few hours and the paint will just fall off. As you all know busts and figures are not cheap, so paint your busts and figures this way until you are confident to use other primers. Good luck fellow painters.
Hey, industrial chemist here. PLEASE wear gloves when working with this product. I don't know what advice or chemical information comes with it, but as far as I can find it contains DMSO and formic acid, both of which can cause skin damage, allergic reactions or worse. DMSO can be easily absorbed through the skin and is known to interfere with other medications. Never be fooled by a "green" product name or lack of smell: if it'll destroy paint, you do not want it on your skin or (worse) in your eyes. It certainly looks safer / greener than old school Nitromors, but please don't treat it as harmless.
PS please paint something organic with your fancy drybrushes, I want to see how they'd help me paint my collection of dragons!
Thanks for the tips Richard, I'm going to add this to the stickied post, and will also ensure to in my follow up video in the future!
There's some very organic stuff planned in the near future, starting with a Gargant :)
I can absolutely confirm that. I got some of that stuff on my fingertips and it didn’t really burn or anything, but my skin became very rough and dry - took about 2 weeks to regenerate. Just wear gloves and be safe.
Genuinely surprised by this. I was wrist deep in some of this for about 2 hours while bulk stripping old models. Other than getting wrinkly fingers, I had no side effects.
@@cptncutleg I think its one of those... 'could' and not will. I'm like you, used it with bare hands for a while and felt no ill effects. However, that doesn't mean it isn't doing something.
@@cptncutleg I think its one of those... 'could' and not will. I'm like you, used it with bare hands for a while and felt no ill effects. However, that doesn't mean it isn't doing something.
Videos like this are great, mixing things up a bit, keeping it fresh. You're a great painter and host!
Guy I need my next fix of start collecting deathwatch!
Thanks very much dude, really appreciate the kind words, we're finding our way, plenty more discovery and mistakes to learn from yet!
The quality of your videos continues to impress! I’ve been stripping figs for a long time, I find no matter the solvent you use it’s always good to add baking soda to your stuff bristled brush, it really helps with getting the crud stuck in the crevices out and won’t cause damage.
This is an amazing tip dude, going to add it to the pinned comment, thanks so much!
I've left models soaking for weeks (because I have been too lazy to sort them out) and I cannot see any issue with the plastic. The paint does come off nice and easy, but I would have to agree and say that 3 short soaks are better than 1 soak of the same duration. It might be worth mentioning too that when I try to strip models that have been primed with Citadel rattle can primer, it is incredibly stubborn to remove. The surface is left chalky and the colour of the primer doesn't entirely go. I don't know if trying to strip the Citadel primer causes an issue or not. All my other models are primed with Vallejo airbrush primer which just falls off the models when put in Biostrip20.
Also, use an old brush to slop Biostrip20 onto models instead of dunking it into the tub. Whatever the reaction with the paint is leaves a slimy painty mess that is crap at stripping models. Or even dip them then use a brush to get it in the recesses, then wang the model on a sheet of tin foil for a while. Sorted : D
I like the full coverage of the hobby! everyone makes mistakes and starting over can be cathartic
Thanks dude, couldn't agree more! Nothing like showing that model who isn't a bad painter by smashing the second attempt :D
I have been using this product to strip models for myself and friends for about 5 years now and its amazing. Tips for resin and finecast though, brush the biostrip on at the sink, move it around with the brush and then rinse off and repeat. I have had friends come to me and say Krist please save this model as they got it 2nd hand and its been covered multiple times with paint. I have been able to save some really expensive Forge World models because of this product. Whenever anyone on a group or forum asks the best thing to strip models, I will always recommend this. I have never used gloves when using this product and I have never had any problems with my skin, definitely be aware of any cuts as it stings like made when you get it in one, trust me!!
Amazing info, thanks for your input! 🥰
Thanks for doing this. The internet is full of videos with American products, so it’s nice to see European products used.
My pleasure dude :)
I haven't heard of bio strip 20 till a friend told me. i had a couple of minis i wanted to repaint or to remove the paint of them. so this stuff was amazing.
Now for my experience with it. It works AMAZINGLY well. i actually forgot a mini in a pot with the bio strip covering it for 2 or so WEEKS and it came out alright. the plastic definitely has degraded a bit since the colour on the plastic was bleaching a bit, but it did not ruin the details that much (Remember, i left it in this solution for about 2 weeks, so overnight wont harm your minis so much).
And if you use plastic glue and made sure the sections where you used that glue has a good bond(Such as rubbing the joints together), Bio Strip wont remove the glue so easily.
The tips are. you definitely need to use the solution twice at-least to remove the paint off the mini completely. and leave it in the solution for about 1 to 2 hours (I prefer 2 hours just to make sure). and of-course clean it the best you can, preferably with warm soapy water as it will help remove the solution off the mini better.
And the solution is re-usable. i think with the same small amount of solution i was able to strip 2 guys completely.
Also, it is safe to handle the solution and dump it down the drain.
thank you so much for responding to my comment it really means a lot
i think later today i will do some more painting i am about halfway done and then i have about 60 more infantry to paint! its gunna be a long journey but im happy to have support from awesome people like you!
You're most welcome, my man! Keep slogging the good slog, you'll get there!
This is the striping method I ended up with and of the once I tested this by far the easiest 😁. I found that when leaving plastic miniatures over night the surface gets kind of rubbery and soft. And also if you strip many miniatures I ware a glove because it tends to dry out my skin. Great video!
Thanks for the tips, we're gonna put this into our pinned comment because it might be useful for others too 😊
USER EXPERIENCES AND TIPS BELOW! Hi guys, Biostrip can be found at the below - can any USA/International viewers please help out with equivalents/places to buy abroad? Also how many uses have you got out of 1litre (or 500ml)?
Thanks for your input and help!
I have a bunch of old models that need to be repainted sooner or later I'll save this for when I get around to it but knowing me that'll probably be never
Haaa, this honestly makes it so much less of a messy faff, you may re-consider, I should have tried it early!
Can't believe I missed this, time to do a binge watch when painting some xmas pressies!!
It's a useful one, dude! I may well be revisiting it soon after i've cleaned up some old minis myself😊
Another paint stripper I recommend is Super clean, it’s a purple liquid that works really well in my experience plus it doesn’t really damage plastic (you need to like soak it for 5 days for that to happen)
Interesting, not heard of this one, we're going to end up with the comments being a repository of fantastic information at this rate!
@@ArtisOpus yeah its nice, you can leave the mini in overnight, only real issue has been really small nooks and crannies that the brush struggles to get in. Dont know if its anywhere other than NA but you i've found it in the car sections of some stores, where they keep the de-greasers.
I have had really good success with Super clean, but you really should wear gloves with it as I have a friend who got it on their skin and had major irritation. Auto parts store usually sell it.
Super Clean is the BOMB.. it also will strip clear coat off of aluminum, so watch out for that. I use it to clean my engine bay on my car and strip paint off my minis. Doesn't harm even .. eeehhh.. finecast nor the slightly better, but still awful, Forge World Resin. But it strips paint like a champ. Done right it will leave all the paint on the bottom of the soaking bin.
THREE NOTES:
1-At full strength it will ETCH CONCRETE (I had a leaky bin on the garage floor and it dissolved part of the concrete.. who knew. Actually make sense when you realize what is in it.
2-At full strength over-night.. it will ETCH (pit) white-metal minis. Not heavily, it is a very fine texture, my 20 strong old school metal Chaos Termies showed it but you cannot tell once painted.
3-Wear Gloves, Do not get in EYES. It is an irritant.
@@meatybtz Wow, this really does sound like strong stuff, which I guess we should expect from the motor industry!
Biostrip has been my go-to friend for a few years now. Many an Infinity model have been plunged into the gloopy stuff.
It removes paint from metal minis perfectly although resin bases tend to not fair too well. That might be my fault though if I’ve left them too long.
Speaking of Infinity minis, I’m having a blast painting them with Artis Opus drybrushed using methods you’ve shown on this channel. Cheers Byron!
Oh wow dude, can you share some pics? I'd love to see.
Also, as an experienced user, how long does 1 litre last, please?
@@ArtisOpus Sure, what’s the best way to share?
I’m sure I’ve used a litre pot for a year or more using it as and when. It gets a bit murky but it remains effective. I replace it when it starts to look unhygienic, you’ll see what I mean eventually 😁
@@crouchingotter Amazing dude, I'll copy this into the pinned comment :)
Fine cast really doesn't enjoy bio bath time ... forgetting it and making coffee really doestnt help either...
@@paulgrant4473 doesn’t the same thing happen though if a slight breeze catches a Finecast model? ;)
This was fantastic, thank you. I'd been on the fence about trying this product out for a while, and now I'm sold!
Amazing bud, exactly what I wanted to do by bringing people's attention to it :)
You can leave over night if needed, that tends to depend on the type of paint on the model. It can struggle with enamel paints for short baths, so leaving it over night, give is a brush, then give it another bath over night tends to break down enamel quite well. I do find its tricky to get into the recesses with brushes to clear paints but you get that with all paint strippers. I am now trying Diall's Paint Remover as its a fair bit cheaper and does not have a harsh smell like others.
So far so good with it, it just struggles with taking off glossy primers - which is where Biostrip will come in handy
Great to hear dude, I've gone through a very steep learning curve, listeners have been super helpful!
I'll probably release a #2 to this once I've screwed up on a few different minis, and have some new practical tested points to share :)
Finally a video about this product. I wanted to first see how to use it and how it works...and obviously the results before buying. I think you convinced me to buy it to strip minis I buy from eBay.
It's perfect for exactly that, makes them a bit of a hidden goldmine
Thanks for this. I decided to get my old childhood minis out the loft from 20 years ago. The paint jobs were so bad! I tried allsorts to strip them to no avail. This stuff did the job in less than an hour. Ready to try my hand at painting again now :)
Amazing to hear, glad it worked well for you! I am sure you'll have a great time and we'll be here to help if there's anything you struggle with😊
You've given me a thought to go back to some of the models I made a mess of years ago and clean them up. And I'm going to do that!
About six years ago, I used a diy spray paint to undercoat them with and all I got was some awful small particle-lumps over them, including the recess.
Since then I learned now to just get the spray paints for the miniatures, not dyi. Unless I test them first before I use them on the models or not.
I had a bad chaos black last month, first issues I've had in 20 years, it can happen any time with them! The DIY/Motor ones do tend to be a fair bit more coarse, so unless you're doing terrain or something I'd stick with the solid ones, chaos black doesn't care about humidity at all, so is great in the UK :D
Have always gone with methylated spirits myself, but will definitely check this out in future, thanks!
In my opinion, it feels less of a strong chemical and it doesn't make a mess which I am more okay with. Definitely worth giving it a try 😊
I thought it was a really refreshing change of pace to cover this man. You have a good voice for this, and I'd welcome whatever creative hobby videos you put out. Cheers mate.
this is really cool if it works as said with no trickery (first time ive seen your channel so you will have to pardon the skepticism) back when i used to do 40K plastic was always a problem as i never could find anything to get the paint off it without it eating the plastic too.
Entirely trickery-free, dude. You don't have to take my word for it, check out the viewers' comments in the pinned one. It really is magic, I'm sure you won't be disappointed. You can let us know how it goes if you decide to give it a go 😊
Love your content Artis Opus!
I only have one thing to ad to this video: electric toothbrush. Game changer, trust me :)
Oh my, you genius!
Hobby adjacent videos are awesome. Breaks up things a bit and never know what you can learn.
Thanks Rob, we'll always try and keep things helpful for as many people as possible, it's a nice change of pace (and allowed me to spend hours painting a gargant, which'll be the next one :)).
Couple things to bear in mind with this stuff: You should really wear gloves with it, if you don't you'll find that your fingers go really smooth to the point of being unable to grip anything for at least a week or so. It also depends how long the paint has been on the minis; the longer the paint has been on the less effective it is. If you used a spray primer the mini will be left with a strong stain finish, which is a pain to try and remove, I just gave up and sprayed over it again. Biostrip is good but I don't think it's the best, Acetone FREE nail varnish remover is better and less messy. Okay it smells(scented) but it does the job much better.
Thanks very much dude, I've learned so much about alternates in the last few days!
I've been looking for a product like this for a good while! Thanks so much for recommending and showing it in use.
My pleasure dude, just wishing I'd discovered it earlier!
Great video, definitely useful! The weaponised primer all around the sink comment had me chuckling for quite a while, bought back memories of spending hours trying to clean a new white ceramic sink... would have been cheaper to buy new minis . Will give this a try and let you know
Oh man, we've all been there!
I used to use Drain-O on pewter figures, it is a crystalized drain cleaning product in the US. It worked wonders in a small heat resistant container, but it does cause quite a lot of heat in the process, as it is a chemical reaction. Harsh, but cheap. (used to use, because I have not used pewter figures in 20 years.)
Great video! Thanks for going over it, I have some minis waiting for me to get my act together and strip them! I've always been concerned about the damage to the models so this seems like a solid solution! Cheers!
Thanks Guy, you're welcome, mate :).
Similar here, it's perfect, doubt you'll be disappointed, it's definitely a game-changer for me!
I've used this stuff a lot.
Half an hour to an hour is enough to shift most paint, varnish and the like, really hard primer can take a few hours. With a second dip you get right down to clean fresh plastic.
This stuff will even break down superglue bonds neatly if left long enough, best stripper I've used by a long shot. No stink, water based so easy to remove. Should be in every hobbyists toolset.
Amazing dude, thanks for the helpful tips! Have you had any issues with it softening after long soaking (perhaps on resin?)
@@ArtisOpus
A quick dip with resin is ok but after a few hours it can soften. For resin I just put some on a toothbrush and gently scrub at it and it most cases it lifts off after a few minutes.
if you do what I did and leave plastic in there for 10 days (I forgot) it will also soften but I've left plastic in for 48 hours and had no issues at all. In most cases 30 mins to 50 mins can shift almost anything and you can wash it off and re-dip.
It's perfect for ebay rescues or fixing those bad screw ups.
@@rankcolour8780 Amazing dude, I'm copying this into the pinned comment, super helpful info - thanks for sharing
This is great! Never heard of this but will order one tonight! Thanks for your videos! Very helpful and fun to watch
Thanks so much for the kind words buddy! It's a great product, I feel sorry for not finding it earlier 😅
Very good tip. I’ll be able to look at poorly painted mini’s on eBay and know what to use to strip them. Thanks for sharing
Our pleasure, dude :)
Awesome vid again Byron will look to invest next time I get paid. Thanks again for your continued hard work supporting us and providing us easy to follow instruction
Cheers, buddy! From what I've heard you get a massive amount of uses out of it, so it should be a solid investment :)
Nice and fast treatment, good to know
Glad to help dude :)
I just used some of this to restore an old dark elf lead model I massacred as a 12 year old, so therapeutic, the thing looks brand new out of the box now. I think I might be addicted to saving old models
I use biostrip but cleaning off the solution I use an old electric toothbrush. I put gloves on and hold the model in an old jam jar under water. Then stick the toothbrush head in the water, switch it on and give it a thorough clean. Takes a while but so worth it, especially on resin models.
Very interesting, I'd never have thought of this, Chris!
@@ArtisOpus try it, just make sure the whole of the brush head stays firmly underwater so it does not spray the gunk everywhere
@@chrisashcroft2111 Thanks dude, I'll give it a go someday, I already got that electric toothbrush I don't use :)
Cool video, something a bit different to normal never hurts. I've been using Biostrip 20 for a while now and I've got to say you absolutely can leave models in for longer than few hours safely. Generally, I do tend to leave mine overnight but I've also had times where I put models in it, been distracted by my 2 year old and forgot about them and gone back to them 2-3 days later and there's no damage to models whatsoever. I will say I have only used it on plastic warhammer models and star wars legion miniatures though in case that makes a difference. Keep the hobby tips coming though!
Thanks very much, Patrick, great to know! I'll add your comment to the pinned one, should be helpful for other Biostrip users 😊
@@ArtisOpus rare moment I might give you advice! haha look forward to your next video! :)
You're a very organized/professional speaker.
Much appreciated, thanks!
Not sure if its available everywhere (Im in USA), but Simple Green works great. Just soak for a day or so in 50/50 Simple Green and Water mix and brush the paint off. I've never had any issues with melt/loss of detail and it completely strips the paint/primer in one go. Simple Green is just an average multi-purpose cleaner, non-toxic, etc. It has a pungent smell but a quick soap/water rinse and it goes pretty quick and doesnt linger.
Sounds perfect mate, I'm going to pin this is the sticky so other US viewers can benefit from the info, cheers! :D
I'm loving a non dettol option in the UK!! Loving the video as always!
Right!? As much as I enjoyed smelling like a retirement home every time I screwed up ^^
@@ArtisOpus Haha definitely! It kills Malifaux as well! 😂
never heard of this before! will definitely be getting some! thanks
Pleasure to be of service 😊
I really enjoyed this video, its nice and informative and a good mixup. Would love to see more model hacks sorta videos!
Thanks so much, bud! More of my interesting discoveries are set to come in future videos😊
thanks for the suggestion I will try it one of those days
My pleasure, dude :D
Bio strip 20 is grate used it a few time and works so well
Entirely agreed, my work feels so much easier since I started using it :)
Very helpful! I’ve been very curious about stripping methods. I’d love to give it a try and be able to offer stripping and repainting as a service for my little paint studio! Thanks!!
Perfect dude, I think it could also have some real merit if you can purchase 2nd hand models that're assembled solidly... but painted badly (thick)
IPA will be more cost effective for you.
Awesome! I was thinking of rescuing some first born marines on eBay but didn’t know what to use to strip the awful paint jobs. Seems like this stuff might help break the glue down as well, double win! 😀
I've heard mixed opinions about what it does to superglue (yes/no) - it left the plastic glue untouched here (I don't glue on marine arms to help painting - let me know how it goes, dude!
how did i miss this video ive been wanting this for ages!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
😅At least now you got it!
@@ArtisOpus ha yeah time to go stip a dozen old marines lol
Look I'm gonna be honest you had me at "How to Strip". the rest is just gravy. I just finished stripping my old models from the 00's using simple green. Worked better than anything I'd tried previously. I haven't heard of this stuff before. When I run out of simple green I'll definitely give this a go
HAAA, whatever gets the youtube algorithm going :D. I've heard of that, not tried it though, this stuff seems great!
Testors Easy Lift Off os what I've been using. Works wonders.
Want to give this other product a whirl now as well. Looks super simple and clean.
Oh really, I've never herd of it, they're a very established brand, so I imagine it's good!
I've used ELO as well and it does work. Also, in the States, you can use LA'S totally awesome.
@@ArtisOpus its a liquid, so prone to all that entails, but works quickly and pretty much just breaks down the paint binders.
@@justarandomname420 Snazzy, how is it for resin/glues etc?
@@johntakacs9441 It sounds like every continent has their options, and they're all different!
Great video. Will surely give a look into it. Have a commission on repainting on a Tau army almost closed.
Hope it goes well for you buddy! Glad to help 😊
Awesome! Got some eBay orks that might need this, and a rolls Royce armoured car that sort of bacame a balls-up. Dunno if it will fit in the tub, may have to be a bit creative with that, but deffo going to try this out!
Sounds perfect Simon! A large zip lock bag may be a useful tool for the vehicle. If not you should be able to brush it on with similar results, even if you have to repeat it a couple of times 😊
Good vid man. I've always been a big advocate of Biostrip. It's a huge time saver. However, it isn't entirely perfect.
Contrary to popular belief it can damage some plastics. Like anything else, plastic can come in various concoctions and Biostrip will eat some of them. Remember, acrylic paint is plastic in nature, and Biostrip breaks that down before your eyes.
Most GW plastics are fine, but it does pay to test first. Leave a bit of sprue in there (especially a piece with writing on) and see what happens after it's been exposed to Biostrip for an hour or two. Like I say, most are fine but I've had some of the stuff GW has made in China lose the definition. It hasn't come out like the guy at the end of RoboCop, but you can definitely tell the plastic has been softened, resulting in loss of definition of the more finely cast bits.
Metal minis? Throw 'em in. Biostrip gives no fucks. This stuff will even strip the metal body shells of die cast cars if you're into Gaslands.
Can you use it on resin? Yes. But testing first is an absolute must. At least Forgeworld are generous enough to give you more waste resin than actual miniature, so those gates can be put to good use. Forgeworld resin is surprisingly hardy, but never soak it in the stuff, just use a little on a toothbrush and scrub carefully. You can take that as the rule of thumb for any resin really; never soak. I had resin from one manufacturer get destroyed by this stuff, so always test first.
I'd still advise using gloves with this stuff. It's a little like handling the resin you use for a 3D printer, you develop a reaction to it over time.
Cheers dude, I'm going to pin this one in the sticky so others can benefit from your knowledge, thanks so much!
This stripping agent works very well also for a more budget alternative Dettol undiluted works wonders if you don’t mind waiting 12 hours and the residue that has to be washed off afterwards
This looks pretty interesting. I’ve used airbrush cleaner from an aerosol can in the past. Works really well and fast but the strength of it was enough that I was always worried it could melt the model.
Exactly, way less abusive and smelly, basically like odourless yoghurt ^^
might have to check this out. really appreciate the vid. definitely never heard of this product
I also just discovered it recently and it has quickly become one of my favourite product! Thanks so much for your support dude
I were already using this product good to see im not alone
It's amazing, just a shame I'm late to the party!
Before going out and buying this product - how many times can it be used, if the army your stripping is multi-coloured? I use alcohol to strip mine and them wash it off with water much like you showed , leave a few days and batch paint into Space Wolf colours using my airbrush.
I've heard you can literally get through an army! I'm going to amend the pinned comment to encourage some answers to this, sure the viewers can assist :)
@@ArtisOpus I did a few boxes worth of zombicide minis using about a litre of this Biostrip. After being a little wasteful with it to start I found that dipping minis in the biostrip and then popping them in to food containers made it last so much longer. You only really need a layer of the stuff for it to work and doing it this way stops your main pot getting 'infected' with all the old paint you've stripped off each mini. Also, always wear gloves.
To make it last longer you can reclaim most of the used Biostrip by scrubbing your minis with a toothbrush over/ in the food container. The Biostrip you clean off will be caught in the container rather than being washed away as would happen if done under the tap. Do that then pop the minis in to a bowl of hot, but not boiling water, then after a little soak theat should knock off any remaining paint. Pour the used Biostrip in to its own pot and you can use this just like the fresh stuff, but I found it does tend to take a little longer to get some paints off
@@mattnottm8363 very nice answer! How long do you leave the miniature with its layer of biostrip in the food container before scrubbing it?
@@space_cowboy007 Maybe leave them for an hour or two and the paint should start sliding off. The website from the guys who make it state it should start working within 20-30 minutes so I definitely wouldn't go leaving them over night as I've seen some people recommending. Anothe bonus of dipping and leaving them to stew in a different pot is you can always open it up to check and then seal it up again if they aren't quite ready. If you drop really small minis in to the main pot it can be a pain trying to find them again once they've sunk to the bottom.
Thanks for testing this for us!
My pleasure dude! I'll be here sharing more future discoveries :)
Thanks for the video! Looks like a great product
No worries dude!
Meths is my go to - an initial 5 min soak, then a scrub with a toothbrush, then a 10 -15 min soak and a final scrub gets down to plastic. Had a very limited test on resin, which was ok - basically stripped a spellcrow helmet crest on one of my ultramarines, and there was no damage. Not sure how it performs with GW resin though. Similarly, not seen much on how biostrip works with resin.
It seems to be a firm fav of a lot of people, from the comments it seems biostrip is all good with resins, you just need to soak it for less time (even finecast is apparently o.k.)
Would be interested in videos on preparation of models. Especially metal and resin when the surface might be rough, there’s air voids, etc.
Check out our rogue Idol, that's the closest we have for now, but we will get to this at some point once we've worked through the immediate to-do list, I have a few tips which I think could make things way easier for people.
This is great! Thanks for sharing! Don’t know if I can source Biostrip in our country, but it’d be great to try it out
You're so welcome bud! Check out the pinned comment for viewers suggestions on alternative products 😊
Not heard of this one before, always used detol (horrible mess to clean up) or methylated spirits (generally ok but can be poor on primer), this looks far better than both if a touch more pricey. But will definitely give it a shot next time, anything to make paint stripping easier!
Same as my previous experience dude (+ 95%+ alcohol) - This is *miles* more pleasant, I'm collecting some more info from experienced viewers about life expectancy, and will ensure the pinned comment/description are updated :)
@@ArtisOpus The one thing I can recommend from my experience is an electric toothbrush for cleaning off whatever goop has been used, gets into the gaps well and less scrubbing involved :)
@@adam3088 Not a bad idea, will definitely give it a go some time :)
I have used this stuff yesterday! Great results!
Amazing, it's so nice and clean, and user-friendly, right?
@@ArtisOpus Yeah! Only left the mini's in for 2 hours so maybe another hour but can't complain! Need to get my knife to some of the details (Blightlord terminators) but apart from that.. it was easy! After the scrub I stuck them in a container with soapy water to get any missed bits overnight which helped.
Good stuff, glad it went so smooth! :) I used a super stiff nylon brush, found it valuable (although it flicks paint far!)
@@ArtisOpus Never thought of that 🤔 I went for the old school toothbrush 😂 it did the job 😁👍🏻
Nice to see, but would like to maybe see it on further painted and maybe older style paint to see how it works. On a primer coat is maybe not an acid test, Bt still great outcome.
I'll definitely get a chance to do this next time I screw up :D. It cut through chaos black primer, which is heavier than almost anything apart from varnish I'd brush on, so I expect it to work wonders!
@@ArtisOpus great stuff. Like to see if it can deal with those old enamels :)
Great video. Always a pleasure to see the vids you put out. Sadly for me almost all stuff i see in videos cannot be found here in sweden. Think I have to save up some money to pay for the shipping and get me all the stuff from uk i want. 😊
Sorry to hear it. There are a few large Scandinavia retailers that stock AO products and should have reasonable shipping. You might be able to request for them to stock Biostrip 😊
ah, I see you're a fan of 'Angry Yoghurt' too. Can confirm, be careful with resin in there too long, my venomthrope was in 4 hours instead of 3 and he's suffering from some serious brewers droop.
Thanks, Dick - no one wants their mini drooping! I guess keeping it at 2h or less for safety is probably a good idea
Biostrip is my go to,
has been for a few years now.
I's advise not putting your models into the pot, I have a tupperware box that I decant into, then strip in that so that I don't contaminate the whole batch. After 2-4 batches, I replace the Biostrip with fresh.
I've left plastic in there for 1-2 weeks with no ill effect, its not going to attack the plastic like Nitromors does, so its fine to do so.
Its great for stripping back Ebay purchases for repainting from fresh.
It even takes off grainy primer which saved some Epic minis I'd got second hand that otherwise would have ended up in the bin.
Not done resin with it yet, so that is the on that might go a bit floppy if left... but plastic is totally fine to leave in there for a few days.
Amazing, good to hear, I'm definitely going to be testing this out more in the future :)
I used Modelstrip in the past but found it wouldn't work on a model undercoated with a GW aerosol can. I don't know if it is even still available. Bio strip seems to do the job though. With Modelstrip you applied it to the model and left it in an airtight bag for up to 10 hours. I was wondering if you could leave your Bio strip coated model in a bag to save the paint messing up the whole pot. Just a thought that may be useful. Thank you for a great video.
Absolutely mate, may enable you to fit tall or unhelpful models somewhere too!
Methylated spirit strips models quickly and cleanly. It is very cheap and there is no need to soak the models. Aceylic paint comes off in big chunks with a light brushing over with a soft toothbrush.
Thanks Robert, does it have the secondary effect of basically ractivating the paint? Keeping the sink and surrounding area clean without faff was a huge plus of using biostrip for me :)
@@ArtisOpus It lifts the paint off the model. The paint can then be pulled off the toothbrush and binned or left in the bowl and be disposed when you dispose of the methylated spirit. You don't need to soak for very long for it to be effective bit I'd advise using a relatively soft toothbrush so as to not remove any more delicate detail. Methylated spirit works on metal, resin and plastic and doesn't cause any melting or make the paint gloopy like disinfectants or acetone can. It is also very cheap and easily disposed off since you get poor it down the sink as it is water soluble and non toxic when diluted. I've been using it for 20 odd years for various models and it is my number one go to for removing acrylic paint.
@@CloningIsTooGoodForSheep Amazing thank you very much for the thorough info :)
Defintely find this useful.
I'll find any information you have to share useful.
Thanks so much buddy! I'll make sure to share future interesting discoveries :)
This was great. More of this is welcome.
Thanks so much bud! More is coming 👀😊
I used acetone once, I know have a librarian that looks like he was on the loosing end of an argument with a heavy flamer.
😂😂 Oh no dude, sounds like the type of mistake you only make once.
I'd be interesting to see if it is as gentle on resin / other adhesives (like CA)... I have a mixed-media Maschinen Krieger scratchbuild with home produced resin parts / plastic / metal, that needs a better paint job, now that I airbrush things.
Hey Paul, you should be fine. Have a look at the pinned comment to see other viewers' experience with resin 😊
Very useful, subscribed.
Awesome, thank you! Welcome aboard👨🎨
I should give this a shot. I used dettol once on a bunch of old metal models and it took about a month for the smell to go away.
Yea dude, I know your pain 😩 This thing is practically odourless and way more convenient 😊
Thanks for adding the link. Just bought a litre :)
Amazing, NP dude, hopefully we can get some global customers and input on how long it lasts, and where to get it!
Thanks for this, really helpful!
My pleasure, dude :)
I've used biostrip for ages, it's fine to leave models in for ages. I forgot and left a squad of marines in there for a week! They were fine.
Oh amazing bud, I'll put this in the pinned comment, cheers!
I use B&Qs own paint stripper, it is also Benzyl Alcohol based, however it is only 1/3rd the price of Biostrip, it works exactly the same and I've left plastic minis in it for days, I partially fill the sink with warm mild soapy water and it rinses right off with a tooth/nail brush
Thanks for the tip dude, I presume eye protection/gloves are a good idea?
50/50 Vallejo airbrush cleaner and airbrush thinner, 10 minutes and brush. The paint falls off very easily and it looks like its never been painted, much better results than what you just demoed. If you want you can leave to soak for days (though its not really needed) and will not damage anything.
Thanks for the tip dude
Gonna have to try that one
Hi im looking at buying some of this, i was wondering how long the tub (1000ml) will last? Im asking because the paint seems to stain the biostrip and thinking after a few models it might not work
Check out the pinned comment for more users' experiences. From viewer accounts it sounds like it lasts a really long time... some people also decant it into a jam jar or similar to avoid contamination 😊
And now I need to get some of this
100% recommended! You can share your experience with us after trying it :)
Perfect Byron, thanks for this mate!
My pleasure, Tim :)
@@ArtisOpus sorry I’ve been AWOL recently!
I used to use general car Brake fluid and a tooth brush. But that was with metal figures.
This one's come up a lot! I think it may be a bit strong for resins at the very least
I would like to see you tackle this Product with different problems. Primed, Varnished, metal paints, thick coat. Etc. Hopefully this Product is easy to import to Sweden, or find a similliar Product here.
Oh! And The spray bottle version would be Nice too have a look at!
Great ideas, I'll certainly return to it in the future after I've had opportunity to experiment (and screw up) more! :D
There's also a product called Super Clean that is an extra concentrated detergent. It will take the paint off of pewter and plastic miniatures with a soak and a little toothbrush, but you're going to want to wear gloves and glasses. Doesn't deposit gunk into your sink, but don't use on resin models unless you want them to melt!
Interesting! I've heard this mentioned a few times. We'll pin it for other people's use 😊 Thanks man!
Been using this stuff for a awhile now and you do not want to leave a model in there over night as it does weaken the plastic after awhile and the model will break when you are cleaning it off. It is also not great for resin as it is a thick liquid and seems to get stuck in the more tiny details you get in resin. It will also undo super glue which can be a bonus. Also, when you clean do it with the plug in the sink or you will lose an army or head. Don't get me wrong, it works really well but the longer you leave a model in the weaker they get.
Amazing info Shane, I'll credit and copy this into the pinned comment
Hi dude love the channel quick question Would this work on unprimed minis that were painted with humbrol enamels?
It should, I would imagine, maybe just a little soaking time needed. Please let us know in another comment if you test it out, and how it went!
Could of Qs:
Does it strip varnished models?
You dipped him straight in the pot? Will that degrade the whole pot of stuff?
I assume it would pull all the basing material off... further contamination? 😬
This was perfect timing. I messed up priming yellow over black with sprays (didn't leave it 24h between, which I _HIGHLY_ recommend if you are spraying with cans). Sadly, I just checked and cannot get it in Canada from anywhere. If someone knows how, please tell me. Otherwise, I think I'll try some high proof isopropyl alcohol.
Thanks so much for your comment! Any Canadian painters? Help a brother out😊
@@ArtisOpus I got 70% isopropyl alcohol at my local pharmacy and it was slower but it did the job well enough. Looks like it might be tarnishing the GW plastic though so I might need to try something else. It did not remove the Rustoleum primer but the acrylic primer came off with some patience and a tooth brush.
Iv seen people using an airbrush for the clean up could you maybe do a video on your result with that too please
How exactly would I go about using my airbrush? 😊
Any chance you would do a zenithal highlighting/priming video using drybrushing?
This is a fantastic idea, to be clear you'd like it done 100% drbrush, or zenithal and then drybrush? zenithal airbrush + drybrush is very powerful
@@ArtisOpus I do not own an airbrush, so I would say 100% drybrush.
I use the iso alcohol stuff but it seems to soften my models a lot, will have to check this out
This seems to be said a lot, I hope it works out nicely for you 😊
I’ve used “Purple Power” from Walmart in a ultrasonic for metal miniatures.
Very interesting! Does the ultrasonic make a big difference? I'll copy and paste this and put it in the pinned post, thanks for the suggestion :)
@@ArtisOpus
The ultrasonic gets the paint in the tightest spot. Toothbrush finishes it.
This is exactly what I do. A couple 5 minute cycles with about 1 part power purple to 4 parts water and the mini is stripped down to grey plastic. Any leftover paint with come off with a toothbrush and warm water.
This kind of video is good as I'd heard about this, but without a reliable recommendation I was unsure, so any type of quick product recommendation or "don't buy" would be good, along with the usual painting advice
Absolutely mate, I'm the same... wish I'd grabbed some to try sooner! If you grab some you won't regret it, such an improvement to an unpleasant process :)
@@ArtisOpus I'd done a lot of research and seen dettol, liquid green, super clean, alcohol among others, but so many varied and inconsistent feedback, probably due to the various products and varnish people use so I'm happy to stick with this, and most environmentally friendly. 👌
I've been using methylated spirits but I've noticed some minor loss of detail on plastic minis some of the time. I haven't found it to give me consistent results.
The loss of detail is a big worry and one of the big strengths of this product.... they sure ain't cheap these days 😀
I tried meths, it's very bad compared to ISO. Also meths has a lot of toxic chemicals used in manufacturing. Try Biostrip or ISO.
Looks fast and easy
Absolutely, Jim, super useful!
For beginners, if you just use Tamiya Flat black xf1 as a primer, then paint it with Vallejo paints, or any other acrylic paint. Then if you make a mistake it is very easy to remove all the paint, use a bar of Dettol soap, just shave off about a quarter of the bar into a small dish and dissolve the soap in warm water, do not put the bust into boiling water. Test the water until its lukewarm. Leave it for a few hours and the paint will just fall off. As you all know busts and figures are not cheap, so paint your busts and figures this way until you are confident to use other primers. Good luck fellow painters.
Oh wow, I did not know this! Amazing tip.