Model Railroading > "Bare metal" paint?

Gents and Ma'ams: Can someone recommend a paint that's good for resembling the bare steel look on something like the teeth in a logging donkey's geartrain, the bare metal but not rusty look? I've seen reference to some of the military modeler's use of metallic paints to do the job, but never a specific paint brand and color.

Any suggestions someone wants to pass along would be great. The Camp 18 contest is fast approaching ...

Thank you!
Jeff Johnston

Try some stuff long available in craft stores 
called  Rub'n'Buff. It is sold in small  tubes
and appears to be metallic pigment suspended
in a wax or oil paint base. It is available in many
metal hues, but I've found that "Pewter" represents
bare iron/steel quite well on any surface. You literally just rub 
on instead of painting it on. A little goes a long way and
it's quite durable when applied.
George Andrassy 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/04/23 13:55 by Auburnrail.

I was just now (Really!) wondering what I should use to make the treads on my M1A1 tanks' look 'used' so thye'd look good on my new, and awesome, Spring Mills Depot DODX Transport Cars, and here is my answer. Thanks, Jeff, for asking, and auburnrail, for answering the question for me. And, oddly enough, I have Rub.'n Buff on hand! Lucky day for me!

Depends on how "polished" you want the metal to look. For something like the teeth of gears that are being used, I would buy a Sharpie silver marker and cut the tip to a fine point with a xacto blade and mark the gear teeth. Sharpie sells markers in silver, gold and bronze in a 3-pack at Walmart if you can find them in stock. I find the markers useful for all kinds of detail work. For something really polished like a hydrualic ram, many modelers use fine chrome trim film. The stuff is decal film and can be applied to most surfaces using a delicate touch.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

> that's good for resembling the bare steel look on
> something like the teeth in a logging donkey's
> geartrain, the bare metal but not rusty look?

I use Prismacolor pencils - both the hard and the soft for all sorts of bare metal wear, dings, and spotting. Any art store and craft stores.

https://www.vms-supplies.com/pigment-no-25

moose Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I was just now (Really!) wondering what I should
> use to make the treads on my M1A1 tanks' look
> 'used' so thye'd look good on my new, and awesome,
> Spring Mills Depot DODX Transport Cars, and here
> is my answer. Thanks, Jeff, for asking, and
> auburnrail, for answering the question for me.
> And, oddly enough, I have Rub.'n Buff on hand!
> Lucky day for me!

Don't go crazy on the bare metal on tank tracks.  They tend to get a layer of dirt, rust, and corrosion on them rapidly.     Most tank tracks have a worn metal brownish hue, with small amounts of rust.  The track pads are worn rubber.

Gary B.
Waverly, NE

binder001 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> moose Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I was just now (Really!) wondering what I
> should
> > use to make the treads on my M1A1 tanks' look
> > 'used' so thye'd look good on my new, and
> awesome,
> > Spring Mills Depot DODX Transport Cars, and
> here
> > is my answer. Thanks, Jeff, for asking, and
> > auburnrail, for answering the question for me.
> > And, oddly enough, I have Rub.'n Buff on hand!
> > Lucky day for me!
>
> Don't go crazy on the bare metal on tank tracks. 
> They tend to get a layer of dirt, rust, and
> corrosion on them rapidly.     Most tank tracks
> have a worn metal brownish hue, with small amounts
> of rust.  The track pads are worn rubber.
>
> Gary B.
> Waverly, NE

Though a couple new track sections with their bare unrusted metal and new rubber pads does add a bit of variety.