Straight Jacket Repainting

[Jurist]

I'm considering acquiring a cheap Straight Jacket frame that is badly in need of repainting. This would be my first painting attempt, so just want to make sure I'm not missing anything obvious or diving into a bigger job than I expect.

Here is what the frame looks like:

My question is really just...what needs to be done to prep it for repainting?

The original paint or "wrap" is peeling off, so I assume it will need to be fully removed before applying anything on top. Does anyone know whether that top layer can be peeled off, or will it require some other removal method (abrasion, chemical, etc)? If getting these in shape to paint is likely to take a lot of effort, I won't bother with these at all.

Thanks in advance for any input.

 

[Codechimp08]

that makes me sad.... Black Chrome is awesome.

 

[gen1]

For a perfect paint job, the best option is to leave it to a professional.

As an alternative, if you have an air compressor and an airbrush at home,
you could also paint it yourself using the appropriate paint and finishing materials.

However, if that's not feasible, using a rattle can (spray paint) is also a decent option.
While the quality won’t match that of a professional job or using specialized tools,
the big advantage is the ease of making your own customized pair with your own hands.

That said, after painting, you must apply a proper finishing coat to ensure durability—even when worn.

In my case, I had an FMJ Straight Jacket 1.0. Before painting, I lightly sanded only the areas where the surface was peeling using 600-grit sandpaper, then applied spray paint.

Hope you find a suitable method and enjoy the customization process!

 

[Jurist]

For a perfect paint job, the best option is to leave it to a professional.

As an alternative, if you have an air compressor and an airbrush at home,
you could also paint it yourself using the appropriate paint and finishing materials.

However, if that's not feasible, using a rattle can (spray paint) is also a decent option.
While the quality won’t match that of a professional job or using specialized tools,
the big advantage is the ease of making your own customized pair with your own hands.

That said, after painting, you must apply a proper finishing coat to ensure durability—even when worn.

In my case, I had an FMJ Straight Jacket 1.0. Before painting, I lightly sanded only the areas where the surface was peeling using 600-grit sandpaper, then applied spray paint.

Hope you find a suitable method and enjoy the customization process!

Excellent info, thank you. It sounds like removing the existing finish via sanding should be easy enough. Think I will try it out, hope to post the results here eventually.

 

[Kudosia]

Excellent info, thank you. It sounds like removing the existing finish via sanding should be easy enough. Think I will try it out, hope to post the results here eventually.

Pop the lenses out, stick your nail under the icons to remove them (get some ultra thin double sided tape to put them back) remove the arms and rubbers and use nitromors to remove the paint, i know it sounds mental and would ruin the plastic but its fine if you dont leave it long just chuck it all in a bag together for 10 minutes then wash it off by hand, finest grade wet and dry to finish it and give the paint something to grab onto, get a cheap airbrush they are so easy to use and allow for smoother work not to mention the colour choices. Ive done loads.

 

[Jurist]

Pop the lenses out, stick your nail under the icons to remove them (get some ultra thin double sided tape to put them back) remove the arms and rubbers and use nitromors to remove the paint, i know it sounds mental and would ruin the plastic but its fine if you dont leave it long just chuck it all in a bag together for 10 minutes then wash it off by hand, finest grade wet and dry to finish it and give the paint something to grab onto, get a cheap airbrush they are so easy to use and allow for smoother work not to mention the colour choices. Ive done loads.

Thanks for the reply, that's really good info to have as a beginner. Ended up not getting the frames I was going to use, but will be a lot more likely to try in the future having this approach in mind.

 

[Jurist]

Pop the lenses out, stick your nail under the icons to remove them (get some ultra thin double sided tape to put them back) remove the arms and rubbers and use nitromors to remove the paint, i know it sounds mental and would ruin the plastic but its fine if you dont leave it long just chuck it all in a bag together for 10 minutes then wash it off by hand, finest grade wet and dry to finish it and give the paint something to grab onto, get a cheap airbrush they are so easy to use and allow for smoother work not to mention the colour choices. Ive done loads.

I do have questions about replacing the icons though. I assume there are reasons to use double-sided tape rather than some sort of glue...guessing it's because it's easier to remove the icons again in the future using tape, and it's less likely to cause damage when removing them? Also, does it hold up well over time in your experience? I'm imagining moisture exposure in particular might be more of a problem with the tape than some sort of glue.

 

[Kudosia]

I do have questions about replacing the icons though. I assume there are reasons to use double-sided tape rather than some sort of glue...guessing it's because it's easier to remove the icons again in the future using tape, and it's less likely to cause damage when removing them? Also, does it hold up well over time in your experience? I'm imagining moisture exposure in particular might be more of a problem with the tape than some sort of glue.

As long as you buy a quality one like a 3m it will hold just as well as new, its never been an issue with any ive done, the one I use is clear, paper thin and readily available on amazon etc, the hard part is cutting it to shape, glue is messy and has a high chance of squishing out the edges and ruining the finish

 

[Jurist]

As long as you buy a quality one like a 3m it will hold just as well as new, its never been an issue with any ive done, the one I use is clear, paper thin and readily available on amazon etc, the hard part is cutting it to shape, glue is messy and has a high chance of squishing out the edges and ruining the finish

Makes sense, I'm just surprised to find out it holds up well. Very good stuff, much appreciated

 

[Kudosia]

Thanks for the reply, that's really good info to have as a beginner. Ended up not getting the frames I was going to use, but will be a lot more likely to try in the future having this approach in mind.