Flaking Paint! (3 Viewers)

[rpk]

Has anyone experienced paint flaking off a K&C figure similar to what is showing in the attached photo? I'm able to do minor touch ups, etc., but this effectively needs a strip and repaint. The paint comes off on your fingers if you handle the figure. Seems to be mostly the flesh and sand colors. You can see the primer underneath, so it isn't that they weren't primed. Picked these up from a fellow collector, and they had no problems in the box (i.e. they weren't shedding, or bad out of the box until you held them). Hands are clean/free of anything that would stick to the paint. I have hundreds of K&C figures, but this is a first. Maybe some bad paint? Very frustrating.



-Rich

 

[Cyber Field Marshall]

Wow those guys are definitely using too much sunblock!!! {eek3} Over the years I've had some K&C (both older and newer releases) pieces with minor flakes, dings, bends, breaks etc but nothing as overt as that!

 

[mikemiller1955]

never seen anything like that...they look like they are having a chemical reaction to something...prehaps someone accidently sprayed them with something before you got them...

 

[Mitch]

Funny you should mention this I have just had two WSS figures helmets that have cracked and peeled like this. they were the saluting Heer officer and the marching officer. Can't recall the numbers but, were relatively new figures.

looks like the Figarti issues and wonder if a change, or cheaper primers have been used
Mitch

 

[jazzeum]

A few months ago I sold a figure like that and it too had problems. Hope it's not catching.

 

[rpk]

Thanks for the input guys, I appreciate it. I don't think the figure had anything put on it. The leather is glossy and the rest is matte as usual (no different than any others I have), but I'm checking just in case. This actually reminded me that I did have this happen before, just not as bad. Picked up some of the AK figures with the great coats and a couple had large chunks of the great coat brown color flake off, but nothing else I recall (checked them after remembering it). Don't really handle my figures much, beyond putting them in a display case, and have a number of later AK sets still boxed. Kind of afraid to open them now!

 

[_FLYNN_86]

Scary stuff, I'm going to check some of my stored figures tomorrow.

 

[Guy]

This is aweful.Looks very bad .Had a look at all my K&C figurines. Nothing so far. I think there is only one thing to do. Strip the paint from the figures , put them back in primer and do a repaint. If it is only the flesh and sand colour the cause could lay in the paint and not in the primer ( primer seems ok to me)
guy

 

[wayne556517]

Had the same problem (Not as bad) with the same figures and a few more AK,had to PAY John O'Brien to fix them.

 

[jazzeum]

Thanks for the input guys, I appreciate it. I don't think the figure had anything put on it. The leather is glossy and the rest is matte as usual (no different than any others I have), but I'm checking just in case. This actually reminded me that I did have this happen before, just not as bad. Picked up some of the AK figures with the great coats and a couple had large chunks of the great coat brown color flake off, but nothing else I recall (checked them after remembering it). Don't really handle my figures much, beyond putting them in a display case, and have a number of later AK sets still boxed. Kind of afraid to open them now!

I live out in Jersey so if you need someone to repaint/fix the figures, please let me know as I have an expert painter. When he's done with it, it will look better than a perfect one.

Brad

 

[PanzerAce1944]

Has anyone experienced paint flaking off a K&C figure similar to what is showing in the attached photo? I'm able to do minor touch ups, etc., but this effectively needs a strip and repaint. The paint comes off on your fingers if you handle the figure. Seems to be mostly the flesh and sand colors. You can see the primer underneath, so it isn't that they weren't primed. Picked these up from a fellow collector, and they had no problems in the box (i.e. they weren't shedding, or bad out of the box until you held them). Hands are clean/free of anything that would stick to the paint. I have hundreds of K&C figures, but this is a first. Maybe some bad paint? Very frustrating.

View attachment 127966

-Rich

In the 6 years I have been collecting K&C I have never seen anything like that before. How often were these figures handled ? If there is anything on the handlers hands it may have had a reaction to the paint. Did you try contacting King&Country directly ??? as they may offer to replace them for you if you ask :salute::

 

[Lo1863]

I would recommend the same as PanzerAce above. I had some paint flake off a few Britains figures (although not as extreme) and contacted Richard and was sent top-notch replacements. I am sure K&C would do the same. Sorry my friend, I can feel your pain for sure.

 

[rpk]

This is aweful.Looks very bad .Had a look at all my K&C figurines. Nothing so far. I think there is only one thing to do. Strip the paint from the figures , put them back in primer and do a repaint. If it is only the flesh and sand colour the cause could lay in the paint and not in the primer ( primer seems ok to me)
guy

Hi Guy,

Mixed up some Vallejo tanned flesh color and painted some of the spots on the legs. After everything had dried I touched the new paint, and it didn't come up. I then tried scratching it, and it didn't come up either, so I think the primer is okay (at least the Vallejo paint stuck to it pretty solidly). The factory applied paint will come up in noticeable chunks if you hold the figure for a few seconds and release (sticks to your fingers), so I'm hesitant to keep any of it for fear of future flaking if I get the current flaked areas touched up. I think I'd be up for trying a repaint myself, but the one concern I have is the smaller detail like rank, watch face, etc. Eye sight isn't as good as when I was younger, so don't know I'd be able to pull that off.

-Rich

 

[ChrisTay]

My PM023 British Tommy Marching has the same issue. First one came like this, flaking paint. Had it replaced. Second replacement piece had less flaking pain. So, touch it up and gave the whole figure a light Matt coat. Just did not want to waste time shipping back and forth. I suspect the whole batch was not good. Maybe the process after primer had contaminants. Not sure.

Chris

 

[rpk]

In the 6 years I have been collecting K&C I have never seen anything like that before. How often were these figures handled ? If there is anything on the handlers hands it may have had a reaction to the paint. Did you try contacting King&Country directly ??? as they may offer to replace them for you if you ask :salute::

I've never seen anything that severe as well. I have 400+ sets, and have seen nicks, dings, small chips/flakes, cracking, etc. but nothing this bad. The figures haven't been handled much, and had only been displayed briefly by a very conscientious collector prior to myself acquiring them. Definitely not abused, as they came out of the box in good shape, just can't touch the figure body without fear of paint flaking. Only thing I can think of was they were delivered on a hot day (well, for this area, in the 80's), so might have been sitting in the UPS truck for awhile before delivered. Actually was home when delivered, so they didn't sit out in the elements or anything, and were wrapped very well (individually wrapped, then packed with Styrofoam peanuts in a larger outer box). I've had much worse situations with K&C figures and delivery, with no issues, so I'm not sold on that possibility. Just grasping at straws to explain this, as it is so unusual.

Didn't contact K&C, as I figure it is a secondary market purchase, so am not sure what they can do.

 

[cantinetozzo]

Has anyone experienced paint flaking off a K&C figure similar to what is showing in the attached photo? I'm able to do minor touch ups, etc., but this effectively needs a strip and repaint. The paint comes off on your fingers if you handle the figure. Seems to be mostly the flesh and sand colors. You can see the primer underneath, so it isn't that they weren't primed. Picked these up from a fellow collector, and they had no problems in the box (i.e. they weren't shedding, or bad out of the box until you held them). Hands are clean/free of anything that would stick to the paint. I have hundreds of K&C figures, but this is a first. Maybe some bad paint? Very frustrating.

View attachment 127966

-Rich

This is exactly what i wrote some time ago, there are certain batches (or maybe ranges) of figures with bad quality painting.I can see they are Afrika Korps from 2010..AK062 & AK068 (my latest purchase) had some serious flaking problems too, i had to repaint a nipple to AK062 and most of the shorts and cap..really a difficult enterprise (you have to find the right hue of the skin) .With AK068 the flaking was concentrated mainly on the top of the helmet .The same goes for some club figures (Dolittle mainly).I reccomend the sellers to check particularly these ranges to avoid problems
.

 

[Blowtorch]

If it was just two figs from one collector, I would think it was somthing he did like poor storage conditions, but given that other people are affected, I'm more likely to think it's greasy fingers at the factory. Perhaps the figs were painted in a very hot month, and I bet the only air conditioning at the facility is in the manager's office...certainly not in the workshop where the artisans must be sweating profusely. I would love to be wrong.

 

[PanzerAce1944]

I've never seen anything that severe as well. I have 400+ sets, and have seen nicks, dings, small chips/flakes, cracking, etc. but nothing this bad. The figures haven't been handled much, and had only been displayed briefly by a very conscientious collector prior to myself acquiring them. Definitely not abused, as they came out of the box in good shape, just can't touch the figure body without fear of paint flaking. Only thing I can think of was they were delivered on a hot day (well, for this area, in the 80's), so might have been sitting in the UPS truck for awhile before delivered. Actually was home when delivered, so they didn't sit out in the elements or anything, and were wrapped very well (individually wrapped, then packed with Styrofoam peanuts in a larger outer box). I've had much worse situations with K&C figures and delivery, with no issues, so I'm not sold on that possibility. Just grasping at straws to explain this, as it is so unusual.

Didn't contact K&C, as I figure it is a secondary market purchase, so am not sure what they can do.

You say you got these figures on the secondary market it would be hard to say what the previous owner had on his hands when handling the figures ^&confuse Seems to look like a reaction to a chemical substance of some type.
As discussed already here on the forum it is always a good idea to wash ones hands with soap and water prior to handling these figures. I have around 200 K&C figures and not one has a peeling paint issue :wink2:
Either way good luck with this !

 

[BLReed]

If it was just two figs from one collector, I would think it was somthing he did like poor storage conditions, but given that other people are affected, I'm more likely to think it's greasy fingers at the factory. Perhaps the figs were painted in a very hot month, and I bet the only air conditioning at the facility is in the manager's office...certainly not in the workshop where the artisans must be sweating profusely. I would love to be wrong.

I actually have no idea, but there was some talk several years ago amounst Stadden collectors not to store in Oak Cabinets. I don't like oak anyway so I didn't pay it any mind. Here is a link, but it maybe one for Swoops.... That said, if true I'd think it would take years.
http://www.ebay.com/gds/CARE-CLEANING-AND-RESTORATION-OF-LEAD-FIGURES/10000000010281571/g.html
"There is no greater enemy to a collector than lead disease, more commonly known as "lead rot" or "lead cancer". Easily identified by the white or grey residue or powder. Corrosion may be so severe as to completely consume the piece. There are many culprits to this condition, but some of the leading causes are high temperatures in an oak cabinet which forms high levels of acetic acid, stagnant air in oak cabinets which form high levels of acetic acid, even if the figures are not touching the wood, high humidity in the cabinet, immersion in water, such as New Orleans flood. A rule of thumb is, hard woods emit higher levels of acetic acid, but all wood emits some acetic acid, so a non wood cabinet is the best storage solution."

 

[rpk]

You say you got these figures on the secondary market it would be hard to say what the previous owner had on his hands when handling the figures ^&confuse Seems to look like a reaction to a chemical substance of some type.
As discussed already here on the forum it is always a good idea to wash ones hands with soap and water prior to handling these figures. I have around 200 K&C figures and not one has a peeling paint issue :wink2:
Either way good luck with this !

Contacted the previous owner, a member of this forum, and don't believe these were stored or handled inappropriately. I purchased a few items from him, and didn't have a problem with everything. I'm somewhat of a perfectionist when it comes to most things, so don't handle figures unless my hands are clean. I actually had to lower my standards years ago, as I've received dinged/chipped/imperfect items from every manufacturer (I have products from at least 5 different manufacturers), but issues are usually small. The only other time I'm seen this myself, but to a lesser degree, was with set AK067, purchased a couple years ago. I pretty much decided I'd just touch it up, so didn't do anything at the time (of course I still haven't got to it...). At that time I received 5 different AK figures from the same time period, with the same theme (great coats). Others seem fine (just inspected them a few minutes ago just to double-check). What I'm seeing appears to be a trend though with some people having issues with the AK series released in 2010/09. Between the posts and sources I have I've noted the following have had issues with flaking to some degree: AK062, AK063, AK064, AK065, AK067, AK068. With the sets I'm familiar with directly the flesh color is the worst.