This is a reference for a panting process I've developed to make anything you can paint, look like metal. I worked this out in painting my final two EvilDeadcChainsaws.com Mechanical Arms in 2020. In that arm, you have various plastic resin cast parts, which both have to look like metal but also rub against each other and other parts. I was previously doing a primer > chrome spray paint > dirty down, process, and while it looked okay enough, it could wear off where plastic was rubbing in plastic over time, it is wasn't ideal.
This new process needs to be done in a specific order with specific materials, otherwise you may have issues down the line with the finish not being as durable as it could be. The materials/tools I used were as follows;
TechiQ 220 High Build Etch Rapid Black Primer Can
https://www.amazon.co.uk/TechniQ-Build-Rapid-Primer-400ml/dp/B07RWQHRTM
Humbrol Enamel Matt Black #33, 50ml Tin
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Humbrol-AA0360-Tinlet-Enamel-Paint/dp/B0026PEO6I
Liberon Iron Paste, 250ml Tin
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Liberon-IP250-250ml-Iron-Paste/dp/B000TAUM90/
Rub 'N Buff Wax Metallic Finish, Pewter 15ml Tube
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rub-Buff-Original-Antiquing-Decorating/dp/B00N1YJ43G/
Heat Gun/Hot Air Gun
Smaller Paintbrushes
1/2" Paintbrush (Which you will ruin)
TWO Yellow Dusters (Which you will also ruin)
Rubber Gloves (Which you will also also ruin)
Kitchen Roll
White Spirit (For brush cleaning)
First, once you have your part all ready to go (having washed and properly dried it as well just to be sure it's clean), spray it evenly with a matt black acid etch primer. It needs to be black as this is your basecoat and will effect the colours you put on top, and it needs to be etch primer to give you a really heard-wearing base to work on. I know 'TechiQ 220 High Build Etch Rapid Primer Black' works, but I would think any black etch primer will likely do. Once sprayed, leave for 24 hours. It might be touch dry in a few minutes, but the buffing you do on the top layers can wear though to the base metal, if the primer is not left to fully cure.
The next day, roughly paint the item with Humbrol Enamel Matt Black #33. You can do it in sections if it's a bigger item. I did the wristband outside in three sections, and inside in two. Straight after you pave painted the section, start dabbing over it with kitchen roll. You'll see that the kitchen roll will be taking most of the paint off, and leave a dry mottled texture behind. You should keep dabbing until you have no wet-looking sections of paint left, then start on painting & dabbing the next section. This gives a slight texture to the final finish, and helps to bond the finish together. Once you've done the whole thing, give it an hour or so just to dry off.
Using a Heat Gun or Hot Air Gun on its highest setting, heat the open Liberon Iron Paste until it just starts to go slick & shiny. If you don't heat it enough, it'll be dry and won't stick to the brush, and if you heat it too much, you'll have too much paste on the brush. You just want to be brushing a light coat onto the surface of your item. If you're getting lumps of wet Iron Paste on there, then you're heating it too much. I find it helpful just to rub the brush onto some newspaper first so I'm not putting too much paste on. Once you have an even coat, dash over the item with the heat gun just to set the paste. Just a quick pass like a hair drier.
Immediately start polishing with THE FIRST duster. Go easy otherwise you can rub the paste off at first. It will start to go shiny like a graphite finish. I took around 10mins with the first polish of the wristband.
The finish so far is very uniform and flat. You can either stop there if you're happy with that finish, or go a bit further. Squirt a bead of Rub 'N Buff Wax Metallic Finish, Pewter, on a bit of paper. With THE SECOND duster, rub a bit of the bead around on the paper just to spread it out on the duster, then start rubbing it onto the item. You're aiming for a streaky uneven finish, but apply more Rub 'N Buff to bits which would have more wear, bits which stick out or edges.
Then paint all over again with more Liberon Iron Paste, but a lighter coat this time. You're just darkening down the Pewter and evening out the finish, and then giving it a final polish with THE FIRST duster. Don't mix up the dusters or you can end up getting pewter streaks on your item while you're giving the final polish. You can go in with Iron Paste on a little paintbrush if you have any recessed spots which need to be darker. Also, you can pick out little bits here and there with more Pewter just to add highlights.
It will only polish up so much so once it looks shiny, that's about as good as it will get, and be careful around the edges and sticky-out bits not to rub too much and rub back to the primer. If you're really pressing on with the duster and scrubbing at it, it will take the finish back off, so go easy. Leave this to properly all set for a few days and you're good to go.
A couple of notes. If you need to, White Spirit on kitchen roll will clean the Paste/Wax off back to primer so you can try again. Also I'd strongly advise against spraying this with a clearcoat. Not only will it dull the finish, but it somehow makes the finish scratch off very easily. Not sure why. I've tested the following combinations;
1) Primer > Iron Paste > Rub 'N Buff
2) Primer > Iron Paste > Rub 'N Buff > Clearcoat
3) Primer > Humbrol Black > Iron Paste > Rub 'N Buff
4) Primer > Humbrol Black > Iron Paste > Rub 'N Buff > Clearcoat
3 is the process I use. Both 2 & 4 clearcoat processes scratch off fairly easily with a fingernail, even a week or more later, as does 1, but to a lesser degree. 3 is very hard-wearing and wont scratch off with a fingernail much at all.
Metallic Effect Painting Process
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EvilDeadChainsaws
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Metallic Effect Painting Process
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