The end for Humbrol Enamel paints?

[Ian M]

I have seen that Hobby shops in Denmark are being made to withdraw Humbrol Enamels from sale due to those clever folk in EU.
Nothing has changed in the paints but they (EU) have lowered the allowed content of MEKO a drying agent due to the possibility of it causing cancer.

As I suspect that this will be over the whole of the EU I can see a big chuck of Humbrol's market vanishing. Is this affecting where you are?
I guess The UK not being within the EU will be unaffected but the rest of Europe will.
Has anyone heard of this? I see nothing on the Humbrol website.

[Tim Marlow]

I’ve heard nothing, but then, I haven’t used Humbrols regularly for at least ten years so probably am not looking in the places where it would be indicated. It would be a shame to see them go as it would be another part of my modelling past disappearing. I still have a good selection of Humbrol tinlets on the shelf, some over forty years old, that are still useable.
To be honest though, I found the newer formulation (from the late nineties I think) much harder to work with, drying too fast and being difficult to lay properly without brush marks. That issue fuelled my change to acrylics. The last traditional Humbrols I used with any regularity were from the metalcote range, which I still think are better than almost all acrylic metal finishes. However, I find that the new Vallejo metals, and Dark star metallics, are as good so have relegated them to reserve as well.
They are still unsurpassed for dry brushing, which is the thing I’ve never got to grips with using acrylics. These days I tend to use oils for that rather than Humbrol paints as the pigments are finer.

[Ian M]

I get where you are at Tim. I only use the metal coat with any regularity, and a few odd colours that jut cant be found in other paints. Also If I really want to go enamel I use Colour coat paints from Sovereign hobbies. Which I can now get in Denmark. So not to bothered myself either. I was just surprised to learn that Shops in Denmark are pulling them off the shelfs.

[Tim Marlow]

I suppose they are very old tech now Ian, and other options are safer, easier to use, and possibly cheaper. Still a shame to see them go though :disappointed2:

[scottie3158]

To be honest the only one I use is the clear gloss, which I use under/over decals.

[Andy the Sheep]

I noticed that in Italy too Humbrol tinlets are slowly disappearing from the shelves and the few remaining (always not mainstream colours) are sold for even less than 1€, but I have been ascribing the fact to a logistic problem due to COVID and custom related issues, not to the non compliance to new EU rules.
Next time I'll ask the shopkeeper about that.
As per their use, I still have more than 20 tinlets for small parts brush painting and to create my own washes, dry brushing mixes, panel liners and Dave's recipe for tracks' paint. Sometimes I still use them for airbrushing 1/72 kits too as old habits are hard to break (old dogs and new tricks... :rolling.

[JetLag]

Hi

Where I'm situated Humbrol paint is getting more and more scarce. It was a pain to order all the Humbrol paint codes for my build, ended up ordering from 4 different hobby shops to get 19 colour codes. Tamiya is busy taking over all the shelves and it becomes a problem as there are some Humbrol paints that have no Tamiya cross reference.

[Tim Marlow]

Not a logistics problem guys. We discussed this elsewhere on the forum. Apparently the EU has banned one of the components of humbrol paint, and the manufacturers don’t want to change it, so once it’s gone from Europe, it’s gone I’m afraid.

[boatman]

WOW well i use humbroll paints a lot like the rattlecan sprays an the tinlets so got to hope i can still get them as if i do another ship i will definatley need them
chrisb

[BarryW]

Humbrol enamels were the only model paints available when I was a child. Then they introduced those water soluble acrylics that were convenient and easy but got bubbles in them, beaded and did not stick very well to plastic (the formula did improve eventually). I did hear about these exotics paints called Testors that were supposed to have better colours than Humbrol, but back then they were not available to me.

When I got back into the hobby about 12 years ago I started off using Humbrol but soon switched away when I realised that there are better paints. Nevertheless I am sorry to see the possible end of those iconic enamel tinlets. I hope that can find a way to keep them going though I will never go back to using them.

[Bugatti Fan]

I can remember from way back when IPMS had their old Nationals at Stoneleigh.
Humbrol were at their zenith back then about 30 years ago when along came Gloy Enamels with a huge range of modelling colours with a bigger range than Humbrol.
Gloy sponsored that particular IPMS UK Nationals as I remember. Humbrol were fast to react to see of the new pretender at the time and rapidly increased their colour ranges.
Humbrol already had a commercial advantage in that most model shops (remember them?) already stocked their paints and were a bit dubious about stocking an additional range.
Result, Humbrol saw off the competition in about two years and shortly after, guess what, began to disappear from their list. No surprise there!
So now we come full circle from the heady days when enamels dominated the market. New paints have come on to the market keeping on the right side of the dreaded 'Elf n Safety' doctrines.
We have seen a plethora of manufacturers and specialist paints. especially airbrush ready ones, and now good old Humbrol are suffering the fallout as new (and old) generation modellers are seeing the benefits of many.
Will the EU regulations cripple Humbrol? Who knows. Maybe they will react positively in the face of different opposition to the old days of the Gloy challenge.

[Bugatti Fan]

Correction 'see of the new pretender' should read 'see off the new pretender'

also ' guess what, colours began to disappear from their list'

Sorry I could not edit original.....Does not allow me to.

[Modler bob]

Are Revell enamels a good replacement for Humrol?

[minitnkr]

Noticed Humbrol now in the "bargain bin" along w/Testors' various labels. Looks like Tamiya & Vallejo are taking over the available shelf space, at least here in Dayton.

[Ian M]

Are Revell enamels a good replacement for Humrol?

If you want to stay on the enamel paint. Have a look a sovereign hobbies. Its very good paint and the colours match well. They do not contain the chemical that's killing off Humbrol.