Filipino Kalashnikov Airsoft -> Guinness Weathering Guide

● Mainpage ● Board Guidelines/Rules ● Help ● Search ● Members ● Calendar

Welcome Guest ( Log In | Register )

Resend Validation Email

Filipino Kalashnikov Airsoft -> Filipino Kalashnikov Airsoft Technical Area! -> Take down, Upgrades & Modification!

Guinness Weathering Guide, Make Your AK Live!

Track this topic | Email this topic | Print this topic

zenTaurus

Posted: June 03, 2008 09:26 am

Group: Admin1
Posts: 1676
Joined: May 10, 2007

Guinness, admin of WWIIAA and arnies member, has graciously allowed us to crosspost his excellent Weathering Guide. Not all the weapons featured in his tutorial are AK but bosing FilAK will forgive me I'm sure since the techniques detailed here are what will make our beloved AKs live filakairsoft/aprub.gif

QUOTE

Right then,

I have been threatening to write this up for a while now and weekend after weekend comes and goes and I seem to find something else more exciting to do than sit down and write a 'How-To weather your rifle' article.

Its my own fault of course, if I didn't have this selfish obsession with photographing my guns and plastering them all over the interwebs, no one would ask how to do it......

Oh well I dont see myself stopping the photography anytime soon, so I'd better get this article behind me.

user posted image

We're here today to talk about how to turn this:

user posted image

and this:

...Into this:

user posted image

For this tutorial I will be adding on to to articles already written here:

and here:

Basically this process involves a bit of sanding, a bit of painting, a bit of abuse, and a fair bit of imagination.

You have to be able to step out of the "I just spent how much on this beautiful wooden rifle and your seriously suggesting I take a hammer and the handle of a screwdriver to it??...are you mad??" mindset of the weapons owner, and imagine your that battle-weary soldier in the Hurtgen Forest in 1944 and as your ammo runs out, you may just have to use this Garand as a club to survive....

Thats the use and abuse that real weapons of war see, so why not bring that level of immersion and 'milsim' to your Airosoft impression and give your gun the battle-hardened appearance of a real veteran? Don't worry, it's easy to do, and this guide will show you how.

Beryl Maker!

AK Madness

zenTaurus

Posted: June 03, 2008 09:31 am

Group: Admin1
Posts: 1676
Joined: May 10, 2007

Note:

Some of the materials Guinness mentions are not available locally so you have, as he himself says, "use your imagination." Besides, what are we ACMers for, right?

QUOTE

Step One- Work area Prep

Clear off a large area of a desk, or better yet, one car bay in the garage. You are going to be dealing with sanding dust, paints, water, linseed oil, all kinds of things that generally aren't 'inside project friendly' so the best place to do this is in the garage.

As with any project of this type, lay down plenty of newspaper as a blotter for the paint and to protect the pieces to be worked on as well.

If possible I like to be close to the ground, not standing at a workbench, that way parts have less distance to fall and get buggered up I think, but to each his own. I just use a cooler as a table and another cooler to sit on.

As shown in the Garand article, it is always best to field strip the weapon down to its three groups to perform this work. regardless of with the Iraquis

Step Two- Sanding

Here is where you will thank me for the foam sanding block suggestion. On any Airsoft replica that has wood furniture, there is a clearcoat layer that is the outermost layer of the finish, this gives the wood a shiny luster. This must be sanded down first of all to allow the acrylic paint to get into the grain of the wood and work, and to allow you to remove the original dark brown or maybe red color that was origianlly applied to the stock.

user posted image

CAW wood kit original finish and color

This is a time consuming, manual process and the sanding blocks simply make it easier to get ino the nooks and crannies that conventional sand paper will not. Plus they generally fit your hand better so you avoid strain or cramps.

user posted image

CAW Wood kit for TM Thompson after first sanding

So sanding is really to accomplish two things, to remove the clear coat finish so that the paint will be able to get into the wood and stick, and secondly to remove whatever previous stain or paint color may exist on the wood. As stated this takes time, and effort, so be prepared to go through a couple of passes before your ready for the next step.

Best thing to do is sand an area, wipe it down, see if the clear coat luster is gone or the color from the stain is reduced or whatever effect you are looking for. Be careful not to sand too much and cause un-even areas or patches on the stock.

Step Three- 'Distressing'

Here is where you get to take your frustrations out on a defenseless, inantimate object......

This is where you are going to literally beat the S*%# out of the stock, handguard, whatever the piece of furniture maybe to give it that 'worn' used look.

user posted image

For this you will want your trusty hammer and plastic-handled screwdriver. Personally I use the screwdriver more than the hammer, but a good hammer-claw gouge in a stock always adds that war veteran look, haha!

Grab the screwdriver by the shaft and swing away at the stock. Imagine that every dent, scrape and nick is a rock, pillbox or Nazi helmet that is adding that 'character' to your weapon.

user posted image

Thompson furniture after 'distressing' with screwdriver and hammer

After the 'beat-down' give the wood another sanding to remove any rough edges casued by the abuse.

user posted image

After distressing, after second sanding

Step Four- Painting

Now comes the real fun part. The part where you can really use your creativity and imagination, because it is here htat you decide just exactly how dark the wood is going to be, and how 'aged' the appearance will end up.

user posted image

TM M-14 with ACM Wood kit 'Before'-

user posted image

M-14 'After' process

Get yourself a little paper plate to mix up your paints in, its less messy. but the newspaper also works in a pinch. Dilute with water as you feel necessary, the more the color is diluted, the less the effect on the wood will be. In other words, if you want the new color dark, use more paint, less water.

user posted image

The painting process is as follows:

Paint an area, wait 10 to 20 seconds, wipe off paint.

You are simply 'washing' or brushing this color into the paint and then wiping the excess off- your not trying to completely paint the wood the black, or brown or whatever color your using- just giving it a 'stain' of the acrylic paint you are using.

user posted image

Thompson furniture with first black wash coat applied and drying

user posted image

Starting at buttstock end of Garand

Remember, you don't want to leave the paint on very long. However, also remember if you do that your using acrylic paint for this exact reason! They are water soluble, so if you dilite the brush with water and go over the paint, you can wipe it right back off.

user posted image

Here is Thompson stock after distressing and after the black acrylic paint wash and wipe

After the paint application and wipe down, you will notice that the 'flaws' or nicks and scrapes that you put in with the hammer and screwdriver now stand out due to being darkened with the balck paint. This is exactly the type of authentic beat-up appearance you are looking for! Well done!

The previous two steps can be repeated and redone to acheive the level of distress, or the paint color or darkness you desire.

Let dry..... (fortunately, acrylic paints are very fast drying :-) )

Step Five- Linseed Oil

As stated earlier, after you have sanded the crap out of the stock and whatever other wood pieces your working with, then beat the crap out of them, then painted them and wiped them down, the wood is need of some treatment to keep it from getting all chalky from the acrylic paint.

user posted image

Closeup of linseed oiled stocks

I'm an impatient cuss (probably the adult ADD kicking in ;-) ) so I only let them sit and soak in the linseed oil for like 30 minutes or so- the longer the better, the wood they use is very thirsty.

user posted image

Thompson, M2 Carbine and M1A1 Paratrooper Carbine after linseed oiling

Conclusion

So, well yeah...that's pretty much it- Here's something that everybody can do and with a little practice and imagination you can take your weapon up to the level of realisim that you may have only had in your kit and clothing impression before!

user posted image

CYMA Thompson project

user posted image

AGM MP40 project

Feel free to contact me through the forums with any questions or comments!

....More to come, stay tuned!

Slainte!

-G

Beryl Maker!

AK Madness

zenTaurus

Posted: June 03, 2008 09:43 am

Group: Admin1
Posts: 1676
Joined: May 10, 2007

QUOTE

Part II

Part II will present my method for creating a 'worn' look on metal Airsoft replica guns.

The goal is the replicate the wear and patina of battle-hardened weapons to add authenticity and feel to your Airsoft period reenacting impression. Many of us invest a lot of time, effort and creativity to make sure our clothing and gear is as correct and as authentic as possible, this process allows you to carry that over to your weapons system.

First a note: It would be easy and somewhat 'logical' I suppose to just bang and scrape the heck out of a metal replica to achieve the use and abuse that a rifle or handgun would receive over it's service life, however if you research weapons pictures that have been used or are being used in the field, you will seldom see guns that appear as though they have just been run through a wood chipper and put back in the gun rack. While 'scratches' are certainly a part of natural wear, what is more common is the fading or 'silvering' effect that comes from the greases and oils from hands or equipment used with these weapons. Leather holsters rub and wear down corners and leading edges from use- The acidic oils on our hands or faces will interact with gun metals and woods to change the appearance over time. Gouges and scratches are generally limited to the 'protruding' edges of a rifle such as the leading edge of an M16 gunsight, or the casing bulge, etc.

The best advice for anyone wishing to create this effect on their gun is to start by searching images of their particular weapon on the web, find as many pictures as you can to get an idea of how 'real guns' age and wear, then decide how much wear is appropriate for your weapon. Consult this guide for tips on how I did it- As usual feel free to ask me questions.

Let your creativity flow and have fun!

user posted image

Finished veteran Mauser[/center]

user posted image

Finished veteran MP40[/center]

user posted image

Beryl Maker!

AK Madness

zenTaurus

Posted: June 03, 2008 09:50 am

Group: Admin1
Posts: 1676
Joined: May 10, 2007

QUOTE

The Process...

user posted image

HFC Broomhandle Mauser prior to weathering with bag of 'steel wool' pads

user posted image

Metal HFC Broomhandle Mauser before weathering process....

Step 1 - Steel Wool

The types of metal used by Airsoft manufacturers varies with the most prevalent being so-called 'pot metal' which is a term given to an alloy of zinc and other metals (aluminum, copper, iron, magnesium, lead, zinc and other common metals) combined to form a reasonably sturdy, but mostly cheap, cost effective material for toy and parts.

Higher quality metals such as painted aluminum are also used in Airsoft replicas and more and more even steel is being used.

I begin the aging step on all my metal weapon projects using steel wool pads that are available from any hardware store for about $5 to $8 dollars a bag.

Steel wool is 'softer' and less abrasive than a sanding pad or fine grit sandpaper which makes it an excellent place to start the process. Until you gain experience and have a few projects under your belt its always a good idea to begin gradually, making small improvements or changes rather than drastic ones- Obviously if you make a mistake early on and 'ruin' your gun it will be frustrating and could be expensive or even impossible to reverse or repair.

Notice how the color and cast of the Broomhandle changed from a darker, almost blue color in the first 'pre-aging' pictures to a more authentic light grey after the steel wool application.

user posted image

Beginning weathering

user posted image

Closeup of Broomhandle, using steel wool

user posted image

During process, using steel wool

Application:

Steel wool is great for buffing and will even out poorly applied finishes on many metal guns. It will bring out an authentic shine if used on the chalky finishes of many metal slide and frame kits for pistols.

Steel wool is also great for gradually removing paint from corners and leading edges of the gun as you move from simply 'buffing' a finish to a more aggressive aging effect.

The amount of buffing you chose to do depends on how 'old' or worn you wish to make the gun appear. Again, I prefer to move gradually. I have gone 'to far' on enough occasions that I have learned my lesson.

When buffing with steel wool, or lightly sanding with a sanding pad or a dremel, pay attention to the areas where you hold the gun and the controls. Buffing mag release buttons or hammers and trigger faces is correct as these places will naturally see the most use.

Its a good ldea to have a can of matching paint or gunmetal paint handy for mistakes.

user posted image

During process, using steel wool to wear edges

Step 2 - Distressing

Just like the process for 'distressing' wood stocks, I use common tools to create any gouges or scratches that I have decided to add to a metal replica. When working on my Mauser Broomhandle project, adding a few scratches and nicks seemed right, but I would likely never do this to a 1911 or even a rifle for that matter.

Again compare as many real-steel pictures as you can find as a guide.

Application:

Aging and distressing tools I use for metal replicas:

-File
-Screwdriver
-Tack Hammer
-Dremel
-Sanding pad
-Steel Wool Pads

If you decide a scratch or gouge is what your replica needs, always follow up and go over the area and buff with a steel wool pad to remove any sharp edges or burrs.

Remember: You are recreating the finish or appearance of a used weapon- Rough edges are generally worn down over time and with use.

I still depend on good 'ol steel wool to do most of the work, however the Dremel is a very handy tool to have for this type of work. Be careful though, like a rough sandpaper or sanding block, the dremel can work too fast and make too drastic a change if not used carefully.

Dremels are especially effective on metal replicas for quickly sanding down corners and shining up finishes. Again, use caution.

user posted image

'Battle Worn' Mauser with Marushin 'blued' Mauser

And finally, here are some 'before' and 'after' pictures of the MP40 following the same process

user posted image

Right Side closeup -Before-

user posted image

Right Side closeup -After-

user posted image

Left Side -Before-

user posted image

Veteran MP40

user posted image

Veteran MP40

Look for Part III - Plastics this weekend!

Slainte!

Beryl Maker!

AK Madness

zenTaurus

Posted: June 03, 2008 09:57 am

Group: Admin1
Posts: 1676
Joined: May 10, 2007

QUOTE

Guinness's Weathering and Aging 'How-To' Guide

And now, finally, the conclusion of my aging and weathering guide for Airsoft replicas.

But first, a brief recap.

Part I: Sanding and Preparing Wood- I began the series discussing how to sand and remove the original finish from wood kits. Techniques for stripping the wood down, sanding and refinishing.

Part II: Distressing and Aging Wood- The next part of the series covered how to get that 'Battle Veteran' appearance from your furniture using simple household tools. Using screwdrivers and a hammer to put nicks and dings in the wood. Then, how to apply acrylic paint washes to darken the wood and give it the aged look.

Part III: Linseed Oil Application- This completed the Wood Furniture section of the Guide and discusses the final step for producing a Veteran Airsoft replica.

Part IV: Rack Numbers- Just a quick section on adding 'Rack' or Arsenal numbers to add even more realism to yoru replica.

Part V: Metal Replica Weathering and Aging This section focuses on techniques for giving your metal bodied Airsoft replica a worn appearance. Again using common tools and inexpensive supplies from the local hardware store you can create a War Vet look for your replica.

Beryl Maker!

AK Madness

zenTaurus

Posted: June 03, 2008 10:08 am

Group: Admin1
Posts: 1676
Joined: May 10, 2007

QUOTE

Part III
Plastics

user posted image

I would like to just take a moment and Thank Everybody for their very kind words of encouragement along the way. I have received a ton of very positive feedback and I want to thank you guys for the support. I truly hope this guide helps you guys to create your own "War Veterans" for use with your impressions or just to wow them at the local skirmish site!

This will be the conclusion of my series as we have covered pretty much all of the major areas of 'weathering ' or aging your replica. There are techniques to use for the wood stocks and furniture that you would add to an Airsoft replica weapon or those that come from the factory with wood. As well I have given you tips and pictures to deal with the wood kits that are coming out of China right now, these are quality wood, but seem to be very red in color for some reason- that is covered in the series.

I have also shown you how to add rack numbers to your gun, And in the last episode I provided techniques to create the aging and hard use effects on metal replicas.

Finally in Part IV we will look at how to achieve this effect on plastic. This will mainly be concerned with plastic grips, the technique will help you to create a real wood-like effect on plastic.

user posted image

Right then, let's get to it!

Step 1 - Preparation

Materials Needed:
-Acrylic Paints from Arts and Crafts Store > $2 bucks a bottle
-Medium Grit Sanding Pad > $3.50 from Hardware Store
-Clear Coat Spray Paint- > I use Krylon Clear Coat, $5
-News Paper, Paper Towels, Plastic cup for paint mixing
-Hand Tools: Flat head Screwdriver, File, Dremel (Optional)

As with all of the processes we have discussed in the series so far, the first step is to make sure you have an adequate work area and all the materials you will need to get the job done ready and handy.

I do all my sanding, dremelling, distressing, and painting work in my garage on nice sunny days. I open one door of the garage so that all my neighbors can see me work and wonder what "The kook with all the guns is doing now" ;D

user posted image

My work area and 'portable paint bay and dryer' otherwise known as a ladder..

Step 2 - Sanding

As with the process for aging wood, working on plastics requires beginning with a good sanding of the item to be weathered.

user posted image

First sanding on Broomhandle grips

user posted image

First sanding of black checkered 1911 grips

Sand using medium-grit sandpaper or sanding pad. Sanding pads are better to work with because they allow you to get into the cracks and ridges much easier.

Sand until the top shiny layer has been removed. And here's another tip- its a good idea when doing pistol grips do one at a time, this makes it easier to gauge how much you have done because you can compare it to the original form the opposite side.

Step 3 - Distressing

Similar to what we did on the wood furniture, we will use household tools to create the distressed look on the plastic pieces. However a hammer won't be used in this process.

I use a screwdriver to create small dents and nicks, and I also use the file from my multi-purpose tool to make deep cuts and gouges.

user posted image

Broomhandle Mauser grip about to get abused...

user posted image

1911 grips getting the file treatment

Follow this step with a good sanding to remove rough edges and to smooth the gouges out to help make the plastic look even more like wood. For the most realistic 'wood' effect, be sure to sand edges and 'wear areas'- for instance on 1911 grips, the 'points' of the checkered grips would be worn smooth with use- make sure to hit those especially, leading edges or forward and rear edges as these would be 'contact' areas of the grip. On the Broomhandle's grips I used a dremel and went through the deep ridges, again to simulate the wear that real wood grips would see over the life of the weapon. As always, a couple of good nicks and gouges add 'character' to the piece and keep it from looking 'brand new' to go along with any other aging you have done to the replica.

user posted image

Step 4 - Painting

user posted image

Preparing for first acrylic paint coat on Broomhandle grips

user posted image

Acrylic paints to be used on 1911 grips

user posted image

Mixing acrylic base colors for 1911 grips

I always use newspaper as my 'palette' for these projects. And I use a plastic cup for water to mix the acrylic paints.

Just as we did with the wood treatment with applying acrylic paint, you will paint, then wait about a minute, then wipe the paint off until you get the darkenss or degree of aging you want.

Plastic is different than wood in that the paint will not 'soak in', this is one of the reasons that you sand the plastic to begin with, this roughs the surface up so that the paint will stick better and mimic as much as possible the soaking effect that wood has. Just make sure you don't wipe the acrylic paint off too soon, and conversely, the longer you leave it on, the more 'permanent' it is.

Don't worry, remember acrylic paint is water based, so just dip your brush in the water cup and go over any areas you want to 're-do' before they dry hard.

user posted image

1st coat on Broomhandle grips

user posted image

Black 'Layer' Wiped Down, 2nd Brown Layer applied

user posted image

Applying First Layer

user posted image

1st Layer on 1911 Grips

user posted image

Broomhandle Mauser Grips Completed

user posted image

Halfway Done-

user posted image

1911 Grips Done, Just Need Clear Coat Spray

Final Step - Clear Coat Spray

Now that you have sanded, distressed, painted, wiped, and painted again until you reach the look you want, it is important to over spray the plastic grips, stock or whatever piece you are working on. This is especially important for 'high use' areas such as pistol grips. The sweat from your hand can ruin the all the work you have put into the replica quickly. Clear coat provides a protective layer over your work that will keep the acrylic paint from coming off. This is also useful if you use regular spray paint on plastics. For instance, if you use Testors 'Metalizer' gunmetal paints to apply a more realistic gray or parkerized effect on gun barrels or other surfaces, the clear coat will protect the finish and keep it from scratching or rubbing off with normal use.

In Conclusion...

This concludes Guinness's Weathering and Aging 'How-To' Guide

As I said earlier, I really hope this helps all you to weather and age your replicas. At very least perhaps this will give you ideas that you can try on your own guns. It was certainly a lot of fun doing this series!

Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions or assistance you may need!

Slainte!

Beryl Maker!

AK Madness

zenTaurus

Posted: June 03, 2008 10:12 am

Group: Admin1
Posts: 1676
Joined: May 10, 2007

Additionally, Souske, also of arnies, has an effective method for giving your plastic receiver babe a bit of a rusty look.

QUOTE

Alright, I decided to put some more work into my AK47. I was generally happy at the mild wear, but I then realized it was missing a key component: Rust. This was achieved by making brown wash and applying it through out the gun. The key was not to over do it and put it in places where it would most likely occur in crevices, etc. I'm fairly surprised at how well it turned out...as I've never done anything like this before. To those who aren't familiar with my AK, it's a stock CYMA CM028 with the plastic body, etc

user posted image

As for how I made the wash, I took some dark brown acrylic paint and diluted it a little with water. I then dipped my brush into the solution, then swabbed it over the areas of the gun. I then wiped off the excess with a paper towel, and then repeated a few times, allowing it to dry each time. Although it doesn't make the gun look much different on whole, it adds a bit of detail that's still noticeable.

More pictures in different lighting to show the wash effect.

user posted image

Closing this topic now so it will not be cluttered by other things.

Post your comment in the Guinness Guide Comments thread. Please quote pics only when you want something specific about an effect that you are interested in or want to achieve.

Salamat for your usual cooperation, komrads!
filakairsoft/rockon00.gif

Beryl Maker!

AK Madness

0 User(s) are reading this topic (0 Guests and 0 Anonymous Users)

0 Members:

« Next Oldest | Take down, Upgrades & Modification! | Next Newest »