Is Hamerite thinners rubbish...?

[Roy_S]

Thanks for all the replies

Yes the cheap brush approach is fine, but sometimes I need to thin it out a little, and that's what started this all off as my new Hamerite can of thinners was pants.....

So received an email from Hamerite this morning actually, good customer service. They said their older product was celulose based and to use that to thin out and clean brushes, but note the comment above from Marshman that that had issues.
Don't think this new (old) tin I have is 80's vintage, but will dig out the celulose thinners and give it a try.

[jbuckl]

While waiting for a better paint to dry, read this…. Full lowdown on hammerite over the years! Take away is avoid!
http://pub25.bravenet.com/forum/stat...47775&cmd=show
its an Austin 7 page… with ‘history’

[mjheathcote]

Found an unopened tin of white gloss international wood paint last year.
Was about 20 years old.
Opened it and used it, it was perfect, best paint ever with loads of banned solvent!!

[jbuckl]

Found an unopened tin of white gloss international wood paint last year.
Was about 20 years old.
Opened it and used it, it was perfect, best paint ever with loads of banned solvent!!

Some paint brands did used to sell paint that worked.
International was one.

[Roy_S]

Thanks for the Austin 7 link on the changes in the paint, I'll check mine to see what vintage I have.....

As for paint changes, remember when the first water based gloss paints came on the market, I say gloss but I think that was wide of the mark....! Satin at best.
I needed to use a quick dry white gloss 8 hours ahead of new carpet being fitted, ended up having to use a quick dry water based gloss from Crown. While not as gloss as the old oil based, it wasn't too bad, deffinate improvement from the first round of water based paints. Dried in 20 mins and 5 years later more importantly still white. The oil based used elsewhere long since went yellow and been rubbed down and overcoated with the Crown paint.

Only issue is because it does dry fast you have to be quick to pick up the wet edge on larger surfaces, but I have thinned it down with water to spray as well.

[Philip Wardle]

I used to use Finnegan's Hammerite from late 60's to paint chassis for home-brew radio gear, that that time the thinners did contain trichloroethylene which is now known to cause kidney cancer. It is suspected to give rise to increased risk other cancers including liver and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. So just as well that it was replaced by xylene based thinners !!

According to Public Health England "low level exposure from the environment and the correct use of products that contain xylene would not be expected to cause any adverse health effects" but the usual advice about using in well-ventilated areas applies unless you want to risk irritation to eyes, nose, throat and headaches, dizziness, vertigo and drowsiness from fumes. Don't drink it, it will give you nausea and you will throw-up!

[jbuckl]

Xylene was also banned Afaiaa

[Philip Wardle]

Yes, xylene banned for some uses e.g. as a fragrance material but difficult to ban from industrial products altogether eg it is used as a source of octane in petrol and aviation fuel

[jbuckl]

Yes, xylene banned for some uses e.g. as a fragrance material but difficult to ban from industrial products altogether eg it is used as a source of octane in petrol and aviation fuel

We had a very zealous chap at a previous place … threw away every useful product without a cos sheet.
Including anything with xylene. Agrr.