# The FACTS About Rustoleum and Testors



## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

I've been hearing a horror story about how Rustoleum, which is the parent company of Testors, was going to discontinue the brand. My local hobby shops had no information about this, so I wrote directly to Rustoleum USA. They ("ROProductSupport") responded as you will see below; I have edited the exchange only for clarity, leaving the substance or their emails intact.

06/11/2020
*ME:* I hate to have to ask, but I've heard rumors and want to get the facts straight from the source. Does Rustoleum intend to discontinue the Testors line of paints and hobby supplies? I have been using them for nearly 60 years and would hate to have to find new materials at this late date.

06/16/2020
*ROProductSupport:* As a manufacturer of paint products, we have a long history of producing hobby kits and supplies. To that end, we are evolving our strategy to focus more keenly on Testors, our flagship brand and are discontinuing our Pactra, Aztek, and Model Master Brands as the demand for these products continue to decline.

We will continue to support the hobby market with a robust line of aerosols, brush paints, tools, and accessories and always looking for opportunities to innovate in these categories. Please keep in mind that we do have limited quantities available and hobby shops will have access to that inventory.

06/17/2020
*ME:* I will want to share the news, straight from Rustoleum, with other hobbyists and so want to have all the facts clear. You say that "...our strategy [is] to focus more keenly on Testors, our flagship brand and ... discontinuing our Pactra, Aztek, and Model Master Brands...". The next question people will have is, what Testors products will be continued - the 1/4 ounce square bottle paints, glues, putties, or hobby tools? Testors items have been around for - and used by - plastic modelers (and other hobbyists) for decades, and their loss will be serious for many of us. Therefore it will be useful to know what part of the Testors brand will survive, and whether or not there are any plans to sell the lines that Rustoleum is discontinuing to another manufacturer.

06/22/2020
*ROProductSupport:* There are no plans to discontinue the Testors product line which includes the 1/4 ounce bottles, 3 ounce spray cans, glues & cements and tools. in the future we will be adding more colors to the paint line as well.

6/22/2020
*ME:* That is an enormous relief! Is there an official statement from Rustoleum online to which I can point other hobbyists and quell their concerns? Or may I have your permission to quote from these emails? Either way, I know that there are a lot of plastic modelers who will want the facts about the future of the Testors line of hobby products.

06/26/2020
*ROProductSupport:* Thank you for contacting Rust-Oleum Product Support. You can certainly share the emails. We would tell others the same if they were to ask the questions. Thank you for all of your comments and feedback. We honestly appreciate it.
If you have any additional questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact us.


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

I thought Model Masters was a Testor's line of paint products?


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

They are, and the loss will be painful. But Testors has plenty of flat earth tone paints in the square bottles. It may become necessary to mix your own RLM Grauviolette from what's available in the future.


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

stock up while you can then!


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Thanks Mark, pretty much confirming past rumors.
They don't seem to think killing ModelMaster and Aztec is a big deal, but brother, it sure is to me.

All the military colors are available in various acrylic lines, of course. Mission Models is the most talked-about, I think, for quality. But of course I hate working with acrylics. :/


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

John Pee,
I will work with acrylics where appropriate, but I really don't care much for 'em either.


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## irishtrek (Sep 17, 2005)

Will the Model Master paints be labeled Testors?? And what about the MM acrylics??


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

irishtrek said:


> Will the Model Master paints be labeled Testors?? And what about the MM acrylics??


I dunno. Feel free to ask those questions yourself. And by all means, let us know what Rustoleum says. Here's their email address: [email protected]


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

atta boy


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## spock62 (Aug 13, 2003)

So, they're keeping the 1/4 oz enamels that are just basic colors, but getting rid of the MM military enamels and acrylics that I would think, most modelers prefer? There are plenty of good modeling paints available today, including acrylics, that come pre-mixed in military colors, so the loss of MM will really not matter. Poor marketing decision on Rust-Oleums part IMHO.


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## irishtrek (Sep 17, 2005)

Rustoleum's second response to Mark's emails they say they plan to expand their Testors line of 1/4 ounce bottled paint line and when you stop to think about that it could be they will place the MM colors under a different label, just have to wait and see.


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

irishtrek said:


> [In] Rustoleum's second response...they say they plan to expand their Testors line of 1/4 ounce bottled paint...it could be they will place the MM colors under a different label, just have to wait and see.


I considered that possibility, too. Speaking for myself, I do like the Model Master colors, but don't always use them often enough to prevent them from drying out in those larger bottles. So putting the military colors in smaller bottles would make sense for me. I don't know how quickly the Triple A builders go through those colors, but I have found that, when airbrushing, a little goes a long way; possibly the smaller bottles will work for them as well. On the subject of airbrushes, I'll be sorry to see the Aztek line go.


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

Does Aztek still make their own equipment or just still use the name?


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

Milton Fox Racing said:


> Does Aztek still make their own equipment or just still use the name?


Haven't got a clue. 😕


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

We won't be seeing the MM colors in the 1/4 ounce bottles. They're whole point is to discontinue the paints because they sell poorly and are expensive to make.

Aztec airbrushes are a Testors product, and they said they're discontinuing them, so...


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

On the airbrushes, I was wondering if the factory maker of them might continue production under their own name or a new company pick them up for distribution. As @John P notes everything on the net only indicates them as a Testors product. I also couldnt find when Testors first started selling them to see if they bought the factory/maker of them to get started.


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## spock62 (Aug 13, 2003)

I had just bought a bunch of upgrades for the Aztec airbrush I was using, tips, gravity feed cup, etc., then two things happened. A) Testors discontinued them and B) the airbrush broke. Problem with Aztec is the internals of the airbrush are all plastic and cheap springs, all of which wear out over time and can't be replaced, rendering the airbrush useless. And new ones are a bit pricey for what you get. Although I have another Aztec, for various reasons, I switched to Badger airbrushes, which are better overall in my opinion.


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

I can't argue with you, Spock. But I did like the Aztek airbrushes for being easy to use. They're great for hosing on base colors and airbrush effects where I don't have to be real picky. I have much better airbrushes, but I'll keep using the Aztek until all the tips are used up.


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## irishtrek (Sep 17, 2005)

Testors first started putting out the aztek air brushes some time back in the '90s as well as the Model Master paints, in fact I've still got 2 of the MM booklets for their paints, one for enamel and the other for the acrylic paints.


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## spock62 (Aug 13, 2003)

Mark McGovern said:


> I can't argue with you, Spock. But I did like the Aztek airbrushes for being easy to use. They're great for hosing on base colors and airbrush effects where I don't have to be real picky. I have much better airbrushes, but I'll keep using the Aztek until all the tips are used up.


I agree, Aztek airbrushes are easy to use. Painted a lot of kits with my old, single action Aztek, and got great results. Used to get accessories at Micheal's for 40% to 70% off, depending on the coupon. They stopped carrying the Aztek line (they sold the airbrushes too), about 4 years back. Used the other, dual action Aztek only once or twice, then switched to Badger. 

Main reason is that since I airbrush in my garage, in typical Florida heat/humidity, I needed more the one moisture filter. The one on the air compressor didn't cut it, so I bought a Badger hose (was using a single action Badger at the time) that had a filter spliced onto it. Now that I have two filters, I have no problems with water mixed in the paint. The Aztek has a built in hose, making it impossible to add a filter. Still, I'm keeping my remaining Aztek, maybe I'll break it out one day during the winter time when the temp is cooler and not as humid.


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## charonjr (Mar 27, 2000)

i have the double action Aztek. It's hose unscrews. Still works great! But, only because I haven't really used it since 1995, when I bought it. Fortunately, all metal airbrushes have become cheaper over the past 25 years.

I have a ton of the older enamel and lacquer model paints. And some of the MM acryls. I don't like how they look. Too plastic appearing a surface, once dried. I have, yet, to airbrush it, as I fear that any momentary distraction would allow the acrylic paint to dry inside the airbrush. And acrylic model paint is next to impossible to remove. I have tried all the old model paint remover variants and while they work on enamels and lacquers, they don't on acrylics. I did by an acrylic solvent and tried it on a Enterprise kit that I tried lacquer on. It works immediately, but it softens the polystyrene the kit is made of. Losing details. I can sand off the ruined surface, but why?

Question: Given the use of acrylic paints, how do you guys shoot it without it drying up in your airbrushes the moment you set the airbrush down?


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

I don't use acrylics much, either. I understand that some brands like Vallejo and Tamiya make retarders that slow the drying times of their products. BTW, I presume you're using the white Acrylics nozzle - ?


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