Ye Olde Inn

Sparkymark wrote:What is the reason for stripping the old paint off ( forgive my ignorance )?
Can you not paint over it as the old paint would just be like a primer?

Usually there's thick layers of paint, and it builds up on the figures evening out their folds and eradicating their details. So if you paint over it, you'll have to guess where the eyes are so you can paint accordingly, it's a mess. Your ignorance is forgiven.

Big Bene wrote:In Greece, it's called οινόπνευμα and sold in 1/2 litre blue plastic bottles, it's used in every Greek household.
It seems it is pretty uncommon in the anglophone world, as I could not find a translation other then the bulky "denaturated alcohol" or "methylated spirit".

Big Bene speaks the truth again, in greece it's called φωτιστικό οινόπνευμα, it's *lemony goodness* cheap and it's tha best thing to use when it comes to stripping paint off figures. It usually comes at 93 degrees. Totally reusable, in my jar right now I've about 100ml of the stuff and it has already stripped 20 night goblins, several metal figures, 10 bretonnian knights, and its soaking days are far from over. Sure, it's not blue anymore but it gets the job done. I've left figures for weeks in there, doesn't harm them at all.

Probably not the best place to suggest this, but don't use it on finecast models. In fact, I don't know how you can strip finecast figures, they get all soft and bendy.

I just tried what tasoe suggested: good old Greek φωτιστικό οινόπνευμα and an old toothbrush with a haircut. Soaking the minis for a couple of hours and brushing away really did the trick! I wish I knew it before I paid for several bottles of Dettol (7€ per lt), isopropyl alcohol (14€ per lt) and non acetone nail polish remover (8€ per lt).

Ouch!

Detol is a LOT cheaper over here...

I don't know if you can get it over in Europe or any other country over on the other side of the world, but I normally use SimpleGreen from the great store chain Wally-World (that store always ends up with my money).

Let the miniature soak for about 24 hours then take a tooth brush to it and poof the paint is gone. I think I can get it for roughly $3 for a regular sized bottle of it.
On a side note with that I have left my figures in that stuff for DAYS and it doesn't eat away at the plastic.