How best to fix old silvering decals?

[Michael Morris]

I've got an old Revell model I made of the Gemini spacecraft about 20 years ago. Some of the decals have silvered quite badly (see photo).

What is the easiest way to cure this?

Thanks

[malpaso]

You could try some decal setting solution?  Maybe carefully slice along the louvres first.  Or an old way was to carefully introduce a drop of liquid poly to the edge and let it drag under by capillary action; using Klear might be a more modern version.

Cheers

Will

[Steve Noble]

First option decal setter, second option trim away the excess silvered area and touch in with black as close as you can, third option new decals if available..

[bentwaters81tfw]

Something we  were discussing at model club tonight. A sharp pin or needle  or a sharp scalpel to perforate or slice, and some mirco sol.

Klear might do it, or very sparing drops of Tamiya extra thin cement brushed over the top

[stevehnz]

9 hours ago, malpaso said:

using Klear might be a more modern version.

This would be my first choice, slice or gentleman's  poke with a sharp pointed thing,  the decal film where it has silvered & dab on some Klear or whatever you use in this respect, slightly diluted might help it to penetrate & spread better & then as it dries, it should pull the decal down with it. Some careful pressure with a damp cotton bud/q-tip will help this. Test this on a small area first, if you decals have become brittle, a decal softening solution might be a better way to go. 

Steve.

Edited July 10, 2019 by stevehnz

[roginoz]

Bloody auto-correct.........!!!!

 

Best keep your gentleman's parts away from decal setter...........

[stevehnz]

Bloody norah, we're not doing so good with this thread, edited now. I hope.

Steve.

[azureglo]

Wusses, real men use neat cellulose thinner..

 

http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2006/10/stuff_eng_benshahar_bf110.htm

 

Incredibly, did this with a mule with deliberately silvered decals and it works brilliantly as it softens whatever matt coat you've used: In the alternate methods  the softening solutions suggested  will affect the decal but if decal is welded to a matt coat than the setting solution won't touch that,  so one will shrink and one won't but they're both attached to each other, see the problem?

 

This slightly crazy idea gets around that by obliteration of the mat coat first and then softening the decal. It will also of course obliterate your paint work unless you have a delicate touch...