For All That Want A Flat Finish

[killemall8]

i always forget to post this when someone asks about a "flat" and not just satin finish. these paints are really great, and are really not that expensive. at around 45 bucks for a quart kit (includes everything, even strainers and stir sticks) and in a ton of colors. see here:

http://www.tcpglobal.com/kustomshop/ksflatz.aspx

[syxxstring]

I have 3 quarts of it. In the end its pretty crappy paint and hard to apply, imho.

Why is it crappy?

1. Hard to apply, it just doesn't flow great.

2. It's not a kustom quality paint like HOK, its a relabeled production paint. I have heard its either Matrix or PPG's entry level.

3. The pearls come out either rough or shinny.

4. It's expensive compared to some of the other options out there.

5. The black every time I've tried to use it comes out glossy, I think they left out the flattening agent.

Alternatives.

HOK's black sealer.

Something my friend Steve did with black sealer.

HOK has a flat clear comming out.

Almost every paint line has a flattening agent you can add to it, talk to your local jobber.

[DGW]

I have 3 quarts of it. In the end its pretty crappy paint and hard to apply, imho.

Why is it crappy?

1. Hard to apply, it just doesn't flow great.

2. It's not a kustom quality paint like HOK, its a relabeled production paint. I have heard its either Matrix or PPG's entry level.

3. The pearls come out either rough or shinny.

4. It's expensive compared to some of the other options out there.

5. The black every time I've tried to use it comes out glossy, I think they left out the flattening agent.

I've used this same stuff and have had absolutely no problems.

The flow was great and the quality equal to HOK, Dupont, and every other acrylic urethane I've used.

The only thing I caution with using ANY flattening agents is that they will become shiney with wear or areas that you may come into contact with.

Another option I've used successfully on guitars is to shoot gloss and then buff it out with 0000 extra fine steel wool to give it a dull sheen.

[CrazyManAndy]

Behlen has some flat aerosols: http://www.woodworker.com/cgi-bin/FULLPRES...p;search=Behlen

CMA

[93Tele]

I don't know about FLAT flat, but most modern base coat-clear coat auto paint gives a real nice "suede" finish if you just don't clear it. I know a paint guy that has a '37 Chevy done up like that and it's super cool

[syxxstring]

Base coats won't hold up with out a clear, they have no hardener in them. Sealers, some primers and single stage paints with a hardener will. The Kustom Shop stuff is a single stage paint with a flattener added to it.

[DGW]

Base coats won't hold up with out a clear, they have no hardener in them. Sealers, some primers and single stage paints with a hardener will. The Kustom Shop stuff is a single stage paint with a flattener added to it.

I agree .. your basecoat will be trashed without some sort of protection.

btw ... I may have used a different Kustom Shop "Flatz".

The one I used was 2-part and it worked really well.

But again, anything with a flattening agent will become shiney with contact.

[syxxstring]

What I've tried are the flat pearls. Either I get smooth and shiny or flat with a rough dry spray feel. Usable but I won't be getting anymore.