Rub n Buff Replacement (Decoart?)

[Huntress]

Hi folks,

I am just about to finish the first piece of my All-New (female) Thor costume. I've primed and painted on the base coat, and went to Michael's to pick up some Rub n Buff to give it a real metallic shine.

Unfortunately, it didn't seem that this Michaels had Rub n Buff in stock. The ladies working there didn't know what it was and it wasn't in the aisle most people online said it would be. Instead, they had a similar sounding product called DecoArt Metallic Wax Finish, which I picked up in silver and gold.

Before I apply this, does it seem like it might be okay to use as a replacement? Or should I order some Rub n Buff online from Amazon?

Thanks for your advice!

 

[KayleeJade]

I'd be interested in the answer too, seems Michaels has dropped carrying Rub n Buff.


I'm a leaf on the wind.

 

[OldSkoolEffects]

I believe it's essentially the same thing, though Rub'n'Buff seems to be thinner.

 

[TJackFx]

My store gave me the same thing for a project I was working on. It does work, though I found I needed to apply a few coats of it to get the look I wanted. It was also difficult to get it to "stick" to the soft cloth I was using to apply it. I much prefer the real stuff. This stuff is too waxy.

 

[Huntress]

Thanks for the advice guys! I'm probably just going to order some RnB off of Amazon, then. Here's hoping it works out!

 

[Huntress]

Well, it looks like my order of Rub n Buff is going to the wrong address and I won't be able to get it in time for Halloween. So, looks like I'll be testing out the DecoArt one after all! I'll post some pictures once the uh, experiment is over.

It'll be going over a piece of worbla that has had several layers of gesso and wood glue coated on top of it. Above that is black Krylon primer (I think the two in one, good for plastic kind) and some rustoleum silver metallic spraypaint. We'll see how it goes!

 

[Huntress]

So, an update to this: I do not recommend the Decoart Metallic Finish over Rub n Buff. At all. At the very least, not on top of the surface preparation that I did. It took a fairly sizeable amount to cover even the most basic part of my armour I was using to test. It dries incredibly quickly, which I assume was what led in part to a very streaky surface. It might be possible that with enough time and concerted effort, or with a smoother surface, it would apply more evenly. However, after locating Rub N Buff the day after at a local art store, I made an attempt with that instead.

Also, it turns out that given that the DecoArt is a water-base, it took maybe 2 minutes max to wipe it off with a damp cloth. This is probably not a pro in any way unless you, like me, try it and see that it doesn't work for you and want it removed. It's possible I didn't buff enough or had too much layered on, but even so, I found that the coverage and colour of the RubNBuff was of a much better quality with less effort and time spent.