I really need to take a wire wheel or something and take that paint off.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I mean, she's yours and all, but NO!
To me the history of the part makes it that much more special.
At the very most, clearcoat it and then paint it how you like. That way if you change your mind and want to change it back to a historical part you'll be able to remove your added paint back down the the clearcoat and show off that fine grenade you have there!
I think the fun part of seeing all those REAL PARTS OBI-WAN KENOBI LIGHTSABERS is knowing who it belongs to by the grenade's patina/coloring.
Even the necks that teecrooz gave to me had a wonderful patina... that I kind of wish I had back. But, since I cleaned them back to shiny metal, that particular patina is lost forever.
If it was just a rust covered grenade with the paint long rotted away, I'd be right there with ya soakin' it in vinegar and scrubbing the rust away with an old toothbrush to restore some of its former glory. But that original paint is irreplaceable and makes it all the more interesting and unique.
True beauty doesn't need makeup. And in this case the makeup would be applied by a wire wheel. I'd leave her be. She's gorgeous just the way she is!!!