Topic: Tank badge paint

[Johnny340]

My CB750K2 is finally all restored and the tank & side plates are at the paint shop.  It's not a concourse resto so I decided on a colour I like instead of the original brown even though I have the silver decal that would complete that stock look.
The K2 tank badges are different than the other Honda's I've restored.  The F model badges were easy to paint white (let dry) then paint black and wipe off the high spots.  These K2 badges have a 'chrome' edge and the letters plus the spaces between the letters have raised parts making the two step process I just described impossible since some parts are black and some are white.  Hand painting doesn't seem good enough for the letters so is there a decal for the letters that would fit properly in the badge?
What are my options to paint these properly? Or replace them??

[carnivorous chicken]

I use model paint and paint by hand...

[Johnie]

I also use model paint. Don't worry about the chrome edge. I just use a popsicle stick to remove any paint I get on the chrome. The white letters usually take a few coats.

[irish44395]

same here use model paint

[spotty]

use ENAMEL model paint, the more common acrylic varieties around these days will go on soooo much easier and dry quicker but will not stand up to weathering/wear near as good as the older enamel varieties

[Johnny340]

Alright I 'll try it.  The PO's job was horrendous so I need to strip it without wrecking the 'chrome' somehow.  Ideas??

[RAFster122s]

Try a spot of Citristrip to see if it attacks the chrome in anyway. Neutralizing your stripper is important if you use any stripper.

[RAFster122s]

Aren't good quality repro badges available from a eBay seller out of Australia or from Yamiya? If you do not like the results of your hand painted badges? Use a finger to extend and steady your brush hand and use good quality brushes for best results. Even the cheap Restore brushes are good quality in that theory do not shed and they are consistent in amount of paint they hold. If you are getting brush marks add a DROP of thinner to the paint you have poured into a small lid or other tin so you do not over thin or contaminate the whole bottle.
Multiple thin coats are better than thick coats. You can use a hairdryer on low to speed up drying.

[Johnny340]

Ok so my painter painted the badges too and then brushed the black in between. I didn’t ask for this and must admit it looks subtle and modern but maybe not ideal for a resto.  Do I do the edges in silver and leave the blue & black or redo them in black and white? (I haven’t put the new badge grommets on yet.)

[RAFster122s]

You could try the silver to see if you like it, it could be painted over or stripped and repainted with black and white.

It is your bike, you can have it however you like it, depends on if you like it or are a stock purist.

Pretty bike!
Recent build or just a refresh paint and polish?

[AwesomeCB]

Aren't good quality repro badges available from a eBay seller out of Australia or from Yamiya?

I haven’t seen repro tank emblems but I bought repro side panel badges from 4-into-1. They’re close to the OEM version but do not have the tiny HM logo. I think they were about $35 for a pair with the clips. The OEM versions are about twice that amount.

[Johnny340]

I'm trying the silver and will post a pic. Thanks for the suggestions!

Full frame up rebuild: wheels, engine, everything.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

[The Lone Builder]

Nice job; looks good.

I agree with the silver outlining. Be keen to see the outcome.

Sean

[Johnny340]

OK so the silver didn't look good.  Also, the previous coats were bumpy and it looked like a grade 7 art project.  Good news is, the stripper worked perfect and now I'll hand paint the black and white!

[RAFster122s]

Johnny,
 Sorry to hear the silver did not turn out...such is life sometimes...
Steadying your hand when painting is improved if you reach out with a finger (pinkie usually) to touch the object being painted...makes a big difference... they taught me this back in art classes decades ago...
A cloth stretched over a popscicle stick can be used to wipe off the raised flat edge of the badge...that cloth can be very lightly dampened with thinner if a dry cloth does not work. I do mean very lightly dampened with thinner. You do not want thinner to be squeezed out running into your white or black paint you just painted! It is a little variation on Johnnie's suggestion I have used.

Good luck!  You know us visually stimulated crowd here, we love pics even of carnage but, especially of success!

David