# Lure Paint Bottle Tip



## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

I still occasionally use Testor's enamel paints for homemade jigs/eyes in the little bottles. I used to have a hard time to open the bottles later after one use- sometimes couldn't get them off at all. I figured out that a little residual paint on the top lip of the bottles, as well as under the caps was curing out effectively "locking" the lids on! Now when I work at my tackle making table, I keep a paper towel handy and wipe the inside of the cap and top lip of the bottle before tightening the lid down to prevent future problems. 
Also, you can get thinner where the small bottles are kept in stores. I inject a little thinner with an old syringe into stiff paint and stir it up with a wood toothpick. After the painted lure has cured/hardened for a couple days, I put a good coat of clear nail polish(do this quickly once-over as the lacquer polish will start the enamel to soften! If you go over it again, it will smear) over the entire lure and let that dry thoroughtly(usually overnight). Helps keep the lure paint hard and shiny!


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

When I was a boy and used that paint for model cars (and monsters), I used a nutcracker to re-open the jars.


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## Skippy (Dec 2, 2009)

I paint quite a few jigs up during the off season. Always opening and closing different colored bottles of paint. I just use a small eyedropper to add thinner when needed. As said wipe off the tops of the bottles. I do go one step farther, using a SMALL paint brush I wipe a small amount of Vaseline around the threads of the bottle. You don't need much. It never gets into the paint and the bottles open without any trouble.


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## nixmkt (Mar 4, 2008)

Q-tips can be easier and less messy to get the paint out of the inside of the caps. Adding a drop or two of thinner into the paint bottle before closing it up will help keep the paint from stiffening up as much if you are not going to be using it again soon.


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## BassariskY (Sep 8, 2006)

When the paint bottle as been sitting for a while, I like to drop a couple bb sized split shots into the bottle to help mix it up.


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