Global Scale Modeller

I'm sure the seasoned modellers are laughing right now as it seems that coating your model in X-21 is some form of rite of passage...

If you're new to modelling (like me) and come across Tamiya X-21 and think it can be used as a form of varnish you are MISTAKEN!!! It dries to a white powder which is extremely difficult to get off without damaging the underlying paint work.

I recently managed to coat Tamiya's 1/35 Panther Ausf. G with it after 6 months of painting and weathering, apparently there is a warning on the bottle, but this is in Japanese (helpful...), so for the love of god, don't mistake it for a varnish or gloss (as I did), thank you for listening to this public service announcement

I know
I made that mistake
Lee explained it to me later
It is used to alter the finish of other tamiya paints
So use it to make a gloss paint flat when it dries
Too bad you found out this way
In my case it actually destroyed the paint under it and i had to repaint a wing of a build
The best option is to look for products that clearly have the name varnish
Still thanks for sharing maybe someone else doesn't try it
Cheers Mark

oh no!! Disaster Really sorry for you

It's been a while, couldn't pass this one up. Thanks for the heads up!

If you are not familiar with the "paint" industry as in "artist", then the mistake is just waiting to happen. A flat base X-21 as stated on the bottle = a matt medium in oil painting, dulls the paint down, it is used with the paint as Mark mentioned.

Tamyia sells X-22 = clear coat, XF-86 = Flat clear, the latter is what you want.

That being said, do not use XF-86 (bottle) TS-80 (spray can) over a Matt finish it will turn it cloudy (ask me how I know) LOL. Apply a clear coat over the paint, then apply the flat clear = no prblems (cloudiness). I use flat paints 98% of the time. Because I use oil washes and filters, the model gets clear coated anyway, after initial paint and in between coats. A Matt fiinish gets applied after I am all done.

Hope this is helpfull.

Thanks for the condolences gents

A small turn of events has meant my Panther no longer served in France in 1944, now it inexplicably survived to street fight in Berlin in mid-'45, and will be weathered to the point of destruction so you can't see the appalling surface underneath

It sux that you ended up learning the hard way !


I used it once to Flatten a shinny (X) paint and it worked great !

hence the word.. FLAT BASE !

too late now but... I hope your Post will educate the none Initiated !


All the best to ya !


oh! I no longer use that product and have gotten rid of it....
I find it pretty much useless... if you have the XF version of a colour ! if not ?
then it has its uses... but I would fear it none the less !

Take care.