Handling models with bare hands

[vsr]

How do you all handle your models?

I wash my hands with soap and water before handling my collection bare-handed. I don’t touch my models much - once to take them out of the box (when I try to use the plastic sheet that they come covered in to hold them as much as possible), and only occasionally afterwards if I need to make space in my display cabinet.

Is this an acceptable way to handle my models, or should I be wearing gloves?

 

[LeoMuse747]

Bare handed with clean hands. No issues at the moment for me...

 

[Jazajia]

 

[Aeromini]

I used to think handling models with bare hands could potentially damage the paint but after many years of collecting found that not to be true . So in terms of harming the model you aren’t at all. Of course I wash my hands before as some models (especially polished) will show fingerprints.

 

[planes_on_a_shelf]

Wash hands and ensuring I'm not perspiring while handling the models, or am not touching any other surface that will accidentally leave any kind of residue on my fingers - dust, grease, stains, etc.
So always the AC needs to be on (I live in a 'hot' country )

 

[pedrominiaturas]

My own models I normally use my hands to touch them because they are on my own collection.
However when handling models for sale, I tend to use the thin plastic that comes inside the box of a lot of models. So I dont have to touch them.

 

[AustrianCollector]

I used to carry my models using almost only cotton gloves, until I accidentally pulled an antenna from a Herpa DC-4. Since then, I only touch them with my bare hands.

 

[MIAv8Diecast]

I have had printing on some of my Gemini Jets smudge when handling with bare hands... I'm not sure why this is per say as it wasn't occurring on any of my other models besides Gemini Jets. When I tried to see if a cloth would cause smudging it wouldn't so that leads me to believe there was maybe some QC issues with the printing as my NG's, Pheonix and Aeroclassics have never smudged with bare hands.

 

[MIAv8Diecast]

I have had printing on some of my Gemini Jets smudge when handling with bare hands... I'm not sure why this is per say as it wasn't occurring on any of my other models besides Gemini Jets. When I tried to see if a cloth would cause smudging it wouldn't so that leads me to believe there was maybe some QC issues with the printing as my NG's, Pheonix and Aeroclassics have never smudged with bare hands.

I also ALWAYS wash my hands before touching them.

 

[ChairFlyer101]

I have had printing on some of my Gemini Jets smudge when handling with bare hands... I'm not sure why this is per se as it wasn't occurring on any of my other models besides Gemini Jets. When I tried to see if a cloth would cause smudging it wouldn't so that leads me to believe there was maybe some QC issues with the printing as my NG's, Pheonix and Aeroclassics have never smudged with bare hands.

My oldest 1:400 model from my childhood has some missing printing around the back of the wing root where I would handle it often. But it’s also a Gemini Jets and I’ve yet to observe similar issues with recent models or other brands.

 

[MIAv8Diecast]

My oldest 1:400 model from my childhood has some missing printing around the back of the wing root where I would handle it often. But it’s also a Gemini Jets and I’ve yet to observe similar issues with recent models or other brands.

This issue for me was almost exclusively with DAL Gemini Jets between the years between 2014-2018.. All I would have to do is wipe a clean finger across the Delta titles and the blue would smudge off. I would take a Cotten cloth to clean up the smudge and it would clean it up entirely without pulling any more printing off.

 

[Purpleplane]

I normally wear gloves when I handle my models, just to make sure no smudges, no fingerprints, etc.

 

[BHD]

I use air puffers and a cloth. But I don’t use the cloth near the antenna as I pulled one out of my KLM a330
So I use my bare hands for that job.