painting your Shadow Guard

[Jedi_Outcast77]

So I'm going to be doing some work to my helmet over the next few weeks and figured I'd throw this out there.
What kind of paint are you guys using for your Shadow Guards? I didn't want to go with a gloss black, something satin or matte seems to look better IMO.
I guess it depends on how you look at it but the SG seems to fit into the Original Trilogy timeline and all of the OT characters have a very shiny finish to their armor. My thinking on this is that something that is supposed to be stealth-like shouldn't shine and reflect light off of its bucket .
Also, does anyone use a clear-coat after painting or do you just stick with the paint as a top coat?

[LuciousTalvloinne]

Clear coating after painting will keep you from getting nicks in from forcepike bangs to the helmet. I usually repaint my helmet after so many troops.

[kivas]

2-3 coats of Satin Black- with high grit sanding in between - with 4-5 coats of Dullcote for the win ... to me gives the right look.

[xfettx]

Sorry if wrong but to me the helmet at least looks like it's got two different finishes on it. The face looks gloss and the rest looks satin.

[Jedi_Outcast77]

That might just be the lighting on the picture you're looking at. The SG's are all satin and no shine.

[Squirrel]

Mine's going to be ultra-gloss black. Already explained the process to LuciousTalvloinne;
1) Primer, wet-sand,
2) primer, wet-sand,
3) Flat Black, wet-sand,
4) Flat Black, wet-sand,
5) Water-based Varnish, 0000 grade steel wool GENTLY over the surface to remove imperfections,
6) Water-based varnish, 0000 grade steel wool GENTLY over the surface to remove imperfections
7) Water-based varnish, 0000 grade steel wool GENTLY over the surface to remove imperfections
8) Water-based varnish, Cloth buffing.

Yes that's right, 4 coats of Varnish. Water-based ONLY, or you'll ruin any Vinyl helmet. At Home Depot they have the kind in a can, blue & white label, about $10.This is the easiest way to work with varnish on this scale, and the results are nothing short of outstanding! Any other type of varnish may work on the fiberglass ones. . .