Re: Why Was Wrinkle Paint Popular?

I always thought it was intended to make stamped parts look like sand castings. Hiding fingerprints as an extra bonus. Wrinkle finishes were popular on office machines (typewriters, calculating machines) and sometimes office accessories.

bob prohaska

I've always thought that it was intended to be a non reflective surface that wouldn't show finger prints and so on. I remember we used to repaint light aircraft instrument panels with black "wrinkle paint"

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I thought it was due to high solids in the paints, mostly with the intent of allowing a tougher baked finish, but also (like for various plaster-wall treatments) to hide a few unintentional flaws or wrinkles by having a more-uniform field of surface marks.

However,

implies wrinkles are due to different layers in the paint drying at different rates, and in the 'old days' tung oil was important to the effect, but more recently the technique of adding layers fairly quickly is used. (Ie wrinkles not necessarily due to high solids or baking.)

Ever try to remove it??? Tough as nails and didn't show damage easily.

And engine parts

It was popular on very early metal cased radios and test equpiment, for this reason. Atwater Kent used it on their radios, and I have several old signal generators painted with it. It was a lot easier to use than Hammertone paint. I repainted some '60s Lafayette CB radios with a blue wrinkle that was close to the original shade.

ANd that Hammertite was TOUGH STUFF too.

I have four, one pint cans of it in bright red. I am saving it to pant a server rack.