I have already got a rock chip (675 miles on her is all!) and I am wondering-Has anyone out there tried both types of touch up paint applicators, and what are your views? I have extensively used the brush type paint for years on all of my vehicles, including two bottles (and I just bought a third) on my Z32. The stick pen/clear coat applicator is not available in AJ4 (Ultra Red) so I have never been able to try it. It seems to me that it has a lot less total paint than the brush bottles, at 4 times the cost. And is the clear coat worth the extra dough? I imagine that for my Z33, which is Daytona Blue (B17), that the clear coat applicator would be more useful than for a flat, non-metallic color, so I am debating whether to drop the $12 for it. Also, the pen is sealed, it seems from the picture. What happens if I need to thin it? SOL? BTW-the best thinner for the brush bottles is acetone, believe it or not. Neither paint nor lacquer thinner go into solution with the touch up paint. Acetone works perfectly, and even helps the paint flow, instead of going into little globs.
So, who has tried both, and what's your verdict?

 

I use the tip of a wooden toothpick to just barely place a small amount at a time to fill them.

 

I have the clear bra, so no chip yet. Have the bottle and the pen. Haven't used either but it seems to me that the pen does not produce globs (tried it on scrap metal) but spreads a thin layer. At minimum I will be able to apply the clear coat over either source of paint, pen or bottle.

 

I got a buddy that uses a syringe to put just the smallest amount of paint on the chip. I bought this one from woodcraft.com. haven't used it yet. He suggests mixing some paint with thinner and taking it really slow.


Chair Doctor

 

Thanks for actually answering my question. I wasn't looking for advice on application techniques, just what people's experience was with both products head to head. I had considered the clear bra, but with so many horror stories and so few installers that I can trust, I thought I'd take my chances. Looks like I crapped out on the first roll. Oh well-It's not a big chip. Nobody will even know it's there but me if I don't point it out. But I think I'll buy and try the pen. What the hell, it costs less than an 18 pack of beer, and probably will last longer...