What is KBS Paint Saver?
KBS Paint Saver is an inert gas paint preserver that stops leftover paints, coatings, and clear coats from skinning over in the original can. A 2 to 4 second spray lays a blanket of argon and nitrogen over the paint surface, displacing the oxygen and moisture that harden a partly used can.
Up to 75
Paint Cans Saved Per Can
2 to 4 sec
Spray Time, Quart to Gallon
0.25 oz
Net Contents, 100% Dry Gas
Argon + Nitrogen
Heavier-Than-Air Blanket
Every partly used can of paint is a countdown. The moment the lid comes off, oxygen and airborne moisture reach the surface, and on a 1K moisture-cured coating like DiamondFinish Clear or BlackTop that reaction never stops. Weeks later the can opens on a rubbery skin and the paint underneath is gone.
KBS Paint Saver removes the trigger instead of the symptom. The argon and nitrogen blend inside the can is heavier than the air we breathe, so it settles onto the paint and pushes the reactive air up and out of the way before the lid closes. The gas is 100% dry, unlike the liquid-propellant canned air sold for electronics, so nothing is introduced that could contaminate the coating.
One 0.25 oz can treats up to 75 paint cans. Use the whole can of paint you paid for. Satisfaction guaranteed!
KBS Paint Saver Video Overview
KBS Paint Saver sprays a blend of argon and nitrogen that is heavier than air, so the gas sinks and lies directly on the paint surface inside the can. That blanket isolates the coating from the oxygen and moisture in the trapped headspace, which are the two things that cause skinning, thickening, and gelling during storage.
- Isolates the air in the can from the contents — the inert gas layer sits between the coating and whatever air is left above it.
- Stops skin formation on 1K moisture-cured coatings — DiamondFinish Clear, BlackTop, Motor Coater and other moisture-cured urethanes cure by reacting with atmospheric humidity, so removing that humidity stops the reaction.
- Prevents oxidation in oil-based enamels and solvent coatings — the tough surface film that forms on a half-used can of enamel is an oxygen reaction.
- Protects water-based paints and latex — less air over the paint means less evaporation and less thickening between uses.
- Adds no liquid to the can — KBS Paint Saver is 100% dry gas, not the liquefied propellant found in electronics dusters, so nothing gets into the coating.
- Sprays gently on purpose — the valve is designed to release slowly so the gas does not blast the paint surface and splatter the inside of the can and lid.
- Non-flammable and environmentally safe — argon and nitrogen are inert atmospheric gases with no flash point and no ozone impact.
- Saves the money already spent — a skinned-over quart of clear coat is a total loss, and one can of KBS Paint Saver treats up to 75 cans.
One 0.25 oz can of KBS Paint Saver treats up to 75 paint cans.
Why Does My Can of KBS Paint Saver Feel Empty?
A full can of KBS Paint Saver weighs almost nothing, and that is normal. The label states 0.25 oz net contents, and the contents are 100% dry gas rather than a liquid, so there is nothing inside to slosh. The gas volume is still more than enough to blanket up to 75 paint cans at 2 to 4 seconds per spray. This is the single most common question KBS gets about the product.
Is KBS Paint Saver the Same as Canned Air for Electronics?
No. Electronics dusters contain a liquefied propellant that can spit liquid into whatever it is aimed at, which would contaminate a coating. KBS Paint Saver is 100% dry argon and nitrogen with no liquid phase, which is what makes it safe to spray directly into an open can of clear coat.
KBS Paint Saver differs from generic can-storage tricks because it removes the reactive air rather than just sealing it in. The 100% dry argon and nitrogen blend is heavier than air, non-flammable, environmentally safe, and formulated to leave the can gently so the paint underneath is never splattered.
- Inert gas blanket: Argon and nitrogen sink onto the paint and hold the oxygen and moisture away from it, instead of trapping them in the can with the coating.
- 100% dry: No liquid propellant, no solvent, and no water introduced into the can. Safe on clear coats where a single contaminant shows.
- Gentle spray by design: The valve releases slowly so the gas does not disturb the paint surface or splatter the can rim and lid.
- Works in the original can: No decanting into jars, no marbles, no plastic bottles. The paint stays in the container it was mixed and labeled in.
- Non-flammable: Argon and nitrogen have no flash point, so a can of KBS Paint Saver is safe to keep on the shelf next to solvent coatings.
- Environmentally safe: Both gases are naturally occurring atmospheric components with no ozone impact.
- Up to 75 cans treated: At 2 seconds for a quart and 4 seconds for a gallon, one 0.25 oz can covers a full shop's worth of leftover coatings.
- Spray straw included: The straw lets the gas be directed against the side of the can, below the lid, without dipping into the paint.
- Saves real money: One rescued quart of DiamondFinish Clear pays for the can several times over.
KBS Paint Saver works on every KBS coating and on virtually any other paint stored in a sealable can, including all water-based and all solvent-based products. The gas blanket is chemically inert, so it does not react with the coating, change the color, or affect how the paint performs when the can is reopened.
- KBS 1K Clear Coats
- DiamondFinish Clear and other moisture-cured clears, where a skin in the can is the most expensive kind of loss.
- KBS Rust Prevention and Chassis Coatings
- RustSeal and BlackTop. Both are single-component coatings that react with atmospheric moisture, so headspace humidity is what shortens an opened can.
- KBS Engine and Top Coat Paints
- Motor Coater, KBS Top Coater and similar single-stage finishes stored partly used between projects.
- Urethanes and Enamels
- Any urethane or oil-based enamel that forms a surface film during storage. Oxidation at the paint-to-air boundary is exactly what the gas layer interrupts.
- Latex and Water-Based Paints
- House paint, trim paint, and water-based coatings that thicken and grow lumps in a half-empty can.
- All Solvent-Based Paints
- Lacquers, primers, and industrial solvent coatings. If it comes in a can with a lid, KBS Paint Saver applies.
Spray KBS Paint Saver for 2 seconds into a quart can or smaller and 4 seconds into a gallon can, then close the lid immediately. One 0.25 oz can of KBS Paint Saver treats up to 75 paint cans, so a single can typically covers years of leftover coatings for a home shop.
| Container Being Stored | Spray Time |
|---|
| Pint, quart, or smaller | 2 seconds |
| Gallon | 4 seconds |
Yield: Up to 75 paint cans per 0.25 oz can of KBS Paint Saver. The more headspace a can has, the more the gas has to fill, so a nearly empty gallon consumes more than a nearly full one.
Timing: Close the lid immediately after spraying. The gas is heavier than air and will stay put, but an open can lets normal room air mix back in over the next few minutes.
Pro Tip: Lay a piece of plastic sheeting or a cut plastic bag over the top of the can, then slide the spray straw underneath it and spray toward the side of the can. The sheeting holds the gas layer in place while the lid goes on.
Do not dip the straw into the paint. Aim at the can wall, not the surface, and the coating never gets disturbed.
KBS Paint Saver differs from sealing the can alone in what it does with the trapped air: KBS Paint Saver replaces the headspace with inert argon and nitrogen, while wiping the rim and hammering the lid simply locks the oxygen and moisture in with the paint. Sealing well is still worth doing, and the two work together.
| | KBS Paint Saver | Lid-Only Storage |
|---|
| Oxygen in the headspace | Displaced by argon and nitrogen | Sealed in with the paint |
| Moisture reaching a 1K moisture-cured coating | Blocked by the inert layer | Whatever humidity was in the can keeps reacting |
| Half-empty gallon | 4 second spray fills the space | Worst case, the most air over the least paint |
| Anything added to the paint | Nothing, 100% dry inert gas | Nothing |
| Effort per can | One 2 to 4 second spray | Wipe the rim, mallet the lid |
| Cost per can stored | Roughly a sixth of the can price, spread over up to 75 uses | Free |
Sealing the can alone is enough when the paint is a full or nearly full can of water-based latex that will be reopened within a couple of weeks. The gap opens up on partly used 1K moisture-cured coatings and on anything that has to sit through a winter, which is where a skinned-over can costs more than a lifetime supply of KBS Paint Saver.
KBS Paint Saver handles the air inside the can. These four steps handle everything else, and skipping them is the usual reason a treated can still fails.
- Step 1 — Wipe the rim
- Clean paint out of the groove with a rag or paper towel before the lid goes on. Residue in the groove is what keeps a lid from seating and later glues it shut.
- Step 2 — Spray KBS Paint Saver
- Hold the lid close above the can, aim the straw at the side wall, and spray 2 seconds for a quart or 4 seconds for a gallon.
- Step 3 — Seat the lid properly
- Close the lid immediately and tap it down with a rubber mallet, working around the rim. If the can or lid is damaged, transfer the coating to a clean steel or glass container with a tight lid.
- Step 4 — Store cool and dry
- Keep the can between 50°F and 80°F, out of direct sun. An unheated garage is the most common storage mistake because the temperature swing works against the coating. Stir well with an upward motion before the next use.
Read the Full Paint Storage Guide
Spray toward the side of the can, never down into the paint.
Best Way to Store Paint and Coatings and Mix for Use
Storage temperature, the freezing question, the plastic-sheeting technique, and how to stir a stored coating back to spec.
Read Article →
How To Properly Open a Paint Can and Preserve the Paint
Why the rim groove decides whether a can ever seals again, and how to open one without deforming the lid.
Read Article →
Handling 1K Moisture-Cured Urethanes and Preventing Skinning
Induction time, stirring intervals, and why moisture-cured coatings skin faster than anything else in the shop.
Read Article →
My Can of KBS Paint Saver Seems Empty. Is This Normal?
The most common Paint Saver question, answered: 0.25 oz of 100% dry gas weighs almost nothing and still treats 75 cans.
Read Article →
How to Achieve an Incredible Finish With a Moisture Cured Paint
Application technique for the KBS coatings most worth saving, from stir to final coat.
Read Article →
KBS Instructional Video Library
Free how-to videos covering paint can handling, stirring, prep, and every KBS coating.
Watch Videos →
Have questions before you buy? Find answers to the most common KBS Paint Saver questions below — or
order KBS Paint Saver now and get it shipped same day.
KBS Paint Saver is an inert gas paint preserver that stops leftover paints, coatings, and clear coats from skinning over in the original can. Spraying it into an open can lays a blend of argon and nitrogen over the paint. Both gases are heavier than air, so they settle onto the surface and displace the oxygen and moisture that cause hardening during storage.
That is normal and expected. The label states 0.25 oz net contents, and those contents are 100% dry gas rather than a liquid, so there is nothing inside the can to feel or hear. That small charge is still enough to blanket up to 75 paint cans at 2 to 4 seconds per use.
Spray for 2 seconds into a quart can or anything smaller, and 4 seconds into a gallon can. Hold the lid close above the can, aim the straw at the side wall rather than down at the paint, and close the lid immediately after spraying.
One can of KBS Paint Saver typically treats up to 75 paint cans. Actual yield depends on how much headspace each can has, since a nearly empty gallon takes more gas to blanket than a nearly full quart.
KBS Paint Saver works on DiamondFinish Clear, RustSeal, BlackTop, Motor Coater, KBS Top Coater, urethanes, enamels, latex, and every other water-based or solvent-based paint stored in a sealable can. The gas is chemically inert, so it does not react with the coating or change how it performs when the can is reopened.
No. Electronics dusters contain a liquefied propellant that can spit liquid out of the nozzle, which would contaminate a coating. KBS Paint Saver is 100% dry argon and nitrogen with no liquid phase, which is what makes it safe to spray directly into an open can of clear coat.
No. KBS Paint Saver is non-flammable. Argon and nitrogen are inert atmospheric gases with no flash point, which is also why the product is environmentally safe and why the can is safe to keep on a shelf alongside solvent-based coatings.
KBS Paint Saver is designed to come out gently for exactly this reason, so it does not blast the paint surface. Aim the included spray straw at the side wall of the can rather than down at the paint, and do not insert the straw into the coating. Laying a piece of plastic sheeting over the can and spraying underneath it removes any risk of splashing.
Store treated cans in a cool, dry place held between 50°F and 80°F and out of direct sunlight. An unheated garage is the most common storage mistake, because the temperature swings there work against the coating even when the can is sealed and blanketed.
Wipe the rim groove clean before the lid goes on, spray KBS Paint Saver, then seat the lid with a rubber mallet working around the rim. If the can or lid is damaged, transfer the coating to a clean steel or glass container with a tight-fitting lid. Stir with an upward paddle motion before the next use to redisperse settled pigment.
