Oddball question about saving paint

[panicman]

It is now going on 5 years since I painted my bug. I had Anthracite mixed in PPG ss, and I ended up with leftover color and hardener, which has been great for doing small touch ups.

But as the years tick by, the containers are getting old and rusty. In the gallon can pictured, I have probably an inch of paint swirling around, and in the hardener bottle, maybe a cup.

I’m I best of just leaving things as they are? Or should I try to get new, smaller paint cans to decant these into?

Also, how much longer can I expect this stuff to survive?

Thank you!

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Plate of shrimp

[Matt Wilson]

I personally, would go to the smallest paint can you could fit. I tried to keep mine in the gallon can but every time I opened it, it got markedly worse until the paint completely dried out. Just clean the lid and make sure you avoid getting dust or rust in the paint.

I remember an old painter guy telling me to hold my breath and blow the CO2 into the can and slam the lid shut, which would keep the paint longer. Honestly if your paint job is lasting past 5 years that's great, so if only a few tiny touch ups are needed, you might keep it going by keeping the old paint.
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1972 Standard Beetle
1969 Baja Beetle

[viiking]

You could get the same result by displacing the air in the can with some argon welding mix. Without the arc of course.

The amount of oxygen still left in your breath would still be significant and the CO2 insignificant to make any effect.
Otherwise CPR would be totally ineffectual I.e. the mouth to mouth part😉