I have pulled off the top and used my handy dandy Tamiya paint stirring stick. But after you put the drip top back in place be careful when squeezing paint drops out. I had one bottle lose that part and shoot paint all over the immediate area. Not pleasant.
I found this did not really do the trick so I tried adding an agitator to the bottles - in the form of some cheap glass beads (4mm) I got at Walmart. Now the paint can be shaken normally and you will get a good mixture.
I also read about another method and I use it as well. Chuck the bottle, by the cap, into your drill or cordless screwdriver and give it a couple of trigger pulls! Works great!
I put a Hematite bead in each of my remaining Vallejo bottles,and I shake them using that heavy bead as an agitator.
I also only shake them when the cap is still screwed on,that will hold the tip in place while shaking, as once you take it off of there, it is never again as tight a fit as when you first buy them.
Honestly,chucking a bottle in a drill scares the heck out of me.i can just see me doing a Jackson pollack all over the room.that said I think I’ll give it a try too.
Before I got these wonderful answers, the following was my method: I would take off the top and remove the dropper. Sometimes, a plug of pigment would be in the dropper. Other times, it would be clear. Then take Tamiya stirrer and mix contents. Then take bottle and place in Robart shaker and agitate for 5 minutes. I even started using the battery stirrer, but had to modify the bottom disc. Originally, the disc was to big to fit into the dropper bottles. This just seemed like I was making it harder than it should be.
The beads and the drill sound like a good idea…except with rubber bands [:)]
Quick tip…if you have a Robart Shaker, rubber bands work just as well as using Robart’s rubber straps. Three rubber bands and you are good to go.