Repairing Vintage Kenner Figures ?

[KageRyu]

So I was hoping some of my fellow collectors might have some advice or suggestions. Ok not really a collector so much as these are toys I have had since childhood that survived. I recently started moving all of my figures from the boxes they were thrown into and have jostled around in for many decades moving on the tour of the northeast. Today I was sorting those figures and trying to associate accessories with figures.

I discovered my Han Solo in Hoth snow outfit has head the head come off. From what I can see there is still a peg on the base of the head and a hole in the neck, but I am reluctant to try to force it back into place for fear of doing damage. This was one of a handful of figures I intended to keep.

Does anyone have experience or knowledge on fixing heads on these old Star Wars figures from the 80's? Is it even possible?

The only other figure I have with a broken head is an original Princess Leia that broke back when I was a child. Since her head is missing, she is beyond repair now.
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"There's a set way to gain new Force Points and it represents a very nice system, where you're rewarded for heroism, not for being a poor conductor to electricity." ~Jachra

[Whill]

In the late 90s, I made a custom figure where I put a Mon Calamari head on a Rebel pilot's body and painted the orange flight suit green, making a Mon Calamari fighter pilot. I think I used some kind of model glue and paint (my girlfriend at the time was artsy so she supplied me or advised what to buy). I do not remember what kind of glue was used, but it was effective. The figure is still standing on my bookshelf, and I can pick him up by his head without it falling off. But of course, the head no longer turns since it was glued on facing forward. I wish I could be more helpful, but I guess this is just confirmation that what you want to do it possible if you are ok with the head no longer turning once repaired.

[KageRyu]

If I were to try to go the glue route I would likely have to use a 2-part epoxy. I know that various super-glues, hobby glues, and testors model glue do not fair well with the type of plastic Kenner made these old figure out of, nor does Zap-Gap. I would prefer not to glue, and still have the head turn-able. When I have some time I will consult some collector video and source and see if I can find anything.

I also found several of My G.I. Joes had the crotch piece break, which is further aggravating.
_________________
"There's a set way to gain new Force Points and it represents a very nice system, where you're rewarded for heroism, not for being a poor conductor to electricity." ~Jachra

[KageRyu]

...and...
BAM!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCPDGMvwKqk

Figured I'd place that here for other collectors with similar issues. If I ever find Leia's head, now I know a way to make a decent repair. Just need to get some Lego Axel-pegs.

Another head repair on a Biker Scout
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yf9gVyZNqFw
_________________
"There's a set way to gain new Force Points and it represents a very nice system, where you're rewarded for heroism, not for being a poor conductor to electricity." ~Jachra

[Whill]

Cool. Maybe it wasn't model glue. I was a Lego kid who never made models, so what do I know? It very well could have been super-glue.
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Star Wars D6 Damage

[KageRyu]

I know my dad had used some type of super-glue to fix the broken Leai, and she was fixed multiple times and kept re-breaking (the glue did not hold well). I have used 2-part epoxies on various plastics and Styrofoams (which melt with superglue) in my wargaming hobbies, so I figure that would be the best glue if I did glue.

However, I just ordered some of those Axel Pins and am going to give that a go. For the record, I do not intend to use a power drill or dremel - I intend to use a Pin Vise drill which will allow much finer control. I am quite familiar with it from my model building kitbashes and wargames figures.

Watching some other videos from that creator makes me think of how cool it would be to make custom Star Wars figures for gaming from unwanted, broken, and damaged Star Wars figures. I used to do it all the time with G.I. Joes when I was younger, but those were comparatively easy, just needed the right sized screw driver and some patience and the right figures to mix. I never tried with Star Wars figures because they were not made to come apart... but now I have some methods... I just need to figure out what type of Paints are safe (I had bad experiences with Testors paints degrading the plastic when I tried repainting one of the Death Star Troopers into a rebel fleet officer).

Obviously, these types of repairs or modifications will negate collector value of a given figure and should only be done for personal use and display.
_________________
"There's a set way to gain new Force Points and it represents a very nice system, where you're rewarded for heroism, not for being a poor conductor to electricity." ~Jachra

[Whill]

Yeah, the custom figure's glue-job may not be play-worthy, but I made him for display-only. I'm a total amateur but went through a very brief custom figure-making phase one year. I had no books and no instruction, other than some general art advice from my girlfriend who had never had any action figures. I just figured it out (pun intended), but I only made the one "frankenstein" with parts from different characters.

The others were only painted. I turned an Ackbar figure into a Mon Cal Rebel SpecForce officer (with a tan top and blue pants). A Mon Cal Jedi was an easy one I made by taking a Mon Cal fleet officer, then putting a brown cloth Jedi robe on him and getting a lightsaber to stay in his hand. Oh, and I also made Ponda Baba with a cybernetic hand in honor of him being an entertaining nemesis to a PC in one of my campaigns.
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[CRMcNeill]

On a related note, my stepdad was reorganizing the garage and stumbled across the storage trays from my old Kenner Action Figures Collector's Case. They were being used as storage for a screw & nail collection. The case itself is long gone, but the trays themselves are in good shape: not broken, with some minor rust stains from metal nails and the like.

I have no use for them, but they're currently going for $12-$15 on eBay, so if any Pit members are interested, I could probably cut a deal.
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"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[Whill]

But what is he going to do with all the nails and screws?!

I never had a vintage action figure case, but I still have my 1997 Millennium Falcon Carry Case that came with the heroic-proportioned Wedge figure. I use it to store all my loose figures not on display.
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[CRMcNeill]

No idea; he apparently has alternate plans. And the only conceivable use I can see for them would be for someone who has the vintage case, but with damaged trays. The complete cases are going for ~$100 right now.
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[TauntaunScout]

Yeah the trays are still useful for restorations! PLENTY of cases without trays floating around Electronic Bay's dot com.

Whill how did the Han drama play out? Did you ever fix it?

When we were kids X-Wing Luke lost his head, my mom glued it back with model glue but it couldn't turn and the join didn't last. Nowadays, being an experienced modeler, I would have drilled a hole into his neck (both body and head holes), and then made a steel pin using a small nail or something, gluing with super glue not model glue. It still wouldn't turn but it would've kept him play-able.

Generally speaking nowadays I won't repair or restore anything unless it's in a way that can be undone. That's the art museum guy in me. We all had horror stories of ways people had ruined antiques by "repairing" them.

[KageRyu]

I had the broken Han.
I picked up some of the needed pegs to fix him, but as of yet have not sat down to fix him. This is in part due to the state of my living situation. I currently do not have a place to sit down and work on hobbies or projects because I am in my family home following my Father's death, and he was a hoarder. Though I have been working to clear it up, it is slow going as it is a large home and I have no help. It is also why I have been selling off a lot of my collectibles, as they are getting ruined in storage.

I am trying to make a push to get some room before winter as I can not take another year like this. Hopefully when this is done I will have space and time to actually do the repair and post results.
_________________
"There's a set way to gain new Force Points and it represents a very nice system, where you're rewarded for heroism, not for being a poor conductor to electricity." ~Jachra

[TauntaunScout]

[Whill]

[Whill]