I was thinking about this thread yesterday and it got me wondering. What would you do if you actually found a rare color and it was painted? For discussion's sake let’s say it was the Purple Claw.
I guess there are really three questions:
1. How much would you pay for a painted Purple Claw?
2. Would you try to take off the paint?
3. How would you try to take off the paint?
Here were my thoughts:
1. Having paid about $100 for my Purple Claw, I'd probably pay just under that. Like if I saw a painted Purple Claw at garage sale and the guy wanted $40 for a bag of 20 beat-up figures, I'd probably buy it. Of course, the less paint the more I'd pay.
2. I'm trying to take the paint off for sure. It's like archeological dig for rare MUSCLEs.
3. I have no idea. My fear would be damaging the figure with harsh paint removers. If the figure was covered in paint maybe I'd boil it in water, hoping the paint would loosen up. I really have no idea how to try something like that, safely. With a small amount, I probably wouldn't worry too much. Maybe I'd just leave it?
A Painted Rare Color Figure
Started by
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, Sep 04 2008 11:03 AM
11 replies to this topic
#2
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Posted 04 September 2008 - 11:16 AM
Also, just for the sake of clarity. I certainly wouldn't pay as much for routine rare figure that was painted. My price was based on the idea that I needed the figure and that it was the purple Claw. For a non-popular "rare" color MUSCLE that was painted, and that I needed, I probably wouldn't pay more than $5.
#3
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Posted 04 September 2008 - 11:18 AM
1. How much would you pay for a painted Purple Claw?
Well I personally wouldn't pay more than 10 bucks for a Purple Claw of any kind, unless I were to resell it.
2. Would you try to take off the paint?
Yep, I've had plenty of figs come in that were painted on, and I always attempted to remove it, especially if it was one I didn't have.
3. How would you try to take off the paint?
Depends on what type of paint it is. You can kind of tell just by how it looks or feels.
Acrylic or watercolors are sometimes dry looking on aged figures, and I've easily removed the majority of this kind of paint with very hot water soap and a vigorous scrub of a tooth brush. However different color paints, no matter what kind, can often stain into the plastic or discolor it, depending on what color the figure is. Red paint is notorious, and even yellows will leave distasteful stains on your figures (although less noticeable).
Enamels or oil paints are different and usually appears glossy. I have yet to have a success with completely removing this type of paint from a figure that has been fully painted. If it's on a flat surface of a figure such as a foot or a blocky character it usually doesn't take much. A scrape with a fingernail, the above mentioned method, or some fingernail polish remover and a rag can do the trick, but if it gets into the crevices and details of most other figures, you most likely won't be able to get it out. Even attempts at long baths in FNPR has proved useless. I mostly chunk these guys in my kitbash bag.
Well I personally wouldn't pay more than 10 bucks for a Purple Claw of any kind, unless I were to resell it.
2. Would you try to take off the paint?
Yep, I've had plenty of figs come in that were painted on, and I always attempted to remove it, especially if it was one I didn't have.
3. How would you try to take off the paint?
Depends on what type of paint it is. You can kind of tell just by how it looks or feels.
Acrylic or watercolors are sometimes dry looking on aged figures, and I've easily removed the majority of this kind of paint with very hot water soap and a vigorous scrub of a tooth brush. However different color paints, no matter what kind, can often stain into the plastic or discolor it, depending on what color the figure is. Red paint is notorious, and even yellows will leave distasteful stains on your figures (although less noticeable).
Enamels or oil paints are different and usually appears glossy. I have yet to have a success with completely removing this type of paint from a figure that has been fully painted. If it's on a flat surface of a figure such as a foot or a blocky character it usually doesn't take much. A scrape with a fingernail, the above mentioned method, or some fingernail polish remover and a rag can do the trick, but if it gets into the crevices and details of most other figures, you most likely won't be able to get it out. Even attempts at long baths in FNPR has proved useless. I mostly chunk these guys in my kitbash bag.
#4
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Posted 04 September 2008 - 11:54 AM
1) I'm not big into paying a crapload of money for colored MUSCLEs, regardless of rarity, so I'd probably only pay about $10-20. In your example, if there were other figures in the mix, I'd probably pay more.
2) I'd definitely try to remove the paint.
3) I'm not too sure about how to remove the paint. I definitely wouldn't use harsh chemicals, like you were saying. The hot water idea is a good one. I'd also try to wash it off with a toothbrush and soap. If that didn't work, I'd try scraping it very gently with an exacto knife. It would be hard not to damage the figure, but if you're careful enough, you'd probably be able to get most of it off. Depending on the paint's adhesion and thickness, that is.
2) I'd definitely try to remove the paint.
3) I'm not too sure about how to remove the paint. I definitely wouldn't use harsh chemicals, like you were saying. The hot water idea is a good one. I'd also try to wash it off with a toothbrush and soap. If that didn't work, I'd try scraping it very gently with an exacto knife. It would be hard not to damage the figure, but if you're careful enough, you'd probably be able to get most of it off. Depending on the paint's adhesion and thickness, that is.
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Posted 04 September 2008 - 03:11 PM
not entirely on subject, but i've heard that you can take the paint off of old door hardware by putting it in a crockpot with laundry detergent and letting it simmer for 24 hrs. anyone ever thought about doing this for painted muscles? i would think you'd have to keep it on low or warm so you didn't actually melt the muscle and maybe have to fashion some type of stand to keep it off the bottom where the heat element is.
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#6
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Posted 04 September 2008 - 03:58 PM
My answers:
1. Not any more than $2.
2. Absolutely.
3. See URS's answer.
1. Not any more than $2.
2. Absolutely.
3. See URS's answer.
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#7
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Posted 05 September 2008 - 05:43 AM
I'm sort of surprised more Purple Claw people haven't weighed in. The figure always draws so much attention. I feel like the lack of people talking about this, sort of reinforces that much of its value is based on hype.
Maybe the other question I should ask is, what do you think some other crazy collector would pay for a painted Purple Claw?
I think it would easily hit $100, but wouldn’t top $150.
Maybe the other question I should ask is, what do you think some other crazy collector would pay for a painted Purple Claw?
I think it would easily hit $100, but wouldn’t top $150.
#8
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Posted 05 September 2008 - 06:09 AM
Most collectors are Mint crazy so i wouldn't think more than $50.
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Posted 06 September 2008 - 04:17 AM
1. If I saw any rare figure I needed, and it was painted, sure I'd buy it. I'd probably not pay much of anything.
Like many have said, it would have to be in a lot, and most likely the seller would have no clue it was rare, so I'd walk away maybe paying 0.50 a piece for the complete lot, and add no more than $5 to the grand total for the rare one. If I can get it cheaper, that will be done.
2. Would you try to take off the paint?
Depends on how nice the paint job is. I have seen some beautiful painted MUSCLE's in my time here, and it would be a shame to destroy a masterpiece, rare or not. Think about it, is is worth possibly ruining a perfectly good figure JUST to get it back to the virgin state? Nah. I wouldn't have paid much for it anyway, and I would consider it a "hole filler" figure (holding the place in my collection until I could find a really nice one.)
3. How would you try to take off the paint?
If it was a truly crappy paint job, I would try soap and boiling hot water first. (This worked well when I had to remove melted crayon from a MUSCLE and the crayon had left it stained.) Then move on to rubbing alcohol to help the paint bubble up and scrape it off using medical tweezers. If that didn't do the job, I'd try any of the cleaning products Bill Mays keeps trying to sell at 3AM. The man doesn't yell for his own health you know.
So in conclusion:
1. Wouldn't pay typical MUSCLE price (not rare MUSCLE prices)
2. Leave on the paint on if it's nice
3. If not, mess with it until it's gone
Like many have said, it would have to be in a lot, and most likely the seller would have no clue it was rare, so I'd walk away maybe paying 0.50 a piece for the complete lot, and add no more than $5 to the grand total for the rare one. If I can get it cheaper, that will be done.
2. Would you try to take off the paint?
Depends on how nice the paint job is. I have seen some beautiful painted MUSCLE's in my time here, and it would be a shame to destroy a masterpiece, rare or not. Think about it, is is worth possibly ruining a perfectly good figure JUST to get it back to the virgin state? Nah. I wouldn't have paid much for it anyway, and I would consider it a "hole filler" figure (holding the place in my collection until I could find a really nice one.)
3. How would you try to take off the paint?
If it was a truly crappy paint job, I would try soap and boiling hot water first. (This worked well when I had to remove melted crayon from a MUSCLE and the crayon had left it stained.) Then move on to rubbing alcohol to help the paint bubble up and scrape it off using medical tweezers. If that didn't do the job, I'd try any of the cleaning products Bill Mays keeps trying to sell at 3AM. The man doesn't yell for his own health you know.
So in conclusion:
1. Wouldn't pay typical MUSCLE price (not rare MUSCLE prices)
2. Leave on the paint on if it's nice
3. If not, mess with it until it's gone
#10
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Posted 06 September 2008 - 01:26 PM
Just found an old figure of mine that as a kid I attempted to paint.... well I believe I used testors model paints as that's all I painted figures with back then. Anyhow the paint job was pretty crappy and stil a bit tacky... go figure as enamel doesn't cure on rubber type materials. This guy was similar to M.U.S.C.L.E. rubber and with denatured alcohol I was able to get most of the paint off! Some of the crevice areas will require careful treatment with an exacto. Anyways that's my 2¢.
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Posted 06 September 2008 - 05:23 PM
so did you find one somewhere Veers?
I'd pay $20 or $30 for a purple claw, maybe a little more if I hadn't bought anything in awhile and was jonesing for a toy fix.
as for a painted one maybe $5 and I'd definitely make an attempt to get the paint off. How would depend on what kind of paint I thought it was. I don't think scraping would work too well on a claw, too much danger of screwing up all the bumps on it. I'd say mainly soaking, scrubbing & solvents.
I'd pay $20 or $30 for a purple claw, maybe a little more if I hadn't bought anything in awhile and was jonesing for a toy fix.
as for a painted one maybe $5 and I'd definitely make an attempt to get the paint off. How would depend on what kind of paint I thought it was. I don't think scraping would work too well on a claw, too much danger of screwing up all the bumps on it. I'd say mainly soaking, scrubbing & solvents.
Edited by gilgar, 06 September 2008 - 05:23 PM.
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#12
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Posted 08 September 2008 - 04:52 AM
I meant to say that I hadn't found one on Yahoo or eBay. I didn't want people looking through auctions, wasting their time, trying to find it. Like I said, the link in my first post got me thinking about it.so did you find one somewhere Veers?
