Arkham City Bats rubber discolouration question

[StitchLips]

Hi guys,

I have a question perhaps someone can help with? Some time ago I bought the Arkham City Batman HT. He was second hand for a good price and came boxed in excellent condition - the only thing I noticed missing was one of the plastic end caps from the stand wires. No biggie I thought, I machined a new end cap from some hard rubber to prevent any scratches. The model's been on display for about a year now.

Anyway, the other day I moved the figure for the first time in a while - only to notice a patch of rubber on his thigh has yellowed, presumably on close contact with this other material (photo attached).



Clearly there's been some reaction between the materials. Thankfully it's not melted or sticky, just discoloured. I've removed the end cap to prevent any further damage, and have tried cleaning the area with a damp cloth to no avail - it's definitely within the rubber and not on the surface.

Has anyone experienced a similar reaction and maybe know of any method to fix it? I'm hesitant to try anything harsher in case I make things worse! I've read a baking soda solution can remove yellowing from plastics but without knowing the exact cause here I'm reluctant to give it a go. As an aside, the discolouration is minor and hard to notice with the stand in the way - I'm perhaps more concerned that the reaction could cause the rubber to perish faster. What are your thoughts?

Thanks for any help you can provide!

 

[Bardoon]

I can't speak for rubber, but folks have used OXY 10 (yes, the acne medicine) for removing CLOTH/FABRIC discolorations on Hot Toys figure heads (mostly around the neckline). Something to do with the 10% Benzoyl Peroxide (sp?) I think it is. It might be worth a try or test. From what I understand, people apply a bit of it on the spot, let it sit a little bit under a lamp or not at all. They reapply every day for about a week or two and eventually there has been note that cloth discolorations have disappeared.

Personally, I noticed very quickly that Hot Toys' stands are actually NOT good for the figures unless there is some padding between the metal/rubber tips and the figure. You get discolorations, minor damage, etc. as you see. I always put a piece of plastic (usually cut from the plastic pieces packed with the figures) in between the metal and where it contacts the figure. Yes, it is a little unsightly, but it protects the figure material. I've also used the black foam pieces that come with the figures. Why do I use this stuff? The figures are obviously packed with them and there has been NO discolorations caused between materials separated by the plastics/foam.

I've had Hot Toys UNOPENED for over a year and opened them and I've never seen any discoloration caused by the plastic and foam bits that Hot Toys has in there. That's partially why I use them (also cause they're there and ultra convenient).

 

[**16k**]

Oxy10 is the way to go. However, time will also play a role. Even without using oxy 10, rubber tends to absorb colors. It will fade eventually.

for Oxy 10, 2weeks is a minimum. Could be up to two months. Sealing the object in a plastic bag and under UV accelerates the process. You don’t have to apply it everyday, twice a week is enough.

 

[StitchLips]

Awesome thanks both, good to hear there's a fix. I'll have a look for Oxy10 and in the meantime try to add a barrier between the figure and stand metal.