Caring for the HT Aliens

[darkfaerytales]

hey guys i want to know a thing, i think it's about the discussion too, i have got an aliens warrior brown repaint time ago, i don't have assembled and dispayed it yet but i have inspectioned it well soon as it has arrived and i have found that in various points there's more sign or scratch and what it seems " skin " ripping that reveal the black hard plastic that there's under the silicone, mostly below the chest ribs , yes in points not so visible and all minor scratch,but i did want to know , it is normal , someone of you had noticed something similar? it's normal for this figures even if it's new, cause mine is absolutely brand new, as stated the seller but anyway you see if a hot toys box has been open before and item removed and i think the seller tell the true and item was brand new

if i can i will post some photos of what i talk

ps. maybe i'm a bit fussy but for 100 eu i want a perfect figure, am i wrong

 

[BadMoon]

hey guys i want to know a thing, i think it's about the discussion too, i have got an aliens warrior brown repaint time ago, i don't have assembled and dispayed it yet but i have inspectioned it well soon as it has arrived and i have found that in various points there's more sign or scratch and what it seems " skin " ripping that reveal the black hard plastic that there's under the silicone, mostly below the chest ribs , yes in points not so visible and all minor scratch,but i did want to know , it is normal , someone of you had noticed something similar? it's normal for this figures even if it's new, cause mine is absolutely brand new, as stated the seller but anyway you see if a hot toys box has been open before and item removed and i think the seller tell the true and item was brand new

if i can i will post some photos of what i talk

ps. maybe i'm a bit fussy but for 100 eu i want a perfect figure, am i wrong

I have the black alien and have no such scratches.

 

[Sabres21768]

these things detereorate?!?!?!!? because they dry up??? oh bloody hell imagine what the climate here would do to them.. the rubber coating would shrink and pop off like a 300 pound womans bikini.
and if its possible could someone post a pic of a can/whatever container of armorall please?

 

[darkfaerytales]

I have the black alien and have no such scratches.

minor imperfections? nothing? well, how could be then

 

[BadMoon]

minor imperfections? nothing? well, how could be then

I don't know. I haven't heard of many problems outside of loose joints and balancing issues.

 

[darkfaerytales]

ok, but i'm talkin' about of millimeters , one two or max. 3 millimeters
more in the arm socket region rib cage and pelvic region , the most annoying thing is that there's is one just in the center below chin( all the region where the sillicone skin is more soft )
anyway nothing i cannot remedy with some acrylic paints and a bit patience
but i did want just to know how could it be
i've bought on ebay for a good price by the way i don't think the repaint warrior goes so high in price and as i've allready said it's brand new from the store, but those minor signs seems that was something different

could it be that mine has been open ,displayed some time , de-assembled reput right in box and sell as brand new?

 

[BadMoon]

ok, but i'm talkin' about of millimeters , one two or max. 3 millimeters
more in the arm socket region rib cage and pelvic region , the most annoying thing is that there's is one just in the center below chin( all the region where the sillicone skin is more soft )
anyway nothing i cannot remedy with some acrylic paints and a bit patience
but i did want just to know how could it be
i've bought on ebay for a good price by the way i don't think the repaint warrior goes so high in price and as i've allready said it's brand new from the store, but those minor signs seems that was something different

could it be that mine has been open ,displayed some time , de-assembled reput right in box and sell as brand new?

Not sure? I guess there is no way to verify that either.

 

[spooky]

I know I am very new here, but I hope you'll still read what I have to say.

I'm a member over on the Hunters Lair, a forum that focuses on building Predator costumes. I don't know if the rubber that is used on the HT Aliens, and that used in most Predator costumes is the same, but from what I've heard, using Armorall on latex costumes/masks is a bad idea. I don't remember the specifics of "why", and I have tried searching for the topic without any luck.

What was suggested in reguards to cleaning, was to simply wipe it off with a wet paper towel to remove oil. And since these are costumes, they are worn close to the skin and come into contact with a lot of skin oil.

On another forum that people who collect Halloween masks, it was suggested to give them a light dusting on the inside with baby powder...but of course, that doesn't help us in this situation. Another suggestion was to keep them out of direct (or even indirect) sunlight, and house it in a cool, dry place. Something without excessive humidity or high heat, like a closet. I have a mask that's been stored in the bottom drawer of a dresser for about 10+ years and it's in the same condition as the day I bought it. I know no one plans on keeping their HT figures so "out of sight", but it does help illustrate the conditions needed to help extend the life of rubber/latex in general.

I've got this very figure, and I too want to maintain it as long as possible. I'll try and find info to back up my comments and I'll post it here when I do.

 

[darkfaerytales]

but what kind of material use HT ? rubber , silicone, vinil? expecially for aliens

it's the same for latex or silicone?

 

[pookie613]

but what kind of material use HT ? rubber , silicone, vinil? expecially for aliens

it's the same for latex or silicone?

I'm pretty sure it's not latex rubber. If it's silicone, nothing but silicone paint would stick. Probably polyurethane, because it's cheaper.

I agree with what spooky said-- I've also heard not to use Armorall, but I don't remember why-- which is why I didn't mention it before. Also the same warnings about sunlight, heat, & humidity. Basically, there's no escaping eventual deterioration since air and humidity are everywhere (unless you store it in an airtight display filled with nitrogen gas). I think the best you can expect is to prolong its useful life by not subjecting it to those harmful extremes.

I've got some samples of latex deterioration at 10 & 15+ years: Very ugly stuff. Sometimes it turns hard and brittle and sometimes it turns gooey.

I don't have any long-term experience with silicone & polyurethane; my oldest samples are a little over 10 years old, and they seem just fine. I recently made castings from a silicone mold that I made in '98, and that mold was adequately elastic for demolding the casting. On the other hand, I once bought some GI Joe boots cast in polyurethane and after two years they developed a sticky surface residue. I think it's a crap-shoot. The manufacturers can only speculate how long this stuff will last. We're the guinea pigs who are going to be providing the long-term stability data.

-Jim

 

[darkfaerytales]

umm for luck in my room don't enter much sunlight, however guys is much cooler expose these aliens in shadows and not open light exposure, their paints work much well with the same game of light and shadows like in the films

 

[Les Walker]

I would like to know a better paint to use on repainting the rubber parts...
I have been looking.

 

[spooky]

Not sure if this will work without knowing if the material is the same between the HT Alien and Predator costumes, but I've heard that Faskolor paints are good to use on latex rubber costumes.

https://www.parmapse.com

Barring that, I've seen many people use normal acrylic paint mixed with liquid latex, and then sealed with something called "Permawet".
And instead of using Permawet, you can substitue most any acrylic sealer.

My Alien has a few sticky spots on his feet, is this common to all of the same figure?

 

[darkfaerytales]

it is the aliens warrior? mine have some sticky in hands and feet...

but anyone has noticed same little problem i talking about some posts ago? that leprosy like fall apart latex skin spots on most soften and elastic parts

 

[rivera2171]

I have both the black(blue) and brown versions.I bought the black one from Monkey Depot Before they bumped it up to $160.I was dissapointed with the overall experience.When I pulled the body out of the case some paint from the tail stayed stuck on the plastic of the case.Also there is a little glue residue where the crown of the head meets the rubber.And I think the seam line running down the middle of the forehead is just in the wrongest place to be.Also theres the issue with the fractured ankle sockets.I still love it though,but it would be harder to forgive those discrepencies if the price point were higher.Its still sitting in its box for right now.The brown one is just as cool as the blue version.This one being in over all better shape,except the tail is crooked at the connection point.Ive tried to remove it,but I cant,and I dont want to break it.Anyway,neither of these has any of the paint problems that darkfaerytales has described.Maybe if you live in a particularly cold or hot/humid environment,the package just by being shipped to you was subjected to these harsh environments and that affected the rubber adversly?Just a thought.

 

[PROWL]

I would like to know a better paint to use on repainting the rubber parts...
I have been looking.

Try latex paint, thats what is used to paint latex masks.

in fact try www.monstermakers.com, they sell special latex paints for masks, the only thing is I think they are ment for use with an airbrush, so I don't know if they can used with a reguler brush.


hope that helps

 

[darkfaerytales]

I have both the black(blue) and brown versions.I bought the black one from Monkey Depot Before they bumped it up to $160.I was dissapointed with the overall experience.When I pulled the body out of the case some paint from the tail stayed stuck on the plastic of the case.Also there is a little glue residue where the crown of the head meets the rubber.And I think the seam line running down the middle of the forehead is just in the wrongest place to be.Also theres the issue with the fractured ankle sockets.I still love it though,but it would be harder to forgive those discrepencies if the price point were higher.Its still sitting in its box for right now.The brown one is just as cool as the blue version.This one being in over all better shape,except the tail is crooked at the connection point.Ive tried to remove it,but I cant,and I dont want to break it.Anyway,neither of these has any of the paint problems that darkfaerytales has described.Maybe if you live in a particularly cold or hot/humid environment,the package just by being shipped to you was subjected to these harsh environments and that affected the rubber adversly?Just a thought.

boh...i live in italy...center italy, the package has just transit from usa to here in just 7 days...i don't think all this time had contributed to it,i think there's before, however maybe i have a bit exagerated , i don't know, the best for describe it is posted some images of what i talk, bytheway it's talkin' of millimeters certain not centimeters

however i too had the same experience of you in taking the figures out of the box, with the head instead of tail , on the black alien, some paint of head stayed stuck on the plastic case
, the glue thing too, and in black of mine there's a sort of little hole in one of the " buttocks "
fortunately i don't had the " multiple leg fracture " yet

i'll see if i can post some photos
however like you i still love my figures bedides these little facts

 

[Jamal]

Some paints could melt the rubber couldnt they? when i had my AVP Alien i used nail polish overcoat on this jaws to give it gloss and i applied a little too much and it ate through some of the rubber

 

[spooky]

Yeah, nail polish, or nail cleaner is pretty hard on some materials. If you (or anyone else) wants a glossy surface, Testor makes a line of acrylic sealers in a bottle. You can apply it with a brush and it cleans up with water.

 

[Sabres21768]

Ok, so back to my original question...Is there anything I can use?

I've heard good and bad on the Armor All. I've also heard that is rough on rubber. Is there anything else?