The Indy Premium Format Figure Countdown/Discussion Thread

[budafett]

I should....it's about a constant 70 degrees year round in the basement though

Same here, super climate controlled...

 

[Sweet Rabbit]

Same here, super climate controlled...

I got a dehumidifier too. I should be ok

 

[budafett]

I got a dehumidifier too. I should be ok

Same, I'll be keeping an eye out on my jacket...

 

[Darth Snoopy]

I checked Indy's jacket when I got home. I don't see any signs of deterioration and the faux leather is still soft.

I did notice an extremely tiny spot on the left hand cuff but when I touched it nothing tore or chipped.

I looked over my Rocketeer PF also and so far nothing is wrong.

But I'll be keeping an eye on both of them.

 

[bmarz1000]

Yeah my "leather" is soft also. It's the cuff edges that get stiff and brittle. That is the area to watch.

 

[budafett]

My jacket is completely soft expect some parts of the cuff. I think it's the material inside the cuff that's making the faux leather hard.

I don't see a way the jacket can be removed nor do I see a way where a custom jacket can replace it if that becomes neccessary...


Thoughts?

 

[budafett]

Yeah my "leather" is soft also. It's the cuff edges that get stiff and brittle. That is the area to watch.

How long did it take to start turning to ____?

 

[paulrw]

My jacket is completely soft expect some parts of the cuff. I think it's the material inside the cuff that's making the faux leather hard.

I don't see a way the jacket can be removed nor do I see a way where a custom jacket can replace it if that becomes neccessary...


Thoughts?

I wonder if the deterioration is isolated around the cuff whether it might be something to do with a glue/adhesive used on the material.

 

[Darth Snoopy]

Yeah my "leather" is soft also. It's the cuff edges that get stiff and brittle. That is the area to watch.

I neglected to mention that the area I checked was the cuff edges. That area is still soft with no signs of brittleness or deterioration.

But I will be keeping a close watch from now on.

 

[CollectorNC]

I wonder if the deterioration is isolated around the cuff whether it might be something to do with a glue/adhesive used on the material.

With mine, and I'd post pics if I wasn't afraid to touch it again...there's residue of the interior lining stuck to the hand. You can't see unless you move the sleave. To me that sounds more like a manufacturing defect, but doesn't explain why the outside of the sleeve is brittle. My jacket is soft too except around the hand.

 

[budafett]

There's no residue on mine nor was it sticking to the hand...

 

[CollectorNC]

There's no residue on mine nor was it sticking to the hand...

Not sure that both issues are related. Just sorry I ever got it.

 

[paulrw]

With mine, and I'd post pics if I wasn't afraid to touch it again...there's residue of the interior lining stuck to the hand. You can't see unless you move the sleave. To me that sounds more like a manufacturing defect, but doesn't explain why the outside of the sleeve is brittle. My jacket is soft too except around the hand.

I wonder whether corrosive chemicals in the adhesive around the cuff may have leeched into the faux leather causing the degradation, of the of the plastic outer layer of the faux leather.

In the same way latex can deteriorate over a number of years depending on exposure to UV and humidity, maybe the combination of glue and plastic material chosen by SC may mean that some form of deterioration is inevitable. I shall be heart broken if this is the case!

Hope Sideshow will provide guidance to customers who are directly affected by this.

 

[CollectorNC]

I wonder whether corrosive chemicals in the adhesive around the cuff may have leeched into the faux leather causing the degradation, of the of the plastic outer layer of the faux leather.

In the same way latex can deteriorate over a number of years depending on exposure to UV and humidity, maybe the combination of glue and plastic material chosen by SC may mean that some form of deterioration is inevitable. I shall be heart broken if this is the case!

Hope Sideshow will provide guidance to customers who are directly affected by this.

Good reasoning, Paul. I'll keep you guys updated when I get a response from SSC.

 

[bmarz1000]

Paul's probably right. That would explain why only the cuff is affected.

 

[budafett]

Any word from Sideshow?

 

[icruise]

Mine seems to be more or less okay, but the cuffs do seem a bit stiff and there's one tiny spot where it's possible that the jacket material has rubbed off on the hand. It's hard to tell.

Unfortunately, Sideshow doesn't have a very good track record with dealing with stuff like this so long after the sale, do they? I have trouble believing that they'll actually do anything to help.

 

[paulrw]

Given the possibility/likelihood that this is down to some form of chemical leeching between the materials I wonder if there's anything that collectors could do to mitigate the effect.

The problem is I wouldn't want to attempt to flush out any corrosive chemical build up by soaking the cuff, or wetting it in case the use of water might activate the very chemicals that are chemicals causing the fake leather to degrade.

I wonder if this is something that a specialist antiques restorer or someone with a chemistry back ground might be able to advise on.

Material degradation is why I'd never buy any collectables made using latex or rubber - I bet ten years on many of those Latex and Foam Star Wars collectables are falling to pieces.

Never dreamt that Polystone Statues might suffer a similar fate in their component parts....

 

[icruise]

Material degradation is why I'd never buy any collectables made using latex or rubber - I bet ten years on many of those Latex and Foam Star Wars collectables are falling to pieces.

Which collectibles are you referring to, exactly? There were some busts and statues made in the 90s using foam and some of them haven't aged too gracefully. But I can't think of any modern ones still using foam or latex off the top of my head.

 

[paulrw]

Which collectibles are you referring to, exactly? There were some busts and statues made in the 90s using foam and some of them haven't aged too gracefully. But I can't think of any modern ones still using foam or latex off the top of my head.

You're quite right (where did the naughties go!?!) - it would have been in the 1990's - I remember a Large Latex Jabba-the-Hutt Maquette (marketed as using the same/similar material as the original!?!) and a large scale Boba-Fett (waist-up).

I remember looking at them in Forbidden Planet London when it was in New Oxford Street and thinking that it was a very expensive and very poor addition to a collection since ith would be crumbling to dust within 10/15 years.....

I can't for the life of me remember who the manufacturer was....