G1 pony - Hard Body, soft head?

Pinkie

Pinkie

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Apr 1, 2012
Messages
433
Hello! I have a question regarding ponies with hardened, discolored bodies and soft, normal heads. I've never known why or how this happens. Is there any way to fix this?

My picture, as you see, I tried to hide this with a bandana!
8012119778_517d006a7e_z.jpg
 
Yeah, I don't understand it either. I have a super SUPER squishy Whizzer. I'm really confused. :confused:
 
I can understand how plastic can degrade after 20+ years, especially when it's not been taken care of properly.

But I also am stumped when the head does one thing and the body another. Silly plastic.
 
The head and body was made of two different plastics. that may be the problem.
 
PONYlove101 said:
The head and body was made of two different plastics. that may be the problem.
Click to expand...

I understand that to be the case as well :) I also think that perhaps the kinds of plastics and materials used weren't always consistent, and in some cases even re-used (what we call regrind--the bright highlight-like marks that come from old plastics being mixed with new). I've definitely seen the spectrum, personally.. from ponies that squish until they're almost flat, to ones you could probably stand on.

And since it's something in the plastic itself, I doubt there's a "cure" of any kind. Sometimes boiling a hard body or head can soften it up temporarily, but often it goes right back to being like it had been before.
 
I had a soft Skyflyer. She was very moldy inside. I took her head off and really cleaned her out. After letting her dry out she was harder. I think the mold was making her soft.
 
It's a chemical break-down of the plastic that causes the body to be hard. It's a common problem with scented ponies, since more was added to the plastic in the original manufacturing process. There's no way to fix it, sadly.
 
KitKatVintage said:
It's a chemical break-down of the plastic that causes the body to be hard. It's a common problem with scented ponies, since more was added to the plastic in the original manufacturing process. There's no way to fix it, sadly.
Click to expand...

Ah! That explains it! It makes alot of sense now. I wish I knew what plastics they used. I'm curious!
 
I think the type/amount of plasticiser varied between batches of vinyl. If you pop her head off is the body sticky inside? I find that's the case with my harder ponies that aren't weeping plasticiser on the outside, it's weeping on the inside instead.

There's not much to be done except keep an eye out for a Raspberry Jam with the opposite problem so you can swap heads, and make sure your display and storage areas are climate controlled to minimize further degradation of the plastic.
 
pineapple said:
I think the type/amount of plasticiser varied between batches of vinyl. If you pop her head off is the body sticky inside? I find that's the case with my harder ponies that aren't weeping plasticiser on the outside, it's weeping on the inside instead.

There's not much to be done except keep an eye out for a Raspberry Jam with the opposite problem so you can swap heads, and make sure your display and storage areas are climate controlled to minimize further degradation of the plastic.
Click to expand...

My display and collection have never been a problem for me, but I had bought her on ebay in a lot so I have no idea what her previous home was like. I figured nothing could be done, but I mainly wanted to know why! I still have a feeling I could boil the body or something, but I'm a little scared to.
 
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