Please help! Need restoration tips and advice...

[ladyofthenight]

Lately, I've started feeling terribly depressed and nostalgic. I've been collecting G4s for the last seven months, but cute as they are, the bobblehead look just doesn't do it for me anymore. I long for the type of ponies I used to have when I was little. Therefore, I've decided that I want to start collecting G1s and G2s again. The problem is finding them locally... For months I've been looking around on the local classifieds and online auctions for 80's-90's ponies, and either finding nothing or a ton of overpriced bait. Then yesterday a little voice in my head told me to try looking again... and to my surprise, I discovered that someone in my city was selling a lot of 12 vintage ponies for $50!

One 45 minute drive later, I became the proud owner of a dozen beautiful equine ladies (and one fine-looking gentleman):

Though their previous mom did give them a wash, they all still have a lot of dirt on them (including a few paint marks), so I'll need to put together a spa for them tonight. None of them are 100% perfect, but I intend to try everything I can to fully restore them to their former glory!

---------------------------------- xXx ----------------------------------

EDIT: Photos and flaw details listed from post #5 and onwards! Please scroll down!

 

[MustBeJewel]

Congrats on your find, ladyofthenight! I can't remember the last time I found anything vintage locally, and I live in the states.

There are several great tutorials available here http://www.mlptp.net/tutorials/ that have not yet been implemented into the site. Take a look through and you'll find lots of pony cleaning tips.

Also, my friend @Far Dreamer has compiled an excellent resource specifically for MLP restoration: http://www.mlppreservationproject.com/restoration.html

Best of luck with your restorations!

 

[Deleted]

Hello again @ladyofthenight Here is some info for you:

Bathing tips that may be useful Bubbles Bathing Tips

From the MLPTP FAQ ( Being revised currently, I need to stop procrastinating and get this finished)

Basic cleaning
A simple wipe down with a moist towel will remove most dust and surface dirt from plastic bodied MLPs. Abrasive cleansers such as Comet and Bon Ami are not recommended because they can scratch symbols and eyes!
@Lancer writes~ For ordinary surface grime, use a soft damp sponge to loosen it up, then rinse the pony in warm water. Then you're left to tackle the tougher felt tip marks and other stains. I use Nail Varnish Remover Pads/Wipes ("Quickies" are the best brand I found, you can buy them from Boots here in the UK), however you must be certain not to get the pads anywhere near eyes/symbols/other paintwork, as it WILL remove the paint, very easily. I learned that from bad experience. Also, you'll probably have to wash the pony again after using the wipes, since the area you treat tends to feel a little "sticky", but she'll be absolutely fine again (and much cleaner!) after a good rinse.


@SoSoftClaire writes~ A Mr. Clean Magic Eraser tesimonial!

This works wonders for surface dirt that even a hard scrubbing with a toothbrush and alcohol won't work on! It also gets out some spots and a few weak stains. But ground-in dirt is the thing that Mr. Clean Magic Erasers work best on. Be sure to get the regular-strength kind as the stronger ones are more abrasive and are not recommended. I've used Magic Erasers on eyes/symbols/blush before and they do no harm, but be sure to use less pressure when cleaning these areas. Not recommended for glittery symbols. Can be found in the cleaning aisle in most stores (Walmart, grocery.)

Here is a thread with pictures from the lovely @CJFullmer restoring a Mimic

Current Projects Mimic & Sugarberry

Specifics:

Whippets Wonderful frizzy hair tutorial ( includes curling)

@whippetluv writes~ This idea really works.

Step 1... Frizzy haired pony

Step 2... Boil water

Step 3... Dip hair in boiling water

Step 4...Lay pony on a flat surface and comb out straight. I usually try to put a towel underneath of it to absorb the water. Do step 3 and 4 several times
*if you want truly straight hair you are now done. Just stand pony up and comb hair how you want it to stay forever.

Step 5... Separate a small section of hair and curl around a cut off straw. Use a bobbypin to keep in place (hint..put the crinkled side of the bobbypin inside the straw to avoid a crimped look)

Step 6...Put curlers in all the hair. Go ahead and dip in boiling water every now and again. You want hair to remain hot and steaming while doing this.

Step 7...Leave to dry overnight. Then carefully remove bobbypins and slide out straw from the top.

Step 8...Enjoy your curly haired pony! The heat of the water changes the plastic and the hair will remain curly! No products needed!

Curls I have made in ponies has lasted for years! Frizz be gone!

REPINKING HAIR

@princessluna11706 writes~ To repink a pony's hair, drop a little red food color into vinegar to make the desired pink. soak the pony's hair until the desired color. If it's too pink, rinse in warm water until the right shade. Blow dry to set.

@Wysteria writes - Rose RIT dye? It's a close match, but not quite exact like Dollyhair's new nylon Pussycat Pink. I rehaired my Glow with it, it takes longer, but so worth it! The RIT dye is a nice quick fix too though, but you can tell the difference because the rose is more of a dusty pink and it lacks the bubble gum pink shine.

BLEACHING/PONY CANCER:

@garej writes~ I have always got rid of pin dot mould with Dettol Mould and Mildew Remover and acetone nail varnish remover. Dettol Mould and Mildew Remover comes in a trigger spray bottle, so there is no need for boiling.

Mintys Mommy writes, re: brown spots~
I actually consider these now to be like regrind you see on pink/orange ponies; it's simply a breakdown of the plastic. I call them 'age spots'. Wink This will *not* spread pony to pony. That's been my experience anyway (that's it's like regrind and does not spread)

@Mintys Mommy writes~ I've always referred to pindot mold as smooze; I was taught by an "oldbie" how to cure it when I was quite new to the boards. She was awesome but I've not seen her around in years. I sold her TONS of ponies, and we chatted a lot. She was so nice. Here's what she told me to do:
You boil enough water to fit the pony in, and then put in a tablespoon or two of the Oxy powder (it bubbles over, so you have to mix it in slowly), and then just stir the pony around in it for ten or fifteen minutes (when the head is off). This doesn't work on ponies with glittery emblems or any plastic parts (aka happy tails because of their mechanisms, princess ponies because of the badges on their sides, etc..) because it ruins them. Now, personally, I've boiled ponies without beheading - BUT just their lower bodies - like legs to the stomach, etc...to eliminate smooze. I've heard ponies 'cave in' on themselves if not boiled properly, with their heads off. Never did that so I don't know. I also find that using a paper towel to wipe away the mold as I work is great too; I bring water to a boil, add Oxy, add pony, boil pony for at least 15 min, remove the pony with tongs, wipe, and resubmit pony to boiling water (and add more Oxy usually). I use more than a tablespoon too...like a half cup at least. Sometimes more. (blush) I also tend to boil longer than 10 or 15 min. - more like 20 min or 30 min. while stirring (and of course, pulling the pony out to check it). To me, pony cancer is the infamous age spotting (brown spots) and there is no cure for those I know of. It's a break down of the plastic itself (like regrind).

@bluerose9978 shares this tutorial, on using sunlight and acne cream to remove marks on ponies:

1. First, use foil to cover up the hair, as it's prone to fading.
2. Next, apply a thick coat of the cream (I use Clearasil spot cream) to the pen marks and marker marks.
3. Place the pony in a sunny window with the marks facing outside.
4. After a week in the sun, remove pony from window and wash out the cream. If marks aren't completely gone, reapply the cream and put the pony in the window for another 2 to 3 days.

* Warning: Some ponies are prone to discoloration, including light purple ponies and white ponies. White ponies may yellow and I've had a light purple pony be bleached in the spots I applied the cream. Make sure you check your ponies often to prevent this from happening.

@ladyphoenix9 writes~ My method is to use acne cream that has benzoyl peroxide as an ingredient (I use the Equate brand you can find at Wal-Mart.) I put a dab of the cream directly on the stain and let the pony set in a warm, sunny window. I usually wash the cream off within an hour to prevent possible overbleaching. I then leave the pony to sit for a while. If it looks like it's not lightening, I'll repeat the treatment as many times as necessary and/or leave the cream on for a longer amount of time. This method is NOT recommended for any green, any purple, any blue, or bright white ponies. The cream will bleach the colored ponies to white and stain the white ponies yellow. These ponies can be treated by simply setting them in a sunny window with the stain exposed to sunlight and anything that will fade covered in some fashion. It takes more patience this way, but better to be patient than overbleached. addendum: I think I forgot to note on my stain removal how-to that my method won't work on spots caused my rust or cancer/age spots, but it seems to be safe over painted details like symbols and blush. (I've heard the removezit stuff takes the paint off, so that's a definite plus in my book.)

Sunfading Info:

How long does Sunfading Take:

The wonders of Sun Fading

 

[ladyofthenight]

Last night I took half of them for a bath, and they look a LOT better already. First I removed the paint splotches and a few other marks they had on them with nail polish remover and earbuds. Then I wet them thoroughly with warm water, and washed and shampooed them using Head & Shoulders 2-in-1. For the dirtier ones I used an old toothbrush and a bit of non-fluoride aloe tooth polish. Then I rinsed them off again and applied normal hair conditioner to their manes and tails. I'd finish with one pony and apply the conditioner, then move on to the next so that the conditioner would have time to work on the first one. Then after finishing with the second, I'd go back to the first and comb the hair through with a narrow-toothed comb, and then rinse the conditioner out. If it still felt like there was leftover conditioner I shampooed a little and rinsed again. Then I wrapped the hair in toilet paper and left the ponies to dry overnight. Finally I unwrapped the toilet paper this morning and gave them a quick comb through, and now they're absolutely lovely!

They still have a few flaws that I'll need to try and fix. I'll take detailed photos and post them here a little later, after I'm done cleaning up the last six ponies. Then maybe we can discuss restoration on a case-by-case basis.

 

[ladyofthenight]

Finished cleaning the first six and taking detailed photos. The other half is still wrapped in toilet paper and drying. The clean ones still look a bit dirty or dingy in places, so they'll likely need more of a deep cleansing, possibly with acetone or a magic eraser, but overall they're in a lot better condition than the others. Here's what I've got so far:

Tickle - Looks incredibly lovely, except for her hair, which is still extremely frizzy. I remember mine was the same when I was little. The only other flaws she has are the ingrained dirt in her upper lip, a little bit of symbol rub (not sure how bad this is or how to fix it, as her symbols are metallic but they aren't glitter), and two strange clear spots on her shoulder that won't come off with acetone. She also has a tiny bit of pink highlighter stain on the edges of her hooves.


---------------------------------- xXx ----------------------------------

TAF Yum Yum - Looks absolutely beautiful, though still a bit dingy in places. Her hair is still very dry and frizzy at the ends. I don't mind terribly that her hair is white now, I think it quite suits her, but I'm not sure if she'd be a possible rehair candidate if the boil wash doesn't eliminate the last of the frizz. It could increase her value. She has dirt in her neck seam that I couldn't get out, and some around her ear that I don't think is smooze, as well as some clear lines that look similar to whatever's on Tickle... She also has small pink highlighter dots on her nose and NDS, and her body may be faintly discoloured, but I don't want to try sunfading her because of her symbols, which are still perfect. She also has nicks in her front right hoof, one underneath and one on the front, that aren't really noticeable, but I wondered if sanding that foot a little would lessen it?


---------------------------------- xXx ----------------------------------

NSS Gusty - She's beautiful, though a little off-white. Her hair is also still dry and a little frizzy, and there's a line of glitter loss through one of her DS leaves, but otherwise her symbols are perfect, so I don't know if I should mess with it. There's a large amount of smooze on her back and NDS, and I think also on her ears and the tip of her horn. I'm not sure how to get rid of this because she has glitter symbols, and thus I don't want to boil her in anything. Her right ear tip has a chip out of it and there's a nick in her horn.


---------------------------------- xXx ----------------------------------

TBC...

 

[ladyofthenight]

TE Galaxy - Looks almost perfect, but as you can see, her hair is still a frizzy mess. Her twinkle eyes are a little bit scuffed and I don't know if that can be fixed, but luckily it doesn't look too bad. She also has a bit of smooze on her ears and the tip of her horn. She has regrind on the back of her neck, which I doubt there's anything I can do about. She also has this strange purple spill on her shoulder that I thought may have been nail polish, but it didn't come off with acetone.


---------------------------------- xXx ----------------------------------

Steamer - Lovely condition, though his mane and tail are two different colours and quite the frizz. I don't think a rehair is an option in this case because the tail is still lovely (if I can just get it straight again), but I'm not sure how to safely re-pink his mane when it has that blue-green streak in it. He has dirt around his ear and I don't know if it's smooze; if it is, then I don't want to soak/boil the entire body/head to get rid of one tiny spot. On his NDS, he has a few tiny spots of regrind, which aren't too noticeable, but then he has these mysterious dark lines on his neck. I'm not sure what they are, but they didn't budge with acetone. He also has something on his butt... I think it's a pony pimple, but I don't know how to get rid of it. Lastly, he has a bit of rub to his symbols, more to the one on his NDS than the other.


---------------------------------- xXx ----------------------------------

Crunch Berry - Other than the frizz at the ends, her hair is absolutely phenomenal. That mane is soft as silk and absolutely to die for. I'm not sure if she needs a boil or just to stand for a while with some more conditioner to tame the last of that frizziness. Her symbols are quite rubbed, and she doesn't have her factory scent anymore (though it smells vaguely different around her cutie mark than it does anywhere else on her body). The only flaws I could find were a slight indentation in her neckline, and some very shallow grooves in her side that are only noticeable in the light. Otherwise she seems fairly perfect.


---------------------------------- xXx ----------------------------------

TBC...

 

[ladyofthenight]

The last of them are clean and mostly dry, so here's the rest:

Starshine - Looks very pretty from far away. Her hair is soft, especially her mane, which is very silky and only has dryness at the very ends, versus her tail which is a bit frizzy still. She has bad discolouration and head-body mismatch. I'm not sure how to go about fixing this, as I've read that Starshine is especially prone to burning and therefore not safe to sunfade. Her symbols have only a tiny bit of glitter loss, which I'm pretty sure happened while I was washing her, and there's an orange dot behind one point on the star on her DS. There was the same type of dot on her leg, but it came off with acetone. She has ingrained dirt or smooze on her upper lip, and some smooze dots on her head.


---------------------------------- xXx ----------------------------------

Euro Snowflake - Looks almost perfect. Her mane is silky with dryness at the ends, whereas her tail is quite frizzy and has tail rust. Other than that, her only issue is a little bit of symbol rub, though I can't tell how bad it is.


---------------------------------- xXx ----------------------------------

Trickles - I feel extremely sorry for this poor girl, and I hope there's something I can do to fix her, as I'd hate to bait her. Her hair is quite silky, only the ends are a bit dry and frizzy. Her entire body is covered in dark spots, even on her face and behind her symbols, and there are a few pink and greenish-blue stains on her DS shoulder and under her back left foot. There are a few of them with darker spots in the middle, so I think it's likely all mould. She has a bit of pink paint left in her eye that I couldn't get completely off with soap, and under her feet there are dark pink paint stains. Her blush is also rubbed and off position a bit on the NDS side.


---------------------------------- xXx ----------------------------------

Baby Cotton Candy - Lovely condition. In fact, the only flaw that I can find is her hair. It's still frizzy and it feels a bit thin, there are uneven bits (may even have had a partial haircut at one point), and it has completely faded to white. She probably just needs a rehair and then she'll be perfect.

---------------------------------- xXx ----------------------------------

Rosedust - Her hair is a total disaster, faded completely to white and frizzy beyond repair, and she's lost her wings. But other than that and one tiny highlighter dot, she's perfect. Probably just needs a rehair and a replacement set of wings.

---------------------------------- xXx ----------------------------------

TBC...

 

[ladyofthenight]

BBE Baby Shady - Looks flawless except for frizzy hair that doesn't want to play nice, a bit of rub to her NDS symbol, and pretty terrible eye rust. Her lashes also seem a bit short, but I'm not sure how long they're actually supposed to be. It feels like the one side has been trimmed a little. Is there any way to fix her eyes up?


---------------------------------- xXx ----------------------------------

That's the lot of them! I apologize for the flood of photos, but now I can at least keep track of what needs fixing, and have something to compare back to. I'd also appreciate it if someone could take a look and see if there are alternative solutions to a few of the more specific problems.

 

[KaylaTheHedgehog]

If you don't want to hunt for replacement wings for Rosedust, and you don't particularly care if she can flutter, you could try following this tutorial.

It shows how to make your own set with a 2 liter bottle and a template.

 

[Skeen]

For the frizz, you can also use a great deal of conditioner and a flat iron/hair straightener. If shipping wouldn't be a nightmare I'd offer to do them for you (I really like flat ironing pony hair, it's like therapy!).

 

[MustBeJewel]

For the frizz, you can also use a great deal of conditioner and a flat iron/hair straightener. If shipping wouldn't be a nightmare I'd offer to do them for you (I really like flat ironing pony hair, it's like therapy!).

I am going to remember this, Skeen!


Your progress looks great, @ladyofthenight! I think you're off to a great start, and I do agree Rosedust might just be better off as a rehair if her existing hair can't be salvaged.

 

[evilbunnyfoofoo]

Looking great, there! You're practically a pro already, lady!

 

[starbeam]

That BBE Shady has some very little creepy burnt eyes XD