Fashion Star Fillies Questions for my fellow Custom Artists

[Skybreeze]

So I picked up this Fashion Star Filly, she’s perfect for a custom I have wanted to do for a very long time.

Does anyone have experience in dismantling one of these gosh darned horses? (Even if you done a similar type horse, ie: Swiftwind, MPP, 80’s Barbie horses, Bryers, etc.) I’ve done the usual MLP tricks for getting her apart but nothing is working. I really don’t want to snap her legs while dismantling, so worried about doing that lol.

I think if I can get just the “top seam” apart, I should be able to get the mane and tail mechanisms out no problem.

It’s sooooo frustrating but mostly because I don’t want to cause more damage to the body in general, because the body is in great shape.

Any pointers, suggestions or ideas I’m happy to try!!

ETA: I finally managed to wiggle the mane out with my alligator clamps and a peg for my tent. All it cost was a bit of my sanity and some skin. (Note to self wear work gloves, you know better!) Lol

Hair rooting mechanism and the inside kinda view:

 

[AzaleaArt]

Yay, glad you were able to get her open I’ve never seen a custom of these kind of horse
Any hints on the plans?

 

[Skybreeze]

Yay, glad you were able to get her open I’ve never seen a custom of these kind of horse
Any hints on the plans?
View attachment 62295

Sadly I wasn’t able to open her, I just wiggled out the mane after breaking the but that holds the mane in and my knuckles. Now I just need to figure out the ding-dang tail bit. Sadly from what I can see that’s a solid plastic washer.

 

[StormMaeker]

All I can find is pictures of a Barbie(?) horse opened up but maybe you’ve seen that too. The pictures have captions.

Sorry, I have no experience myself. The Preservation Project about MPP said they did it by using “metal clay tools” as carefully as possible but I think even then I would still be worried about trying it myself.

I’ve never gotten a Fashion Star Filly before but they are pretty interesting. Good luck!

 

[Skybreeze]

All I can find is pictures of a Barbie(?) horse opened up but maybe you’ve seen that too. The pictures have captions.

Sorry, I have no experience myself. The Preservation Project about MPP said they did it by using “metal clay tools” as carefully as possible but I think even then I would still be worried about trying it myself.

I’ve never gotten a Fashion Star Filly before but they are pretty interesting. Good luck!

I did not see this link! But I am certain the tail is rooted similarly so I will have to figure out a way to take her apart. So scary. Lol

 

[Jellybean]

I did not see this link! But I am certain the tail is rooted similarly so I will have to figure out a way to take her apart. So scary. Lol

Can you reach in there and slice the root apart with exacto knives?

I'm pretty sure I had this horse (Joelle pops into my brain) and I loved her! Memories! Can't wait to see what you make!

 

[AzaleaArt]

Sadly I wasn’t able to open her, I just wiggled out the mane after breaking the but that holds the mane in and my knuckles. Now I just need to figure out the ding-dang tail bit. Sadly from what I can see that’s a solid plastic washer.

Ohh it looked like she would just pop in half once you’d gotten the mane part open. Well good luck getting the tail out then!

 

[Maplemeadow]

This is very similar to the Our Generation horses I did last year, just a smaller version.
I wound up making a cardboard insert and gluing hair "wefts" to make the mane...looping the hair under the insert or sewing it through the new insert worked very well.

The tails are always a bit "flimsy" by comparison and I wound up punching the hole out GENTLY with a screwdriver and then rattling the broken washer bits out the tail hole, using pliers when I needed to. I made a new tapered washer out of silicone and then pushed the new tail in. Wasn't ready to risk cracking the whole darn thing while working with the center seam! Too scary!!

 

[Jellybean]

This is very similar to the Our Generation horses I did last year, just a smaller version.
I wound up making a cardboard insert and gluing hair "wefts" to make the mane...looping the hair under the insert or sewing it through the new insert worked very well.

The tails are always a bit "flimsy" by comparison and I wound up punching the hole out GENTLY with a screwdriver and then rattling the broken washer bits out the tail hole, using pliers when I needed to. I made a new tapered washer out of silicone and then pushed the new tail in. Wasn't ready to risk cracking the whole darn thing while working with the center seam! Too scary!!

A tapered washer out of silicone is a great idea!