Why does Hot Toys still insist on using rubber for their figures? I know they've made improvements over the years, but eventually the figures still rot. A figure that costs hundreds of dollars should not have a life-span of 5-8 years.
>>11749147I'm surprised that no one's using silicone plastic, which is more durable and longer-lasting than any form of petroleum-based plastic.
>>11749152I don't understand why the don't just have articulated limbs, especially on clothed figures. They have the rubber arms for the Terminator 2 Arnie, but really is anyone going to display him without the jacket? And even those that would, are the seamless arms that much of an improvement over regular elbow joints that it's worth the figure falling apart in a few years?
>>11749161Visual cleanliness to rpoduce a more aesthetically-clean figure. Figures with too much articulation look too visually chopped-up, especially on "bare skin." The Japanese stuff is particularly bad at this where "human figures" tend to look like robots due to the ugly joints.
>>11749163I'd rather have a figure with a few joint seams that will last forever than a "seamless" one where it will literally rot away after a few years.
>>11749164It's all based on Barbie's legs of seamless bendable knees. Other toy makers haven't worked out the formula for long-lasting parts like Mattel did decades ago. And what's with the retarded new captcha?
>>11749175>And what's with the retarded new captcha?Check the date.
>>11749178Ok. That slipped past me.
>>11749175>Other toy makers haven't worked out the formula for long-lasting parts like Mattel did decades ago.Is it really too hard to take a Barbie to a lab for a chemical analysis and steal the formula?
>>11749200I'm pretty sure that the legs are made out of vinyl.
>>11749161The fake leather jacket will also disintegrate, sometimes even faster than the rubber arms. The retarded part is that we have materials that will last forever, they just don't use them.
Like a lot of luxury goods, you’re expected to actually take care and maintain them. Theoretically if you have money for $250 figures, you can afford climate control housing and a 10$ tube of grease to slick on figures. If I buy a leather jacket for myself as a human, I also need to grease it. I have to maintain my shoes. I have to wash my clothes. The more “ adult” your hobby is, the more you’ll have to engage with it to keep it top quality.
>>11749147>Why does Hot Toys still insist on using rubber for their figures?I’m in several 1/6 groups and whenever they reveal figures without seamless joints, people bitch endlessly. They want Hot Toys figures to be as accurate and lifelike as possible. I’m with you though, the few seamless figures I have I generally leave in a museum pose because I don’t want them to crack.
>>11749152I think it's a color issue.I experiment with liquid silicone for making molds. It's ever-lasting, highly chemically resistant, very stretchy, and tear-resistant.It's also easily colorable however it does have a translucent surface. It's a nice effect but undesired for Hot Toys. Pic related uses that type of silicone for the body. Looks great on stylized figures, not so much on realistic dolls.
>>11749264With modern building quality, even well-off people can't properly climate control their houses because insulation is shit, but setting that aside, for the price they charge for these figures they should include at least a small tube of grease and instructions on how to maintain the figure, but they won't because make the figures last is not the point. The idea is for the figures to break down after a few years, so that they can release a 2.0 or 3.0 version down the line and people will buy it. If you bought a Terminator figure, and then a few years later they release a new version that is slightly better, you're probably not gonna buy it because the one you have still looks good, but if the leather and the skin is rotting off or the joints have broken, you'll be jumping at the new figure.Also the reason the leather breaks down on these figures is because the "genuine leather" they use is just reconstituted leather which is made out of shredded leather fibres that are held together by glue. Proper hide leather requires basically no maintenance.
>>11749264Your statement doesn't work, because toys are made from the same types of plastics no matter if they're kiddy shit or meant for adults. Nevermind all toys are considered luxury goods.The fact that you're arguing that toys meant for adults require maintenence while children toys by Hasbro or Mattel don't says something about the poor quality of an adult toy.BTW, expensive luxury goods like speakers use rubber that are designed to move a couple hundred times per second. It expands. It contracts. IT deforms. It warps. And they'll last at least 30-60 yaers before they start to crack.>>11749863proper leather requires care still. It creases and can eventually tear apart, but it won't crumble apart like genuine leather does. Dry rot is also a thing.Decades vs years, btw.
>>11749261If I remember right they made a big deal out of the new Arnie having a real leather jacket, they’ve started to use it on some figures now as they know collectors prefer it. But to just use these kind of arms under it defeats the point.
>>11749147Maybe they want people to buy reissues
>>11749161Look up the Spiderman 2099 controversy and you'll have your answer.
>>11749147Because collectors are fucking morons who will happily slurp down dog shit materials as "premium". Simple as.
Threezero used an extra soft PVC for their figures, it will not rot (may leak plasticizer though)Honestly seamless stuff has improved greatly in the past few years, I have Phicen figures from 2018 that I pose around from time to time and the rubber is still going strong. I think even if the formula was perfected, people would still be superstitious about the skin ripping.
I've been using p303 rubber protectant for over a decade and highly recommend it.
>>11751264Does it leave a film?
>>11751268Initially yes, but you rub that all off afterwards. It works very well in the rubber dreads on hot toys predators. I've also used in on solid plastic figures which have matted from leaching.
