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 As a seasoned Collector I have collected lines that have come in just about every type of packaging and from just about every possible source, and sooner or later you are going to end up with a figure that has been crushed before it makes it into your mitts !
Either it was the last one on the shelf and you had no choice but to buy the one with the crunched card, or you ordered it off Ebay, or direct from the manufacturer only to find that the postman has sat on it first, the delivery firms five aside team used it as a football, or even that the genius who sent it to you thought a flimsy jiffy bag would be adequate packaging.
You'll open your figure and discover a 'dinged' corner, or crushed bubble.
Horrid isn't it!... Especially if it's something special, like, oh I don't know, say an ultra rare Limited Edition of 100 , Time Crash set!
So what can you do if simply buying another figure isn't an option?
Well depending on the severity of the damage fret not! Because if it is a crunched corner or side of the bubble, you can probably repair the damage so that it is practically unnoticeable... Just follow the simple guide below!
GETTING READY
The method I am going to describe in this tutorial works best on the all-plastic clamshell style packaging as it involves immersing the plastic bubble in boiling water. This method will also work on a plastic bubble mounted on a card, but you will need to take great care not to get the card wet, or expose it to steam for more than a few seconds at a time as if the card gets wet, it'll be damaged.
First of all find somewhere with a stable work surface that's clear of 'stuff' so you can work safely. If you are under 16, make sure an adult supervises you. And no matter what age you are it's worth having a bowl of cold water and some first aid kit to hand to treat any burns of scolds - but if you are careful this method is perfectly safe.
STEP 1
Clear your workspace and set out the following:
1. Your carded figure.
2. A shallow dish.
3. Some Kitchen Towel or a tea towel to remove water from the bubble.
4. A freshly boiled kettle of water.
A ready work surface!
First of all you'll need a 'dinged' action figure.
In true Blue Peter Fashion, here's one I prepared earlier (I didn't get my postman to sit on it! - this was a self inflicted ding!)
A Close up of the Ding.
STEP 2
Fill the shallow dish with boiling water.
Getting ready to dip - WARNING HOT WATER!
STEP 3
Very briefly 'dip' the 'dinged' corner of the plastic bubble into the dish.
At first just dip it for a second or two - no longer!
Remove the card, let it cool slightly and wipe the blister down if necessary.
If the ding isn't to severe, this may be all you need to do and you will notice that the bubble 'magically' returns to it's pre-damaged state.
Dip for a second or two - no longer!
Anyone who has done chemistry or physics at school may have learned about plasticity and elasticity and about molecule memory. By immersing the plastic bubble in water and removing it, the plastic is heated to a level near that which it was when it was originally vac formed. When we reheat the plastic in the boiling water, the molecules in the plastic try to revert to the pattern they were in at the time that they were fixed into their original form.
For bad crushes you may need to dip the card several times, and may need to use a cloth or a tea towel to press or apply pressure to the hot plastic to help it back into it's original form.
After a few repeated dips, and a bit of gentle coaxing with a tea towel, the previously damaged corner of the blister is almost as good as new - and it a casual viewer would be none the wiser.
Dry off and there you have it - Good As New !
WARNINGS
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Please bare in mind the following warnings:
WARNING: Do no leave the plastic submerged for longer than a couple of seconds and a time or you will cause the molecules to become too hot, and they will loose their cohesion, and cause the bubble to shrivel and warp, effectively taking on a new form. If this happens it's 'game over' I'm afraid and you'll be left with a spoiled bubble card. The trick is to repeat the process with as near boiling water as possible several times if necessary.
WARNING: Make sure that there are no gaps in the seam of the card, either around the edge of the Clamshell card, or around the hole where the card hangs on the store peg/shelf - because if there is a gap and water gets into the packaging it will damage the paper insert!
WARNING: In theory a hair dryer can also be used, but I have found that the heat from a hairdryer can sometimes be difficult to control, as it builds quickly and it is difficult to cool the plastic quickly enough. With a hairdryer it is easier to overheat the plastic, which can leave you with a, shriveled, ruined blister card.
DISCLAIMER: Doctor Who Action Figures Online and Paul W can not be held responsible for any damages caused by following this guide in any way. Users accept full responsibility at all times.
FINAL WORD
I hope some of you will find this tutorial helpful and that some of you'll be able to salvage/repair some of your crunched figure packs.
If you do have a go at it though, please take care.
Kind regards
PW
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