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Fixing Masters of the Universe legs is a pain.

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  • Werewolf
    Inhuman
    • Jul 14, 2003
    • 14615

    Fixing Masters of the Universe legs is a pain.

    Masters of the Universe figures are prone to having the rubber band that holds the legs together disintegrate. From what I've seen there are a couple different methods to fix this. They are not strung like Megos so it is a lot harder to do. The fix is invisible on display but the figures really aren't all original any more but it sure beats them being in a pile of parts.

    My French Skeletor and He-Man/Musclor have been in baggies in parts for a couple of years now and I finally got the courage to try to fix them.

    I used Toy Polloi's method shown here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXBNuJ-ONu4

    The only change I did was use only one o-ring. It's still not as easy as he makes it look. It's really hard to do and very frustrating and fiddly trying to get the legs positioned just right so the figures can stand.

    BTW: If you get a chance, check out his regular vintage toy restoration channel too. Lots of good stuff.

    Here are my French He-Man and Skeletor all fixed.



    Some neat variations on those two. Generally most MOTU figures are marked Malaysia or Taiwan. These are actually stamped France. Even the accessories like Skeletor's staff and He-Man's axe and shield are stamped France. Oddly both power swords are still marked Taiwan. Another odd thing about the swords is they made Skeletor's half of the power sword with He-Man's mold. So the two halves can't fit together. But I guess you do get a He-Man Power Sword in Skeletor purple.

    They are both the early soft head molds. It's hard to tell from the picture but Skeletor's hood is molded in black and not the usual purple.
    Last edited by Werewolf; Dec 1, '16, 8:18 PM. Reason: typos
    You are a bold and courageous person, afraid of nothing. High on a hill top near your home, there stands a dilapidated old mansion. Some say the place is haunted, but you don't believe in such myths. One dark and stormy night, a light appears in the topmost window in the tower of the old house. You decide to investigate... and you never return...
  • PNGwynne
    Master of Fowl Play
    • Jun 5, 2008
    • 19444

    #2
    Your MOTU threads are making me nostalgic--or at least, more than usual.
    WANTED: Dick Grayson SI trousers; gray AJ Mustang horse; vintage RC Batman (Bruce Wayne) head; minty Wolfman tights; mint Black Knight sword; minty Launcelot boots; Lion Rock (pale) Dracula & Mummy heads; Lion Rock Franky squared boots; Wayne Foundation blue furniture; Flash Gordon/Ming (10") unbroken holsters; CHiPs gloved arms; POTA T2 tan body; CTVT/vintage Friar Tuck robes, BBP TZ Burgess Meredith glasses.

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    • Starroid Raiders Dagon
      Persistent Member
      • Apr 28, 2013
      • 2162

      #3
      Nice work! I had watched his repair vid for MOTU and he did make it look easy. I knew it was too good to be true! They turned out great. Congrats on taking up the challenge.
      I love Toy Polloi's videos (I went and bought some dollar store lights to do his Micronauts trick somewhere down the line). Imagine having him as your dad?? My mom gets points for trying to restring my Superman but he was really floppy, and one of uncles for gluing my Big Jim' and Super Joe Commander' heads back on, and another uncle for trying to rewire my Super Joe' backpack.

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      • Werewolf
        Inhuman
        • Jul 14, 2003
        • 14615

        #4
        Originally posted by PNGwynne
        Your MOTU threads are making me nostalgic--or at least, more than usual.
        Oh, cool, it's always nice to see someone else likes MOTU as much as me.

        Originally posted by Starroid Raiders Dagon
        They turned out great. Congrats on taking up the challenge.
        Thank you.

        I love Toy Polloi's videos
        Yeah, his videos are great. Have you seen the light up eye mods he did for the vintage MOTU Skeletor? Super cool.
        You are a bold and courageous person, afraid of nothing. High on a hill top near your home, there stands a dilapidated old mansion. Some say the place is haunted, but you don't believe in such myths. One dark and stormy night, a light appears in the topmost window in the tower of the old house. You decide to investigate... and you never return...

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        • Starroid Raiders Dagon
          Persistent Member
          • Apr 28, 2013
          • 2162

          #5
          Originally posted by Werewolf
          Yeah, his videos are great. Have you seen the light up eye mods he did for the vintage MOTU Skeletor? Super cool.
          No! I'll have to check it out. I watch so many of his vids and even stuff on toys I will never own like Star Wars. I have most if not all the MOTU releases from North America in the basement at my mom' house, and they are going to need some serious attention when I finally free them. I am anticipating a lot of leg repairs. I like the video he did on the Bionic Man and I bet that you could get a pretty close arm color using the RIT synthetic dye on the balloon arm covers. I want to try and use that balloon skin method on my Big Jim figures' arms eventually. Which reminded me that there are no videos on Big Jim restoration and repair. I was surprised about that.

          Comment

          • Falstaff13
            Persistent Member
            • May 28, 2008
            • 1251

            #6
            Originally posted by Werewolf
            Some neat variations on those two. Generally most MOTU figures are marked Malaysia or Taiwan. These are actually stamped France. Even the accessories like Skeletor's staff and He-Man's axe and shield are stamped France. Oddly both power swords are still marked Taiwan. Another odd thing about the swords is they made Skeletor's half of the power sword with He-Man's mold. So the two halves can't fit together. But I guess you do get a He-Man Power Sword in Skeletor purple.
            Skeletor's half-sword always looked strange in his hand as the half because it was the "other side" from what worked best in the right hand, and I always preferred the look of the ram staff as a result. I remember getting a weapons pack on Christmas that had a power sword half in light blue that I could then let Skeletor use.

            Thanks for these great posts and information.
            Hugh H. Davis

            Wanted: Legends of the West (Empire & Excel) and other western historically-based figures. Send me an offer.
            Also interested in figures based on literary characters.

            Comment

            • silentj76
              Member
              • Aug 25, 2009
              • 93

              #7
              You can also use thin white elastic cord like for restringing mego bodies to repair vintage motu legs. I found it easier than the o ring method. You can pick the cord up in the crafts department at walmart. I just thought I would share this info, and I hope it helps someone in the future.

              Comment

              • Werewolf
                Inhuman
                • Jul 14, 2003
                • 14615

                #8
                Originally posted by silentj76
                You can also use thin white elastic cord like for restringing mego bodies to repair vintage motu legs. I found it easier than the o ring method.
                The O-ring method may be challenging but I really like the results. The legs are just like they were when the figures were brand new. I was super impressed how they turned out.
                You are a bold and courageous person, afraid of nothing. High on a hill top near your home, there stands a dilapidated old mansion. Some say the place is haunted, but you don't believe in such myths. One dark and stormy night, a light appears in the topmost window in the tower of the old house. You decide to investigate... and you never return...

                Comment

                • Werewolf
                  Inhuman
                  • Jul 14, 2003
                  • 14615

                  #9
                  Just fixed a Faker tonight. Hooking the legs together with the o-ring is the easy part. Holding the hooks with a little pliers so you can then twist the legs around so the figure can stand again is the really fiddly and frustrating part for me.
                  You are a bold and courageous person, afraid of nothing. High on a hill top near your home, there stands a dilapidated old mansion. Some say the place is haunted, but you don't believe in such myths. One dark and stormy night, a light appears in the topmost window in the tower of the old house. You decide to investigate... and you never return...

                  Comment

                  • Werewolf
                    Inhuman
                    • Jul 14, 2003
                    • 14615

                    #10
                    Just had to fix my Stinkor and Mer-Man's legs fell off yesterday. On the upside, Stinkor still smells.

                    Other MOTU collectors here might want to check on your figures if you haven't in a while. Even under the best conditions time takes a toll on those rubber bands. I've been the only owner of these figures and they were played with gently and stored and displayed in air conditioned rooms and their legs are still falling off.
                    You are a bold and courageous person, afraid of nothing. High on a hill top near your home, there stands a dilapidated old mansion. Some say the place is haunted, but you don't believe in such myths. One dark and stormy night, a light appears in the topmost window in the tower of the old house. You decide to investigate... and you never return...

                    Comment

                    • Battle Ram
                      New Member
                      • Sep 16, 2017
                      • 6

                      #11
                      The O-Ring method is easier the more you do it. I can fix a figure in about five minutes these days.

                      Nice figures!

                      Comment

                      • Werewolf
                        Inhuman
                        • Jul 14, 2003
                        • 14615

                        #12
                        Originally posted by Battle Ram
                        I can fix a figure in about five minutes these days.
                        Wowzers, I must have spent a half hour, last night, trying to get Mer-Man's legs adjusted just right so he could stand again without falling on his back.
                        You are a bold and courageous person, afraid of nothing. High on a hill top near your home, there stands a dilapidated old mansion. Some say the place is haunted, but you don't believe in such myths. One dark and stormy night, a light appears in the topmost window in the tower of the old house. You decide to investigate... and you never return...

                        Comment

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