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Tutorials For Head Shrinking

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  • TheVintageToyKid
    Career Member
    • Jul 23, 2019
    • 673

    #16
    Where does one purchase some Naphtha?
    "I thought they didn't allow no bathin' suits in here."

    Comment

    • LonnieFisher
      Eloquent Member
      • Jan 19, 2008
      • 10814

      #17
      Originally posted by TheVintageToyKid
      Where does one purchase some Naphtha?
      I bought mine at the hardware store. I'm pretty sure they will all carry it.

      Comment

      • LonnieFisher
        Eloquent Member
        • Jan 19, 2008
        • 10814

        #18
        Okay, so I shrunk a couple of new Mego heads, and I don't think naphtha shrinks stuff as much as acetone. I haven't tried to shrink any new heads in acetone yet, because I was giving naphtha a try. Naphtha works great, but it doesn't shrink stuff very much. I'm thinking about acetone soaking a head that was shrunk with naphtha to see if it shrinks any more.

        Comment

        • PNGwynne
          Master of Fowl Play
          • Jun 5, 2008
          • 19444

          #19
          I was told to manually compress the head after soaking.

          I suppose the great advantage is the preservation of the factory paint.
          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.

          Comment

          • LonnieFisher
            Eloquent Member
            • Jan 19, 2008
            • 10814

            #20
            Originally posted by PNGwynne
            I was told to manually compress the head after soaking.
            I'm not sure what you mean. Compress the head? Squish it? Seems it would distort. Pressure pot?
            I think that soaking the head in naphtha leaches something out of the vinyl, where acetone actually soaks into the vinyl, then evaporates and takes something else out with it.

            Comment

            • PNGwynne
              Master of Fowl Play
              • Jun 5, 2008
              • 19444

              #21
              Evenly compress it, to "compact" it. Seems several members have tried this with good results and no distortion. I plan to eventually try it on a vintage 12" head.
              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.

              Comment

              • LonnieFisher
                Eloquent Member
                • Jan 19, 2008
                • 10814

                #22
                Originally posted by PNGwynne
                Evenly compress it, to "compact" it. Seems several members have tried this with good results and no distortion. I plan to eventually try it on a vintage 12" head.
                I'm highly skeptical. I'd like to see a video of it being done, because it seems like it wouldn't work at all.

                Comment

                • sprytel
                  Talkative Member
                  • Jun 26, 2009
                  • 6539

                  #23
                  Yes. That's exactly what I do. I exert significant pressure to push it in... usually starting with pushing from the top trying to shorten it, and then working the sides to even it out. I have only done it with Playmates Trek heads, but it seems to work for those.

                  Comment

                  • LonnieFisher
                    Eloquent Member
                    • Jan 19, 2008
                    • 10814

                    #24
                    Originally posted by sprytel
                    Yes. That's exactly what I do. I exert significant pressure to push it in... usually starting with pushing from the top trying to shorten it, and then working the sides to even it out. I have only done it with Playmates Trek heads, but it seems to work for those.
                    Might be way easier if you soak the head in boiled water for a while to soften it up before you squish it.

                    Comment

                    • Tiberiusguy
                      Museum Patron
                      • Aug 23, 2019
                      • 148

                      #25
                      Hi, I’m curious. Will this work with rooted hair? Either acetone or Naptha? Or would it ruin the hair?

                      Comment

                      • LonnieFisher
                        Eloquent Member
                        • Jan 19, 2008
                        • 10814

                        #26
                        Originally posted by Tiberiusguy
                        Hi, I’m curious. Will this work with rooted hair? Either acetone or Naptha? Or would it ruin the hair?
                        I shrunk a new Dorothy head, with no problems.

                        Comment

                        • Tiberiusguy
                          Museum Patron
                          • Aug 23, 2019
                          • 148

                          #27
                          Thanks for the answer. I’m thinking of my old Charlie’s Angels figures being useful now.

                          Comment

                          • LonnieFisher
                            Eloquent Member
                            • Jan 19, 2008
                            • 10814

                            #28
                            I shrunk Dorothy in naphtha, not acetone. Acetone would ruin a rooted head.

                            Comment

                            • TheVintageToyKid
                              Career Member
                              • Jul 23, 2019
                              • 673

                              #29
                              If the head starts to shrink after the Naphtha soak, how do you stop the head from shrinking smaller than the size you want it to be?
                              "I thought they didn't allow no bathin' suits in here."

                              Comment

                              • PNGwynne
                                Master of Fowl Play
                                • Jun 5, 2008
                                • 19444

                                #30
                                I wondered about that, too. Is it just a matter of eyeballing it? Seems random if you also have to compress it following immersion.
                                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.

                                Comment

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