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Mego Star Trek Phasers

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  • Mego Monster
    New Member
    • Aug 26, 2020
    • 9

    Mego Star Trek Phasers

    Been coming across a few vintage phasers that are discolored and yellowed. Is there a way to restore these to their original color?
  • Liu Bei
    Banned
    • Mar 31, 2018
    • 755

    #2
    Put them in a small, clear jar of hydrogen peroxide and let them sit in the sun all day.

    It can be done with just sunlight, but the peroxide makes the process work faster. The stronger the peroxide, the faster the results.

    It works on all plastics.

    Comment

    • Mego Monster
      New Member
      • Aug 26, 2020
      • 9

      #3
      Thanks!

      Comment

      • TrekStar
        Trek or Treat
        • Jan 20, 2011
        • 8355

        #4
        That’s some interesting information, I have a few discolored vintage phasers so I’ll have to try this.
        I had painted over a couple with the exact same color, it worked but it’s been awhile since, and I have a couple more that are discolored so I’ll try the hydrogen peroxide trick, thanks.

        Comment

        • Liu Bei
          Banned
          • Mar 31, 2018
          • 755

          #5
          Good luck with it, guys. Let me know how it turns out. I’ve done this to de-yellow video game consoles and cartridges, vintage Star Wars stormtroopers, and so on.

          Solid colored plastics work best. I don’t recommend it on any plastics that have been painted.

          Comment

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

            #6
            I read of a related method using peroxide paste from beauty suppliers. I was thinking of trying it on my Clash of the Titans Pegasus.
            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

            • Liu Bei
              Banned
              • Mar 31, 2018
              • 755

              #7
              Originally posted by PNGwynne
              I read of a related method using peroxide paste from beauty suppliers. I was thinking of trying it on my Clash of the Titans Pegasus.
              I think you’re referring to Salon Care 40, which is a higher concentration of peroxide. If you do it, use the liquid form not the cream/paste. The cream has to be applied with a paint brush and the the item wrapped in Saran Wrap. The problem is you risk streaks and blotches where the cream was thicker/thinner in certain areas. You get perfect results every time if you just use the liquid.

              That said, pure UV sunlight will also usually do the trick, it just takes longer.

              Comment

              • Shermanator
                New Member
                • Dec 27, 2014
                • 32

                #8
                I used the "retrobrite" process using Salon Care 40 plus cling wrap plus sunlight on the interior of a Tonka Hummer scaled for 12 inch figures Here are before & after pics:

                Before:



                After:



                Steve

                Comment

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

                  #9
                  Nice, considering how difficult & expensive it would be to immerse larger pieces.

                  How long did that take?
                  Last edited by PNGwynne; Oct 10, '20, 3:57 PM.
                  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

                  • Liu Bei
                    Banned
                    • Mar 31, 2018
                    • 755

                    #10
                    Originally posted by Shermanator
                    I used the "retrobrite" process using Salon Care 40 plus cling wrap plus sunlight on the interior of a Tonka Hummer scaled for 12 inch figures Here are before & after pics:

                    Before:



                    After:



                    Steve
                    It looks splotchy from the pics, but that may be the lighting. How did it look in person? Were you happy with the results?

                    I’ve retrobrited a ton of stuff over the years, and never had the same success with the cream as the liquid. I got lucky using the cream on a Real Ghostbusters Ecto-1, but had disappointing results on everything else I’ve tried it with.

                    I’d recommend anyone wanting to try this stuff out run some experiments with old toys or electronics you don’t care much about to figure out a process you’re happy with before using it on something more important.

                    Comment

                    • Shermanator
                      New Member
                      • Dec 27, 2014
                      • 32

                      #11
                      Originally posted by PNGwynne
                      Nice, considering how difficult & expensive it would be to immerse larger pieces.

                      How long did that take?
                      I left these pieces out in the sun for about 4 hours. To Liu Bei's point, it removed about 99% of the discoloration. There were a couple spots where I didn't spread the cream, like the top of the seat backs near the head rests, but otherwise looks very good in person. I'm not opposed to using the liquid, but all I had at the time is the cream version. When I first learned about the process I saw it done with the cream so that's what I bought. Didn't know the liquid existed at the time.

                      Comment

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

                        #12
                        Thanks, good to know.
                        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

                        • actjac01
                          Veteran Member
                          • May 17, 2009
                          • 369

                          #13
                          Would this method work on vinyl heads to de-gray them? Just curious...
                          "...You can capture the Klingon & bring him back to the Enterprise!"

                          Comment

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

                            #14
                            Hmm. I don't see how it could. As far as I know, degraying a head involves adding back in some surface color to help correct the deterioration/migration of the vinyl colorant.

                            Peroxide wouldn't do that.
                            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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