Get the head off a retro action figure?

[timb]

Can anybody tell me the best way to get the head off a retro action figure to use as a mego head?

[GreenLantern9999]

I have yet to do it but I have heard many just destroy the chest I tried the boil pop and had no luck but I was also being fairly careful so as to not rip the head off.

[rche]

Just in case you don't want to go crazy with the head transplant. There have been a few cool pelvis replacement operations as well. These use a mago (or similar) T2 pelvis to replace the anorexic Matty one and coupled with a good restringing, seem to make good use of the Matty body. One of the recent ones - and fairly well documented - was a Sinestro. A good choice to re-pelvis if you want to keep the skin tone of the torso on your figure.

[Bulldog6125]

I have done the boil and pop twice without any problems. Both times were done using a light twist with light pulling the head. The thing is to get the head as soft as possible and be able to get the glue on the plug to release before the head will come off.

[bgrimm77]

Strange..... I literally just pulled my Green Lanterns head out. Seriously , no boiling or any other action figure alchemey....I just pulled it out , shaved it down a bit and put it on a type 2 body with no problems

[timb]

Thanks for the advice guys! I got it to work and have henceforth made 3 head transplants onto Mego bodies and am experiencing unbridled childlike giddiness.

[K]

I was able to get Black Manta's head out as-is but with the others, I found the neck plug too fragile (or maybe I pulled/twisted too hard?). I ended up ripping of the neck plug entirely and using a small insert or dowel to attach the head to a Castaway body. Works like a charm and is quick, inexpensive, and easy. The figs look 100% better on a better body. What a letdown the Mattel 8" body is!

[timb]

The crunching under the arms with pliers to pop the head out method worked like a charm for me. What do you do about hand color now? Just buy new DM bodies or paint the hands?

[K]

^ Ah, interesting. I hadn't tried that. Funny, but even though I essentially discard the Mattel bods, I try not to "hurt" them taking the head off. LOL!


The hands: I use the Mattel ones! They fit PERFECTLY into a Castaway body. I'm not sure about other bods, though. Just heat the Mattel body's forearms in near boiling water and carefully pull the hands out at the wrist with pliers (I cover the hands with something soft to avoid making marks in the soft plastic). Works well!

[timb]

Do the Doc Mego body hands come out easily? I was scared of breaking them.

[K]

I think I have removed doc mego body hands. Same method: I have a small pot dedicated for heating body parts (!) and I submerge the hand and forearm in near boiling water and pull with a pliers. Should work fine.

[timb]

How long do you leave it in there for?

[K]

Not long at all. I usually just stand there over the stove, hold the arm in the water and periodically try to pull out the hand. You'll know when it's done: the hand will easily pull out with no damage to the wrist joint.

[timb]

Worked awesome, thanks K!!

[K]

^ Woohoo! Fabulous! That solves the whole problem of getting hands that match. Plus, the Mattel accessories are sure to fit the hands, 'cause they're Mattel hands! And, keep those spare hands you remove from the new body. You never know when you'll need 'em.

Glad it worked out!