1988 Donatello. Pink eyes?
 

Hello everyone,

I just got as a present a Donatello from 1988 in his blister but opened. It came complete with all the accessories.

I have two questions:

His eyes are not totally white. It looks kind a soft pink. I don't know. Is it common with this figure?

My other question is about the stickiness of the figure. It is kind of sticky, and I noticed this before with another figure that also came in his blister but opened. I'm not sure if the figures get sticky from being so many years stuck in their blister packs. Anybody knows something about it?

Thank you

It will be sticky forever. If it displays well set it up and forget about the stickiness. That’s what I’ve done with a couple.

Also check this thread...

http://forums.thetechnodrome.com/showthread.php?t=43109

Yeah, you're not going to get rid of that stickiness.

My mom had grabbed a few old loose ones from a flea market a few years ago that were like that. I tried hard to clean them up, only to eventually come to realize and learn that it's probably the plastic and not able to be remedied.

Though I really do think and agree that it's probably related to attic heat... Because on the other hand, I bought an original Lieutenant Leo (loose) from eBay a while ago (specifically because I was not impressed with the paint job on the remake), and he's not sticky at all. So it's really a matter of luck with these older guys.

As for the eyes... haven't seen any like that. Age maybe? Light color bleed when the paint job was applied?

Scrub your sticky figures with an old tooth brush and some dish detergent. Ah guarantee they won' be sticky no mo'.

It's not attic heat. My playmates Star Trek Lt. Worf is like that too. I have never even had an attic. My other star trek figures did not do this. I just wash him periodically in some baby shampoo.

This might be of interest. Check out the Plasticizer Leakage section
http://www.mlppreservationproject.com/body.html

I wonder if the pink eyes is a little paint bleed from the purple mask mixing with the white eyes.

It works sometimes, temporarily, but seldom is it a permanent fix. Sure, if you're removing cola from days past, it'll be gone, but usually this is a matter of plasticizer leaking. The 'ole chemical flexibility used on these before factory release can seep out after time, causing an eternal stickiness from which there is no return (that I am aware of).

Hm. Kind of weird that some do and some don't.

Thanks everybody for your help.

Interesting article. One thing that has scared me a little is that the article says something about putting the figure in quarantine as it were infected. They say "Contact with other plastics can exacerbate the problem". The problem with the stickiness of the figure? or the other figures are going to get that too? :roll:

It sounds like there is no solution to this. I like to touch the figures from time to time apart from having them on display, and it kind of bother me. I also have a child who is growing up and at some point I would like him to play a little with them (with supervision of course). Is this safe for kids? I am already confused.

I poked around for info and I guess there are various plasticizers, some potentially considered toxic or have other hazards (possibly screwing with hormones or whatever). :ohwell:

And who knows what kind was used in these figures. Or if the amount of it for small figures like this is even a concern. (But why risk it by anything more than brief handling, imo.)

Either way though sticky figures aren't too pleasant to handle anyhow imo. Personally, I'd put them on display only and see if you can get hold of some of the classics collection remakes they did not long ago, if you want figures of the originals for the kid.

Thank for you reply and recommendation. I really appreciate it.

I wonder if someone here knows a little more about it. What kind of plasticizer was used to make them (were they toxic?) and/or if the amount of it for figures like these ones is really a concern. Maybe they were safe until the plasticizer started to leak?

I have bought figures in box that have been a little sticky. But nothing too bad.

Now I have a question. I bought a Next Mutation Raph action figure new in Box. I took him out and everything is fine, except he stinks a little bit. I don't see any signs of mold but I did see white film around the leg joint which easily wiped off. but the figure still smell "dirty" anyone else have that problem before?

You can actually stop it plastic decay ( stickiness ) from getting worse.

I have done this with success with older TMNT figures and BTAS figures.

You need a container bigger than the figure. Fill with hot water and add some denture cleaner tablets.

Let that sit for a day or 2.

Rinse off and do the same thing again, but use some dawn dish soap this time.

Sit for 2 days..

Rinse off and allow to air dry.

In my experiences, most of the stickiness will be gone or considerably less and doesn't harm the figure.

Months later and the stickiness hasn't come back.

Denture cleaner soaks can also remove cigarette smoke from figures.

The more you know :)

The stickiness cant be cleaned off because it's a chemical breakdown of the figure's plastic. It's toy cancer.

You can fix a lot of it however, by absorbing the acidity by placing your figures in acid free bags and slide a copper infused comic book backer board in with it, or even better use microchamber paper.

I've done this for years, and recently opened up some vintage Ghostbusters stuff I had packed this way. The toys smell like newly formed plastic and there is a significant reduction in stickiness.

Washing doesn't do it because the stickiness is weeping through the inside of the plastic to the outside as it breaks down.