Resin vs. Metal props. What do you prefer?

[manooga]

Hello guys,

I was just thinking about materials for props such as lightsabers, blasters and others. I think most people like more those made of metal, but I can tell resin has some advantages too. I have both metal and resin (and even plastic) props in my collection, and honestly I love every single piece I own.

What I like about resin and plastic is their light weight for trooping, and you can always paint them to look very realistic, and hardly someone will find out it's not metal. Of course the feel and close-up look of metal will always be better, but when you want to carry it, metal becomes uncomfortable for trooping, so there resin will have a point.

On the other hand, metal sometimes looks too pristine and shiny for representing a weathered, aged weapon, while resin can look too fake for representing a pristine weapon (such as Mace Windu's lightsaber, for example).

Anyway, I find advatanges in both resin and metal props, but I'd like to know what you prefer.

Here is an example of what I mean. I can actually see the resin prop more similar to the original one than the metallic one. What do you think?

 

[Michael Bergeron]

Definitely a fan of metal. If it looks too pristine you can always weather it. It feels better as well.

Notice in your comparison pics you don't get the metallic gleams in the resin prop. A little steel wool on the metal guy and he'll be a dead ringer for the original.

 

[Interceptor6]

There was a time, boy, when I searched for steel, when steel meant more to me than gold or jewels.
Thulsa Doom
Gotta go metal! It's the reality factor with the weight.
Jeff

 

[Lichtbringer]

Who is this guy called "resin"? :lol

Bah, metal forever. :love



If something should be made (in a movie) from plastic, use plastic for the replica - should something be metal, use metal. Also for trooping ... people move different and more realistic when carrying stuff from real metal and not plastic toys.

 

[Sundowner]

I prefer metal almost always unless the screen accuracy dictates that.

 

[thd9791]

For me, the only advantage of having a resin prop (I don't troop) would be that it was resin on screen. Then I'd have literally what the actors had to use, which is cool in itself.

other than that though - I'm all metal. The idea that...if these weapons were real, they'd be made out of metal - therefore it's a little closer to the fantasy becoming real - is my thought process haha.

is the efx ROTJ Hero fakey feeling or looking? I never see pictures of it in real life - only the stock photo.

 

[MooMooEgg]

I just like the feel of metal. It makes the prop look and feel more "real." Even cold case resin with a little bit of metallic powder elevates the item above an identical resin version.

Give a non-prop person a non-functioning resin gun, and they're say "this feels so cheap." Give them a functioning metal blaster, and it always looks like they're going to drop it because the person is surprised by the weight and feel of it. Then they (sometimes) can justify the price of the item just from the materials alone.

 

[planet]

Steel boy

 

[miknugget]

\m/ METAL!!
I can appreciate the details captured in resin but the tactile feel and heft of a metal prop cannot be beat.

 

[kdflash]

I like the metal props it gives the weight and feel of the real thing.

 

[StaggzCosplay]

I prefer metal for weapons but resin for masks and helmets.

 

[nivektunk]

Metal all the way.
Cheers,
Kevin

 

[rjaykus]

METAL!!! I'm currently working on my first prop. An aluminum Cap helmet.

Of course, time is very limited and so is my skill.

 

[manooga]

Ok guys, that's metal like 23 - resin 0. Haha. Thanks for your opinions.

 

[manooga]

For me, the only advantage of having a resin prop (I don't troop) would be that it was resin on screen. Then I'd have literally what the actors had to use, which is cool in itself.

other than that though - I'm all metal. The idea that...if these weapons were real, they'd be made out of metal - therefore it's a little closer to the fantasy becoming real - is my thought process haha.

is the efx ROTJ Hero fakey feeling or looking? I never see pictures of it in real life - only the stock photo.

I would call the efx ROTJ Hero a hate/love prop. I bought it for being cheap, and when I received it it seemed to be just great for its price. I mean, it's like a third of the price of a metallic prop, and is not only 1 third as cool as a metallic prop in first instance. It's heavy enough not to look and feel like a toy, but as you hold it and keep looking at it, you start discovering "issues". Its shape is not perfect, I mean, its resin, so it can't be flawless. Some parts of its body have kind of flat parts that you get to see only after staring at it for a while. The emitter's top width varies depending on the angle you get, and paint is kind of opaque, besides of being too uniform (and too white). I modified mine in that part. I added some mettalic paint with dry brush to give it a non-uniform look, and later applied a shiny cover spray to give it some kind of metallic shine. I also re-painted the "brass" neck; the paint it had was not cool, didn't look like brass or copper at all. I also had to re-paint the acrylic green and red arrows; I messed them up while adding the spray.

This is pretty much how it looked when new and what it looks like now after modifications. Judge it yourself. But in general I would say it's overall an acceptable prop, not worth more than the retail price. Personally I love mine for being unique after such detrimental spoil I made to it!

 

[manooga]

Here a pic with better light. Just for your reference.

 

[thd9791]

Wow, thank you! Thatw as actually really informative. The V2 was a very sloppy resin prop, good to hear this is at least much better quality!

 

[manooga]

Oooh I also have that V2. Yeah, it sucked, but I made a heavy modification to it. I added some more black paint where needed, made real scratches to the rings, changed the D ring for a weathered one, and re-painted the whole Graflex clamp. I got reference from the Master Replicas prop, and this is what I got:

 

[thd9791]

Holy cow, nice work. It's good to see those marker doodles gone from the rings haha

 

[manooga]

Thanks I just love to customize every prop I buy, haha.