Hi i have some vintage Star Wars toys that were white when they were packed away but now have yellowed. Is there a way to make them white again?
Is there a way to make vintage Star Wars toys White again?
- Thread starter propmainiac
- Start date
Cool thanks!
Does any one think it will restore the color on Kenners Slave 1? Its grey but the removeable panel has turned a different shade.
Does any one think it will restore the color on Kenners Slave 1? Its grey but the removeable panel has turned a different shade.
If you want your toys to stick around, it's worth reversing the yellowing process. The plastic is actually breaking down and eventually will just crumble. Deyellowing actually helps to preserve the item. Here's a good video about restoring video game consoles, but the principles are the same
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Mara Jade's Father
Master Member
I've dealt with it before: http://www.therpf.com/showthread.php?t=223997
I had some luck. The difficulty for me was that because of the nature of the item, I had to may the gel version. Basically once it dries, it tends to stop working and you need to reapply. Plus if you have a large object, you have to ensure UV (sunlight) is hitting all parts.
I think it would have worked better if i could have submerged it in a liquid solution.
I had some luck. The difficulty for me was that because of the nature of the item, I had to may the gel version. Basically once it dries, it tends to stop working and you need to reapply. Plus if you have a large object, you have to ensure UV (sunlight) is hitting all parts.
I think it would have worked better if i could have submerged it in a liquid solution.
With plastic, if you don't take preservation measures, the item WILL disintegrate eventually. It's preventative maintenance, really.
Well my items are not museum quality and how is it runing it if its turned back to white? I understand antique value for old furniture or collector guns and the like you dont want to clean or refinish them.
Darth Lars
Master Member
I have a small collection of vintage computer keyboards, and have used Retr0bright for bleaching computer keycaps.
The problem with Retr0bright is that it is not necessarily permanent. It will affect only the outside of the plastic, but there would still be bromine-based flame-retardant chemicals deeper inside that could seep out and affect the outside again .
Here is a small forum thread about it on a collector's forum.
The active components of Retr0bright are:
* Hydrogen peroxide - which is a bleach,
* UV light - which develops the bleach (counter-intuitive, I know), and
* TAED - a chemical found in laundry detergent which makes hydrogen peroxide work at lower temperatures.
For keycaps, I have used liquid hydrogen peroxide from the painter's supply store and Oxy Clean (for the TEAD) in water solution in a glass jar on the balcony a sunny day.
One should be careful to not use a too high concentration of peroxide though - because then it would actually bleach the plastic instead of just interacting with those chemicals that caused the yellowing.
The problem with Retr0bright is that it is not necessarily permanent. It will affect only the outside of the plastic, but there would still be bromine-based flame-retardant chemicals deeper inside that could seep out and affect the outside again .
Here is a small forum thread about it on a collector's forum.
The active components of Retr0bright are:
* Hydrogen peroxide - which is a bleach,
* UV light - which develops the bleach (counter-intuitive, I know), and
* TAED - a chemical found in laundry detergent which makes hydrogen peroxide work at lower temperatures.
For keycaps, I have used liquid hydrogen peroxide from the painter's supply store and Oxy Clean (for the TEAD) in water solution in a glass jar on the balcony a sunny day.
One should be careful to not use a too high concentration of peroxide though - because then it would actually bleach the plastic instead of just interacting with those chemicals that caused the yellowing.
Galactican
Sr Member
I have one concern: If you use Retr0bright or a similar bleaching solution, how does this affect the plastic in the long term? Does the procedure damage the structure of the plastic even more?
What about painting the plastic white and sealing it with clear laquer? Wouldn't that stop the degradation, too?
What about painting the plastic white and sealing it with clear laquer? Wouldn't that stop the degradation, too?
Pixelpiper
Well-Known Member
I'm sure it's been mentioned here multiple times before... Beauty supply store like SALLY: Volume 30 Clear Developer (liquid peroxide, not creme) - that's just under 10% peroxide which you can compare against the rather ineffective 3% stuff you use topically from the drug store. Soak in a container in the sun. Don't need to add or mix anything else. Make sure to remove all metal from the plastic object you're trying to whiten before you start. Generally safe with paints. YMMV.
And you can't stop plastic degrading with paint. You can destroy plastic with the wrong paint though.
I have a lot of plastic, rubber-like and PVC toys/collectibles going back over 40 years and from the entire collection only a few things have really started to go. A plastic bottom cover for a rubber/PVC night light (c.1970/71) and some POTF2 stuff from Hasbro in the mid-90's. The night light's cover plate which was originally rigid plastic of some type is now mostly malleable and Vader's cape leaching like crazy and sticky (this has also happened to every single Microsoft mouse I've ever owned with any kind of rubber element within a couple of years). Discoloration, which I don't count in the same camp has happened to a number of things, including Kenner 1977 12" Stormtrooper, Micronauts white plastic also from the 70's and a few other things.
And you can't stop plastic degrading with paint. You can destroy plastic with the wrong paint though.
I have a lot of plastic, rubber-like and PVC toys/collectibles going back over 40 years and from the entire collection only a few things have really started to go. A plastic bottom cover for a rubber/PVC night light (c.1970/71) and some POTF2 stuff from Hasbro in the mid-90's. The night light's cover plate which was originally rigid plastic of some type is now mostly malleable and Vader's cape leaching like crazy and sticky (this has also happened to every single Microsoft mouse I've ever owned with any kind of rubber element within a couple of years). Discoloration, which I don't count in the same camp has happened to a number of things, including Kenner 1977 12" Stormtrooper, Micronauts white plastic also from the 70's and a few other things.
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Hello everyone. By no means my intention is to hijack the post, but I am also seeking for answers for a similar problem. I have a custom made stormtrooper lightsaber that is made of PVC pipe that turned yellow. Any method suggested for removing the yellow hue from the PVC.
Doomed. I had mint perfect POTF figures. The coins are silver and looked silver because they were behind a clear bubble. Now they are gold because the bubble has yellowed over time. These were kept in a box so I know sunlight has nothing to do with the yellowing process.
Pixelpiper
Well-Known Member
Volume 30 peroxide as above.
we got the same problem LOL
I guess it´s heat, too.
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