"Uncracked Limbs"

edd_jedi

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I've seen this phrase mentioned a few times recently when people are selling loose figures on Facebook, eg a loose original Han yesterday. I know the original 3PO had a message on the cardback mentioning that the paint over the limbs needed to be cracked when first opened, but I've never heard of it for any other figures. I can imagine when you try and move the limbs of any loose figure that haven't been moved for years they may be tight (dust, mould, frosting, whatever) but is there actually any substance behind this? Or is it just another bullshit way for sellers to try and charge more money for loose figures? I assume they are trying to imply the figure has never been posed.
 

Joe

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Yeah you are right Edd, I think it's mostly the metallic droids that had to be "cracked". Sounds like someone has just heard the term and thought it applied to all figures that have stiff limbs or haven't been played with. :lol:
 

Mr-shifter

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I have an uncracked c3po. Well, he's 75% uncracked as the seller wanted to make sure it wasn't glued or threaded in the limbs so he cracked an arm to check it moved.

You never seem to see uncracked Death Star droids for sale though. I wonder if the process of the silver was different to c3pos gold.

To me, the only figure that can have uncracked limbs is c3po, which is a byproduct of assembly.
 

Bonsai_Tree_Ent

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I heard about this collector once who got a stiff limbed Trilogo Fett through the post. He didn't look at it for couple of months and so the limbs went wiggly. But then he cried and his tears made the limbs go stiff again. True story.
 

Cazza

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Mr-shifter said:
I have an uncracked c3po. Well, he's 75% uncracked as the seller wanted to make sure it wasn't glued or threaded in the limbs so he cracked an arm to check it moved.

You never seem to see uncracked Death Star droids for sale though. I wonder if the process of the silver was different to c3pos gold.

To me, the only figure that can have uncracked limbs is c3po, which is a byproduct of assembly.

The DSD most definitely had to be cracked. I have vivid memories in the back of the car on the way back from Zodiac Toys (Swindon) on my 7th birthday, being a little confused/upset why the DSD limbs wouldn't move. I thought it was going to break, as I had to force the limbs to move.

As for the other figures- it's only C3P0, surely? Others are just stiff-limbed/unplayed with. You don't have to 'crack' them :roll: Typical Facebook nonsense.
 

Fishtalk

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I had the same problem when I first got C-3PO, couldn't move his limbs so I assumed that they were fixed, and he stayed that way for several days. Then I saw a kid at school playing with his Threepio, and realized what had to be done. Once I'd cracked them, those limbs went floppy fast.
Obviously thousands of kids had the same problem, hence the warning/disclaimer on later cards.

'Uncracked' sounds more expensive than 'stiff limbs' so expect to see more listings like that, right or wrong. (And it is wrong, the term definitely only applies to Threepio and DSD).
 

walkie

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As well as the "uncracked" limbs on the vac-metalled figures, you can also find figures with "frozen" limbs.

These are commonly found on several foreign variants, for example...

PBP Bossk, PBP dark brown rebel soldier etc...

I also have and I'm not taking the piss a PBP tri-logo fett which has super stiff limbs that I daren't move.

The reason for the frozen limbs? It would have to be something to do with the different materials used and the expansion/shrinkage in the mating parts over time.
 

Bootyhunter

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Some people use the term 'unsnapped' limbs for regular figures (but what would I know about stiff limbs? :shock: )
 

Section 8

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walkie said:
As well as the "uncracked" limbs on the vac-metalled figures, you can also find figures with "frozen" limbs.

These are commonly found on several foreign variants, for example...

PBP Bossk, PBP dark brown rebel soldier etc...

I also have and I'm not taking the piss a PBP tri-logo fett which has super stiff limbs that I daren't move.

The reason for the frozen limbs? It would have to be something to do with the different materials used and the expansion/shrinkage in the mating parts over time.


I can vouch for this. I bought a joblot of loose figures and variants from a chap in Norway which included a few PBP figures. I thought the legs of a PBP Han Hoth had been glued they were so stiff. I was annoyed and about to contact the seller but after a slightly harder push they cracked and I was then gutted they went all loose and floppy....



....so I glued them.

I told this SW vintage collecting sheep the same story.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIaFtAKnqBU
 

hellhippie

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Bonsai_Tree_Ent said:
I heard about this collector once who got a stiff limbed Trilogo Fett through the post. He didn't look at it for couple of months and so the limbs went wiggly. But then he cried and his tears made the limbs go stiff again. True story.
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
 

aussiejames

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24909910.jpg

dafuq???
 

ScruffyLookingNH

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Picked up a case of childhood figures from the US recently. Never played with just just opened and put in the carry case. I moved the legs on a couple of the figures, a Lando and a Han Bespin. They were stiff like new and got to say.....there was a little crack when they shifted.

Without a doubt the term was fist used with DSDs and 3POs, but I think it's not an unreasonable thing to say about a lot of other figures, too. Does it matter to me as a collector? Past a DSD or FL 3PO, not one bit. I also thin that left for long enough and with plastic degradation then the limbs can indeed become "uncracked" again. Wasn't aware PBP figures were particularly prone to that but that's good to know.

As for putting it on a label on an AFA case? Exactly the kind of buffoonery I've come to expect from AFA.
 
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