Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC)
PVC is one of the most common plastics used in the world. It’s quite similar to rubber and the toughness/malleability of PVC is dependant on the plastisers added. More plastisers = more softness, since they straighten out neatly the long macromolecular polymer chains into neat rows. Some figure collectors complain of an oily film after a while and I would think this is due to the plasticisers migrating to the surface of the plastic. Small plasticiser molecules are pretty mobile and after a period of time, they accumulate on the surface to produce a oily crud.
This is also why PVC tends to get a bit crappy and brittle after a long time. Oh yeah these plasticisers are quite toxic too. And if you have a fire at home, dump your figurines at them to extinguish it, since the chlorine produced retards the flame. Btw, some plasticisers are thought to reduce the quality of MAN SPERM.
A very large percentage of the figures sold are made of PVC. From gashapon, trading figures to 1/6s, these are mainly PVCs. Cheap material cost, easy of moulding, ductility (it won’t break much, just bend) are the reasons why it is used.
Never leave them in the sun. Ultraviolet rays produce free radicals on PVC, chlorine free radicals, that combine to form chlorine gas and the material is decomposed. The sun also heats them up and PVC distorts at a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius. Being a thermoplastic, you can actually heat it up and bend it, then cool for it to maintain that shape.
PVC, due to the addition of chlorine atoms which have a pretty high molecular mass compared to C and H, is heavy for a plastic.
I have 10 years old PVC figure and it still like new. No cracking or discolorized.
Here is the simple list of how to taken care of your PVC figure:
1) Keep it on cool temperature. (Hot temperature will cause your pvc to produced oil and it will easily crack in the future). Why it will produced oil? What is that? Read above!!.
2) DONT EVER PUT YOUR PVC DIRECTLY TO SUNLIGHT. Dont put them near strong light that produced heat wave, e.g halogen lamp and filament bulb.
3) Once every few months, put your figure inside freezer for about 20 minutes (Not too long).
4) If by any chance your figure starting to produced oil (Because of heat), put your figure to freezer for 30 minutes to 45 minutes.
5) Use blower to clean your figure. Personally, I use hair drier to blow all the dust (!!!!! REMEMBER TO SET THE HAIR DRIER TO BLOW COOL AIR, NOT THE HOT AIR). If you rich, use dust remover that used to clean up computer part or other electronic stuff.
6) Do not clean your figure with chemical liquid. No warm water as well. If possible avoid water; only use small amount water to clean very dirty part of your figure.
7) If you have a hard time to remove the figure from the stand (most of them are made of plastic), do not use force. Just put the figure inside the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes. It is because plastic will shrink and expand more then PVC, coldcast, etc..
8) If you have more then 1 figure stand close to each other, please make sure dont let them to touch each other. After long time, it will leave a mark ont he other figure.
9) (THIS IS NOT TOO IMPORTANT. IT ONLY HAPPEN WHEN THE FIGURE USED CHEAP PAINT. Famous brand such as Max Factory, kaiyodo, alter, good smil company, etc.. will used good paint) Try to put a plastic to every joint that removeable to avoid direct contact that will leave a mark after a long time. Do you know the reason, why manufacture always put a plastic bettwen the joint that removeable when you bought a new figure? It is because when they touch each other, after long time, it will leave a paint mark.
10) This is for PVC figure Only.
AVOID puting heavy object e.g. weapon, items, etc.. on your figure hands. It is because PVC will bend over time. For more info about this or how to fix this, go to http://www.happysoda.com/archives/142
How to Fixed broken part of you figure:
1) Clean both part. Make sure no dust stick on the broken part that you are going to glue.
2) Use Super Glue. Gel type work better because it will not spill.
WARNING!!!!
DO NOT use Glue special for PVC. It is because PVC glue will melt the PVC in order to stick them. You do not want to melt anything on your figure.
3) Before apply the super glue, make sure that the broken part have flat surface or match in the crack (This is to ensure that enough surface for the glue to stick).
4) Apply a very tiny amount of the super glue to 1 of the broken part (dont apply on both side). Wait a few seconds before put them together. CAUTION!!! IF YOU OVER APPLIED AND THE SUPER GLUE DRIPING TO THE OTHER PART OF THE FIGURE, YOU ARE SCREW. IT WILL LEAVE A MARK FOREVER.
5) After glue them together, do not touch your figure for a few hours. It is to make sure that the glue really dried up.
6) Sometimes the color of the figure on the broken part will a bit decolorized. It is normal. Just use permanent marker with the same color of the figure and just color them back (DO NOT USE IN A LARGE AREA).
