G1 restoration questions

[Tzan19]

Here's the list of questions my job lot of ponies have thrown up.

1.  FF Blue belle - missing fore locks...should I attempt to replace them?
2.  Pen marks and highlighter marks- how can I get rid of them? Have tried a wash in washing up liquid and magic eraser (not having any luck with the magic eraser and wondering if I have the wrong brand? As I have heard that this works?)
3.How can I get rid of stains from tail rust in tail hair?
4. Re pinking hair...should I? And how do I?
5. Snowflake's symbols are well rubbed and barely visible, am I correct in thinking I can repainted them with metallic acrylic paint? If not advice please.
6. Legs which look squished  :(can they be fixed and how?

Hope that's not all too much, I figure they are all questions I will only have to ask once 

[moevelvet]

2. Pen marks can usually be sunfaded.  Cover any parts that you don't want faded with foil and/or painters tape and leave in a sunny window.
6. Squished legs: I dealt with this quite recently.  What worked for me was to remove the head and fill the body with boiling water.  Then I just left it until the water was cool and the body was back in shape.

[Tzan19]

Ah thanks re the hot water thing, I was worried that the squished legs might be un- fixable.  Sorry if this is a stupid question but does sun fading fade the pony's original colour? 

[BethyVic]

3. Toothpaste.  I would use non-bleach toothpaste and water. Use a clean toothbrush and just work the toothpaste in the base of the tail and rinse.  Of course, removing the washer and replacing with a non rusting one would be a good way to prevent tail rust in the future. 

[Shaiyeh]

I second the boiling water thing plastic usually likes to go back to the shape it was molded into, and boiling water will help with that. just make sure the pony is very dry before you put the hair back on. I usually let them dry for 48 (or more) hours before putting the head back on.

As for sun fading - it *can* fade the pony's colours but it's afaik not that common. which ponies are they, the ones that need fading? cover the hair, eyes and symbols, and if you want to be extra cautious, wrap up teh whole pony except the very area that needs to be faded.

You could use acrylic paint, yes, but be careful what brand you use. I found one pony I attempted restoring when I just started collecting (so, 9 or 10 years ago), which I painted with cheap gold acrylic on the symbol, and it was bled and gotten sticky D: I'd honestly rather leave it as is, or get some really good paint and sealer. (or even use fine loose glitter and sealer, only.

Forelocks - they're easy to replace! are the plugs empty, or does she have them cut short?
You can get nylon hair for ponies from dollyhair.com, and use a rerooting tool to just push some new plugs in there ^^ there are lots of rerooting tutorials, even some I think on dollyhair.

And I also second toothpaste for the rust, as well as replacing the washer.

good luck!

[Tzan19]

Thanks for all the help . Would never in a million years have thought of  the toothpaste !  The ponies that need fading are moondancer (just her horn), wind whistler NSS and the one I am most concerned about is banana sundae, she still smells a bit but is covered in pink highlighter, I would like to fix her without causing any more damage as she is just so pretty 

Oh and no Blue Belles fore locks are cut so the hair is still in there.

[Wind~Whistler]

For Snowflake's symbols, if they are glittery, you can use very fine glitter. Be aware that its very fine glitter, as the chunky type would look messy.
Oh, and try to use acetone on the marks you need to sunfade. If it doesn't work, sunfade. Acetone is safe for them unless the marks are across the eye and symbol paint, as it can take it off

[BethyVic]

When someone first told me about the toothpaste, I was hesitant because I was worried it would damage the hair, but it worked so well and I have done it on many ponies. 

[Shaiyeh]

try pushing the cut plugs into the head with a toothpick, or go in with a tweezer and pull just those plugs out from the inside

Pink highlighter can be VERY stubborn, just so you know. I have had a baby brother apple delight sitting in my window for several years (mind you, not veyr sunny windows). He originally had his whole lips covered in highlighter, and now its just a tiny spot left in a crease of hsi mouth that's hard to get sun into.