Has anyone successfully popped out a dent from packaging bubbles?

[NoPonySpecial]

And if so, how did you do it?

I have not yet tried extensive heat from a hair dryer. I tried it for a quick session, but got bored quickly, realizing I'd have to commit more time to that method. Since I know it will take a long time, I though I'd ask if this actually works before I try it myself.

I've tried using particularly sticky tape to physically pull the plastic back into shape, no success.

[Tulips]

I've mostly seen people suggesting using really strong tape like you have tried.
On a cheaper MOC I own I carefully massaged the plastic bubble around the dents and some of them popped back out. If the plastic isn't brittle it might be worth carefully trying.

Some warn against using hairdryers and recommend slowly heating the packing in the sun rather than risk quickly overheating, but then heat itself could damage MOC items in other ways.

I actually came across a forum thread about using a vacuum to carefully suck the dents out of the packaging. Definitely research that more thoroughly if you're interested in trying it because you might suck the bubble right off the card.

Good luck!

[Princess Lala]

I have totally done this not with MIB ponies, but with Pokemon Audley/TOMY japanese figures from 1998! They have a backcard and a clear plastic bubble- like a full on semi-hemisphere of a bubble that will easily get dents on it! On the bottom of the backcard I will take a toothpick or coffee stirrer straw and try to pry it in there and aim for the air pocket without tearing the glue from the backcard and plastic *it's nerve wrecking* once the tool of choice is in, I try to push the dent outward from the inside until it pops back into shape!

[reanna-mator]

Oh goodness... I have on MOC G1 and of course the bubble has a dent... I've been afraid to mess with it, and in the end it doesn't bother me much. Maybe eventually I'll work up the courage to try.

[NoPonySpecial]

I have totally done this not with MIB ponies, but with Pokemon Audley/TOMY japanese figures from 1998! They have a backcard and a clear plastic bubble- like a full on semi-hemisphere of a bubble that will easily get dents on it! On the bottom of the backcard I will take a toothpick or coffee stirrer straw and try to pry it in there and aim for the air pocket without tearing the glue from the backcard and plastic *it's nerve wrecking* once the tool of choice is in, I try to push the dent outward from the inside until it pops back into shape!

That's funny you mention them, because that's exactly the toys I'm dealing with. I did notice a tiny space at the bottom of them were I could stick a tiny thing in. Maybe I could bend a paper clip or something. But I looked up what nice MOC Auldey Pokemon figures are going for on eBay, it's so cheap I'm wondering if it'd even be worth it to struggle fixing them.

[hathorcat]

The plastic used on G1s is different and of course older than a lot of current toys (or even toys from the last 15 years), I honestly would suggest that you may end up doing more damage than good with some methods. Too much force and you could end up loosening the glue thats holding the bubble in place, too much heat and you could melt the plastic itself.

Do you have a picture of the issue?