My first head pop ~ help! Update/pic/ID the issue?

[Ayalah]

  So I just recieved a wavedancer and the poor girl has some issues. She's def got a couple of cancer spots (according to the pics in the "cancer/mold/regrind" thread. In the bottom of her tail (where the weight is) there is either a bad case of mildew or rust from the weight coming through (looks more like mold) Either way I've gotta open her up I think!

I've never opened a pony, but I got all ready and then.....yup I can't get her head off!! I've tried and tried. I don't have an x-acto knife. I'm worried about cutting anyway...I do have razorblades? I was reading the Sea Pony FAQ online for removing heads/weights, but it just ain't workin for me.

Advice?

Also I know it's been covered a million times and I've been reading about it al morning. If anyone wants to chime in on the mildew/cancer issues feel free! More direct advice is always good.

Luckily her shell is A++

[Pickenprod]

I'm not sure about sea ponies, since I don't have any. But if their head is the same as regular ones, then it's probably glued on a bit... or a lot! My advice on head popping:

1. Don't be afraid to maul them. They can stand up to a LOT of abuse! Grab them, twist them, it's no problem.
2. If the head is still glued on, try using the BLUNT side of a blade to shimmy in between the seam.
3. You can try dental floss or string soaked in acetone, as well.
4. If all else fails, you can always cut the head off. Either with a knife, or the inner plastic ring might just tear away with enough pulling. This happened to me with a flutter pony recently. You'll just need to glue the head on firmly once all cleaning is done.

Cleaning!!

1. The "mold" you see is probably rust. You'll want to get that metal weight out of her, pronto! Then lots of scrubbing with the paste kind of toothpaste really helps with rust. If you have a thin bottle brush, that's the best for getting in there really well.
2. If you decide to use Oxyclean, be careful. It works great, but I left a pony in too long once, and now she has a bumpy sort of texture all over :/

Good luck cleaning!

PS. make sure you get her absolutely dry inside and out before replacing her head!

[Ayalah]

Thanks Pickenprod! The dental floss trick!! i forgot about that! I'll go try that. Believe me I've been abusive lol She's REALLY glued well.

[hathorcat]

The floss and acetone trick is something I use all the time - its time consuming but it does tend to work if you are determined - I have also used white cotton or embroidery thread when I have no floss as it soaks up the acetone really well.

The other option is simply soaking her head and neck in boiling water or wrapping a white cotton cloth which has been dipped in boiling water around her neck - repeat several times and eventually you should loosen the glue enough that you can physically pull her head off.

As for cleaning Ringlets has a great tutorial for sea ponies...http://mlparena.com/mlp/index.php/topic,289816.msg100897.html#msg100897

[Ayalah]

Thank you Hathorcat!

[tulagirl]

Yes the hot water thing works for me. Don't use a blade, that has never been a good idea for me. You will end up cutting the wrong thing and regret it.

[Rachel-Eyes]

Of course this is not ideal and you have to be REALLY careful if you try this, but whenever I have trouble with breaking their necks, I use a thumb tack. Like the kind you would buy for your bulletin board. I gently push the sharp end all over the seams and help to separate the glue, being careful not to puncture the plug. Then, after going around the neck, eventually it will get to the point where you can pull enough of it off where the plug will start to come out too.

Again, I cannot stress this enough. If you use a thumb tack, BE CAREFUL. I've pricked myself before and it smarts.

[Ayalah]

Rachel Eyes for the WIN!! The pin worked I used a mixture of steaming her/yanking and the pin actually. I like the steam basket method cause you can set her there for a minute or two then quickly grab her without getting burned.

She was actually incredibly clean inside. The weights were a bit rusty but it hasn't spread, only minimal shmootz. I'm guessing the strange discoloration must be cancer. I'll see if I can get a pic later! My camera is down, bt my phone might work with me.

Post Merge: December 26, 2012, 09:00:48 PM

http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j405/Odhranfeenat/ponytale.jpg

There we go. It's not the best pic but maybe it'll be enough for some of you to recogize the culprit

[Rachel-Eyes]

Yay! So glad to know that it worked for you!

Yes, I prefer to use hot water too as opposed to just poking it while it's dry. The heat really does help to weaken the glue, even when it doesn't seem like it! (I did this for a Christmas present last week- a Sparkle Baby Firefly that I gave to my little cousin. For a 20+-year-old toy the glue was still really strong and really excessive. Yuck!) I'm not sure what you mean by "steam basket" though. I'm really curious... I may try that out myself sometime!

As far as the tail goes, it's a little hard for me to see, but I would guess maybe pindot? Apparently hot water and fingernails will do the trick, but I've never tried it. Getting things under my nails freaks me out as sort of a nervous habit so I usually just let it go.

[Ayalah]

The steam basket method (I think I made this up?) I take a pasta strainer and fit it over a pot of boiling water (so the water is just below the bottom of the strainer/not touching) Then put the pony in the strainer. It heats them up quick, and you can quickly snatch them out, work at them, and put them back.

For pindot it looks awfully smooth. There are no singular dots or granual looking things. I looks like a smooth "smooze". I know smooze means something else in ponyland, but it's the only word that comes to mind lol

[hathorcat]

Rachel-Eyes thats a great tip! I ll need to try that next time if I am stuck.

Unfortunately those marks are pretty common on sea ponies - they are really prone to cancer and even a mild amount of rust could also stain into the plastic but I think that does look like the age marks. A combination of exposure to different chemicals and warm water probably speeds up the plastic break down - hence why we see it with many sea ponies.

[lovesbabysquirmy]

Those are Sea Pony age marks - prolonged exposure to the metal weight causes it.  You could try sunfading but I haven't tried it myself. 

[Ayalah]

Got it. Thanks a bunch guys. I have seen it in other sea ponies in auctions. I figured whatever it was had to be a common issue with them. So long as it's not contagious I'm cool. I'll try a few things and see if I can lighten it (without to many chems or hot water)

[Rachel-Eyes]

The steam basket method (I think I made this up?) I take a pasta strainer and fit it over a pot of boiling water (so the water is just below the bottom of the strainer/not touching) Then put the pony in the strainer. It heats them up quick, and you can quickly snatch them out, work at them, and put them back.

This is actually quite brilliant. I'm definitely going to try this the next time I get a stubborn neck!