What is the *best* way to take out a G4 neck plug?

[ponyqueen]

I tried xacto knife and it was less than exacto. More practice is a given, but is there something else I should be doing?

[June]

I would also like to know. I too use exacto knife, but it takes really long and if I'm not 100% careful I cut through the neck

[kaoskat]

Exacto knife and slowness.

[archidraca]

And maybe some slim pliers to hold the plug steady while you cut as steadily as you can.

[Snapdragon]

I actually found that the exacto cut too much - I've decided that I prefer the 'poke poke poke' method. I have a very large needle, essentially, that came with a set of sculpting tools, and I just poke it between the neckseam and the plug, until it's essentially cut through, then I pull the plug out and rip the last little bits of plastic.

Supposedly, there's a method where you can preserve the plastic ring that's glued to the plug, but .. I've never figured out how.

[aintnobuffalo]

Try to point the knife at an angle towards the plug. The hardness of the plug won't allow you to get much of an angled cut, but pointing in that way and moving slowly will allow you to stay away from the actual neck. Looking at a picture of a removed plug might help you get idea of the possible angle of cut. It's also helpful to start with a cut all the way around not very deep, and then go a bit deeper as you go around a second and third time. That's just some things I've learned, but I occasionally cut into the neck as well, mostly when I try to do it too quickly.

[sweetlittlejenny]

I have a scrapbooking tool that worked remarkably well for me. It has sort of a scoop end and wasn't too sharp to just slice through the neck.
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Here's a couple views. I don't know what it's called. It came in a set of tools to use with the Cricut machine but it worked really well to work out the neck plug.

[ponyqueen]

What about using acetone? Will this dissolve the glue without harming the plastic? I've seen tutorials use it to loosen the glue holding the hair, but not the neck plug, and I wonder why.

[aintnobuffalo]

That Cricut tool is the perfect angle! Nice!

I don't think the plug is attached with just glue (I imagine that's why acetone doesn't help much). It's fused with the plastic some how, different from older generations, I think.

[archidraca]

I think the acetone doesn't help much because it's only getting off any errant surface glue. Plus, it may discolor the plastic. I've had several customs I was playing around with where I found out that if the body soaks in enough acetone, that it will refuse both dye and paint.    Be careful. The seal is far better in these new ones. Patience is your best tool with this.