Why do old toy blisters turn YELLOW? And can anything be done abut it?
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- Опубликовано: 4 янв 2022
- Scott Toy Guru Neitlich from Spector Creative looks at the "why" behind yellow toy blisters and how the polymers in plastic are broken up and change color. Can we as collectors do anything about this to preserve our toys?
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Well as a collector who tears open his toys when he gets them this has never been a problem for me. But for those who keep them on card or in box you have my sympathies.
Same here. It's absolutely rare that I keep something MISB or MOC, and those are only truly rare vintage toys that I acquire at a premium. Otherwise, it's opened and displayed in the best action pose it can.
Same here. I don't see the point of buying a product and not getting to enjoy it. Packaging goes where it belongs, the bin.
I had to move and kept my figures in storage for a while, the thing is that putting them back in storage accelerated the process, there was no sunlight but the garage was hot, but oh well it is what it is, the figures affected were already close to 20 years old anyways.
I recently got into 3D printing and yeah, there are a lot of things I had to learn about keeping the plastic dry and at certain temperatures. Its a fun material to work with but it is also kind of picky when it comes to conditions.
Hi Scott - Loving the packaging stories! Fabulous!! Action Figure blisters that have a little yellow on them are just aging gracefully.
With class!
Science is definitely behind everything. Another great addition to the Spector Creative releases.
Never have to worry about yellow blisters if you take it out of the plastic prison 💁♂️
That is a good point
I have some Austin Powers figures in a box that has always been in temperature controlled storage. Their bubbles turned yellow a long time ago. I have an original loose Scout Trooper from Return of the Jedi that is still bright white. Some things can't be controlled.
Oh for sure. So many favors can change how this happens
The Retro collection figures should've had pre-yellow dyed blisters that fade over time, just to be awkward.
Now that would be awesome! Maybe a con variant? :-)
I have found that reds and yellows on the item inside seems to exasperate this problem. Was going through the mountain of Hot Wheels cases in a collection I bought from early 90s to mid 00s. And even in the case stored in an interior closet for years this would happen. Clear blister next to yellow blister.
I have a Darth Vader from the 90s, compared to 30 other carded figures I have, is the only bubble that yellowed. The figures have been in a container since I bought them. No sunlight, no UV, no heat, no low temps, low humidity. Also, looking at the blister, the yellow is on the inside not the outside. I thought it would be from the amount black plastic used in the figure, and how the black plastic maybe outgasses at a different rate.
I can tell it's on the inside by examining the corners and edges of the bubble.
I have several bins of toys on blister packaging that have turned yellow despite being kept in a dark place (no temp control though); so it looks like I'm going to remove them from their plastic prison at this point.
Sunlight is one of the lesser reason bubbles yellow. In the case of vintage Kenner ROTJ figures, it can be very difficult to find them without yellowed bubbles. In the same breath, the vast vast majority of the first 12 figures (and most pre-ROTJ) on card have crystal clear bubbles. This is because the factories added/changed the fire retardant chemical used in the blisters before the ROTJ line was released in ‘83 which made those subsequent blisters far more prone to yellowing. This same chemical is included in a large number of toy lines’ blisters’ chemical make up. MOST of the toys in this video were post 1983, so you can expect these bubbles to yellow even if they’re stored out of sunlight. Not in EVERY case, but the majority.
yeah, I was curious since I have some well protected in carboard boxes and still have become yellow (the blisters) so they were not hit by sunlight. I wonder...does air also makes them yellow?
@@darthjoker4 Changes in temperature and humidity are big factors as well.
@@hitchville1 uuuuhhh I see. Thanks a lot for the a answer. I do live in a place where temperature can go from one extreme to the other. Wheater around here is "crazy". Thanks!!!
Yep. I've seen LJN wrestling figures with yellow blisters, and they were stored in good environments and in containers out of the sunlight all these years. It's the plastic itself and whatever they mix with it in the factory.
That picture of you two is so sweet and heartwarming :-)
Well thank you!
Wait you mean I can store my imported Japanese & Italian plastics next to my 19th century Scottish or French wines? Man now I'll never need to leave that room, but I may need to build it 1st. (Then start collecting old wine.) Maybe I need to strike it rich, Seriously a good video- thank you sir! May this year be filled w/ many blessings for you & your family!
Clearly that is what I said
It’s amazing how many of your videos have to be about basic science and logic. In the 70s & 80s no body thought these toys could/would stay in their packaging indefinitely…. 😇 so of course measures would not be taken to address such issues.
Well logic is so under rated
A cool dry place. Thinking my basement in a tupaware container is my best bet.
Thoughts...
Topic Suggestion:
Toy Companies Patents, (example - double joints)
So noted and listed
So after over 25 years I dug out probably 8-9 tubs of McFarlane figures that have been housed in my basement in a relatively controlled environment obviously and was dismayed to see many of my figure plastics yellowed, It seemed to be very random but I noticed some series more yellowed than others. Anyway, pretty bummed and then even worse is knowing they probably are all eventually going to do that. Pretty disappointed because after almost 27 years for many of them they are literally mint like they day i bought them besides the discoloring of the bubble plastic and the ones that aren't yellow look amazing, was almost like walking back into time seeing them for the first time in over 20-25 years.
Thank you for making this video. I was curious to what caused that to packages. I have a couple figures that it's happened to.
Interesting video. Thank you! Now I have to wonder...does air also makes them yellow(the plastic on blisters). I ask because someone last year told me that the opening at the bottom back of the new MOTU origins blisters is desing to let air flow inside thus preventing them from becoming yellow. is that true?
Best video ever, mentioned arbor day.
Well thank you! Any help sharing is most appreciated
Great topic!
I get around this problem by being an Opener. 😉🤣
And their you go!
With the new droid "mystery crates" at Galaxy's Edge, the concept of blind packs is on my mind. Have you done a video about blind packs, the business decisions behind them, and how they affect collecting?
If not, would you consider it?
I haven’t done one yet but will add it to the list!
Thank you Mr Wizard!
Someone get me out of here!
I've seen videos where people put yellowed plastic into a hydrogen peroxide solution and use black lights to turn them white again. Obviously wouldn't work for blisters, but there are ways to save yellowed plastic.
I suppose if you really wanted to!
I've got an og nightmare spawn w crazy yellowing. Wish I could make it clear again
I have just opened my 8-9 tubs of basement stored McFarlane Spawns only to see several yellowed, talk about my heart skipping a beat and utter disappointment as they are generally in the condition of when I bought them in 1997-2003ish
I wonder if retro-brighting would work on these blisters? It's where you take yellowed toys or electronics shells and submerge them in a peroxide solution with UV light focused on them (either in the sun or with LED UV lights). Obviously you can't submerge them, but possibly the thicker paste peroxide could be brushed on the blister with the rest of the card masked off. It would be a time intensive process, but it might be worth a test if somebody has a common, cheap figure with a yellowed blister.
No. “Retro Brirght” type treatments only work because most of the yellowing related to sunlight on a toy occurs at the outermost layer of the plastic. The ever present UV light cannot penetrate deeper. (Some yellowing will still occur due to the Bromine Based fire retardant mixed in decaying. But that happens faster in sunlight and air contact so it will be worse at the outer layer). But for things like blister packaging, the sunlight can pretty much penetrate and effect the entire thickness of the clear blister. So it’s not just surface yellowing. Plus both sides of the thin plastic have air/oxygen contact. And here’s the thing. If the blister is yellowing, it means that it is absorbing the UV light. Which indicates it’s not hitting the toy. So the blister is working as intended.
I’ve heard yes
Question/Video topic if you haven't already covered it: Why is there a ton of He-man in the action figure isles right now but no She-ra in the doll isle?
Because SheRa has rights issues. See the video I did on that!
Pikachu dolls were my favorite as a baby.
Still to this day they are all as yellow as ever even out of the blister.
No matter what you do some blisters will yellow. My Hot Wheels room has no direct sunlight. Yet cars stored or displayed in the exact same location and environment yellow or not for whatever reason.
All of my blisters except 1 is clear, because the room I keep them in has no sunlight and very little temperature change. The 1 that is, was purchased that way.
I had seen a video (toy polloi maybe? not really sure) about retrobriting where instead of submerging the toy in hydrogen peroxide & letting it sit in sunlight or other UV source, there's simply a small pool of peroxide at the bottom of the vessel, & the toy is suspended above it & the vessel closed so the toy is immersed in the vapors, then exposed to UV... I wonder if something like that could restore blisters? (no idea what it might do to inks on cards tho)
Nice. I’ll try that
I'm sure the same reasoning can be applied to all my open retro Stormtroopers having yellowed arms/legs and/or bodies. But, what I want to know is, why does the rubber or soft plastic also get sticky in some cases?
The stickyness is also related to the composition of plastics, i can't remember exactly what, Scott has done a video about that
Thank you so much for uploading this! I have quite a few blister packs that have gotten yellowed and it does not please me. Hope there's a solution for me! 🤞😀
Glad you enjoyed! Any help sharing with others is most appreciated!
Well, I sure liked that scientist!...Ahem. We, at the "Chaos Corporation", do the work no one else thinks of. Chaos scientists have been working on this particular problem for about 3 centuries now...3? Yes 3 centuries and have come up with 3 viable solutions. Ok, two viable solutions (transparent aluminum is not exactly "viable") The first solution is going with a glass blister. We figured going with a crystal blister may not be cost effective. Through careful study, we have found that the young offspring delight in the sound of smashing glass (yes, of course, the broken shards might be considered a hazard, but safety IS a learning experience) The elder collectors shouldn't have a problem with this as careful handling is essential in the collecting industry...and if an experienced collector does shatter our thin glass bubble, this is just proof that the individual is a bumbling clumsy oaf and is undeserving to be a collector. Our second solution, more for the bumblers, is to cover the entire blister in a simple, non toxic, black water paint. Cheap and effective! Now, please excuse me, I have just been informed of a breakthough in our rectangular tire division. Adieu! \m/
Second, third worst environmental issues are glue and rubber bands/wheels.
speaking of yellow. did the 2011 sdcc 20" stay puft marshmellow man from mattel turn yellow in the end after 10 years?
Mine is still white
Yellow to me was always the color Bees would chase so I'd dread anytime had to wear for Soccer instead of the reverse Maroon :). Not to mention comics it was always bad for the pages dropping the value like a rock hehe. I never thought much about the blister turning yellow or how to prevent that. I think I had that He-Man with the caps or still do :). I had one of the chains in my Lex Luger Ring Masters from 1999 like fall inside its own box so things move around too :). YOu should change your comic bags every certain amt of time too but not many do heh. The Sun would mess up the Drow Gear so Plastic must be from them like Keebler Elves make cookies ;)?
I've got a McFarlane, Metal Gear Solid, Vulcan Raven figure that's been on card for 20 years, and the blister is crystal clear.
What do you think of hasbro trying to remove plastics from there packaging?
I think it will backfire as it takes away from value on shelf
I don’t doubt any of the science cited in this video but a big question is not addressed here. It’s not uncommon to see carded figures stored in identical conditions (with or without sunlight) where one blister turns yellow and another remains crystal clear. Why is this? What can we do about it? Where did I leave my car keys?
My loose Super Powers* Green Lantern, for decades in mint condition, now sports slightly yellow gloves.
*greatest action figure line of all time
And we all know yellow and GL does not mix
When archaeologists unwrap a mummy, do they complain that it's gone all weird and wrinkley?
Have a sense of perspective, people.
But yes, it is annoying...
That yellow bubble plastic will be a thing of the past since the new fad of toy companies has been to stop putting a piece of plastic over the opening. So in the future, instead of having yellow plastic, you'll get more yellow dirty toys since there won't be that layer of plastic to provide some UV and environment protection for the figure.
And it will be interesting to see how that lasts!
Arbor Day!!!
Forever
Now I want a barbie trapped in carboninte set, but it cannot be a star wars Barbie, it needs to be a classic Barbie.
Have you done any videos on Gold Plastic Syndrome?
Well their is always customizing
Retro Brite and a UV lamp will clear that bubble up.
Nice
I need new blinds for my windows
well we all need something
@@spectorcreative1872 I was referring to blocking the sunlight. I also need more wall space.
too much sprite, toy guru?.lol! "burp"..im more concerned w/ YJ containment suit Superboy & DCUC Lightray turning yellow.
Same reason figures change colour it's the plastic why it can go brittle....question looking at your picture thinderpunch he man why don't you see caps anymore ?0
Michael French: "How can you know this? You haven't worked in the plastic manufacturing industry. I'll make a video about the real reason why plastics yellow: because Hasbro is evil and incompetent. You should all believe me because my word is law. "
Well I spent a lot of time sitting on the President of UPS