Some damage on Phicen Seamless Bodies (only through storage)

Hello, dear hobby friends,  

In the last year I had very little time and energy for my 1:6 hobby. So my Phicen/TBLeague seamless figures mostly stood around boringly (without moving as usual when taking pictures). They are either

- in an IKEA Detolf showcase (long-term) or
- in an open diorama (short-term for photographing) or
- in the closed sideboard in their boxes (long-term).


Today I did a random check of some figures. I'm always extremely careful with my figures and don't let them stand in bent poses for long. In the showcases, they usually stand upright with their arms stretched out downwards - just like Fashion Dolls (that's where I'm from).

But only some figures have very slightly bent limbs. I decorated some showcase compartments with scenes for inside and outside. On the beach with sun loungers and a beach chair, for example, or small rooms.

And today I was horrified to discover some damage to the seamless bodies:    

The figure in a lounge chair had his arm slightly bent and his hand slightly on his stomach. The elbow is unfortunately torn and has many tiny holes. (The slightly bent knees are still okay.)

The figure next to the beach chair had laid its arm outstretched on the beach chair. Unfortunately, this armpit is also torn and has many small holes.

Three characters had their arms slightly bent and their thumbs in their pockets (a nice casual position, I thought). Two figures have a torn elbow (a small slit). I painstakingly colored one of their bodies myself - my greatest pain.


I could just cry out loud into my pillow!   I'm always sooo careful when handling and now this damage without my doing! And then these prices for a seamless body that keep getting more and more expensive over the years. That just takes my interest in the hobby away ...

If you are interested, I can send photos of the shame later ...


Note on the climate in my area:

I live on the Baltic Sea coast in Germany - moderate sea climate. In the apartment we have temperatures of about 18 - 28 degrees and humidity between 30 - 50 percent all year round. No air conditioning. And my characters stand in an extra room that is the coolest in the whole apartment, mostly dark due to external blinds and is rarely heated in winter (usually 17 degrees). I always thought these were very good conditions for the seamless bodies (I only have Phicen/TBLeague). And now this shame ...


Have any of you hobby friends found a way to avoid such damage?  
You already know a lot and behave cautiously and yet it happens?
What else can you do to protect your collection?
Or do you have to accept such damage (with pain)?  

Kayla, I'm so sorry, that sounds very distressing. I keep my own figures in very similar conditions since I live in the UK and don't have air conditioning here either, so it is concerning to learn what happened to yours. I think the only reason mine have (seemingly?) not suffered the same fate is that I haven't posed them hardly at all. The ones I did leave with slightly bent arms have the elbows covered with clothing, so perhaps they've also split and I just don't know it yet.

It's an unfortunate reality of the seamless bodies.... despite the strong inner skeleton, I don't think they are built for longevity simply due to the nature of the TPE surface. It's certainly given me some pause lately, and made me consider using non-seamless bodies whenever possible. Which is unfortunate because the seamless bodies allow for so much better posing and outfits that show 'skin', but they also are incredibly expensive for how delicate they can be.

That is a shame. Sorry for your experience, Kayla. My conditions are not ideal either, and although I have air conditioner, I hardly use it. So far I have not discovered major issues, knock on wood (apart from the common problem with pleather on some outfits). TBLeague's TPE is actually surprisingly hardy (I speak as someone who once "flayed" an offending body -- for scientific purposes, of course), so this must be about a perfect storm of negative factors that somehow contributed to the deterioration of these bodies. Is there any correlation between this and your make up experiments (I doubt it)?
One thing I do with bodies when not in use (although I have enough of them just hanging around waiting for me to put them away) is either place them in large plastic storage boxes and keep those away from too much direct sunlight or place them individually inside large enough Hefty zippable plastic bags (with little silica packs thrown in just in case they help) -- and those can go in the big plastic containers too. As I say, I have not discovered any nasty surprises (the occasional tiny holes have been there for ages), and only from time to time have I realized a body needs to get a new application of protective powder -- by that time I don't remember if I forgot to provide it before bagging or if this is something that happened after a long period in storage. Anyway, this is a suggestion for the future, and also perhaps a way to halt the deterioration of the bodies that have been damaged so far. Give them a good powdering (with protective powder -- silicon powder or even starch), pack them up, and check on them later on to see if the problem persists.

I think the low temperature might be an issue also. A low temp also means high relative humidity.

I admit this is one of my biggest fears too, but I absolutely hate visible joints on figures, I always try to hide even the wrist and ankle joints as best as possible on phicens. So there is no way I'm switching to regular old action figures.

That sucks, Kayla. I understand you're upset.

I have read somewhere (possibly here on the forum) that babyoil helps preserving the bodies. A humidity of 30% is fairly low, maybe it's too dry at your place?

To rub oil on them, you have to strip them though, then rest them for awhile and apply baby powder next, to avoid stickyness. I've done it on occasion with some of my figures (more specifically Lexi and Allison after extensive photoshoots outside).

I wonder if the damage may have been partly due to to the extremely hot and humid summer this past year? I don't know what happened in your area, but even here in the UK we had insanely hot (and very unsual for us) temperatures. I was worried about my figures all throughout that heatwave, and have only just started to get the courage to check some of them.

Many thanks, dear hobby friends, for your empathetic words.  

skywalkersaga wrote:The ones I did leave with slightly bent arms have the elbows covered with clothing, so perhaps they've also split and I just don't know it yet.

Yes, that could be possible. I'm afraid in this regard to check all my figures - and maybe find more damage.

skywalkersaga wrote:It's certainly given me some pause lately, and made me consider using non-seamless bodies whenever possible. Which is unfortunate because the seamless bodies allow for so much better posing and outfits that show 'skin' ...

Unfortunately, that's exactly what it is. The seamless bodies look a lot better. I don't like visible joints at all on my figures.

GubernatorFan wrote:Is there any correlation between this and your make up experiments (I doubt it)?

No, I don't think so. Only one of the damaged bodies is colored of me. And the make-up I use contains high-quality, natural ingredients, including good, nourishing oils, for example. The silicone/TPE becomes really smooth. It is also very nourishing and pleasant on human skin (I use it myself from time to time).

GubernatorFan wrote:... is either place them in large plastic storage boxes and keep those away from too much direct sunlight or place them individually inside large enough Hefty zippable plastic bags (with little silica packs thrown in just in case they help) -- and those can go in the big plastic containers too.

Yes, maybe I have to store more bodies in the dark cupboard and only a few in the glass showcases. Although there is no direct sunlight there either. But actually I would like to see my treasures directly ...

m76 wrote:... but I absolutely hate visible joints on figures, I always try to hide even the wrist and ankle joints as best as possible on phicens.

Yes, that's exactly how I feel too. I just don't like visible joints and I often retouch the wrists with Photoshop and I like to use ankle boots as shoes, then the ankle is not visible either.

TravelGuide wrote:I have read somewhere (possibly here on the forum) that babyoil helps preserving the bodies.

Thanks, I can try that too. That would be increased care - the baby powder also contains care oil.

skywalkersaga wrote:I wonder if the damage may have been partly due to to the extremely hot and humid summer this past year?

Okay, it was really, really warm in the summer last year. But compared to other, hot countries, here in Germany, and especially here on the Baltic Sea coast, the temperatures are still moderate. Even though we suffered a lot here because we're not used to outside temperatures of 35 degrees. But in the adjoining room where the figures are, it was still below 30 degrees, mostly around 25 - 28 degrees (external blinds for sun protection and also only morning sun). I thought that would be ok for the Phicen seamless bodies.

Hey Kayla, so sorry to read about the damage. I can offer no help in that regard other than helping by way of comparing: 
- I am also in Germany (Ruhrpott/Münsterland)
- my figures are also in museum poses, except for one of my oldest, and even that one has no tears. None of my figures do. 
- I keep them in Besta units with glass doors. 
- I never treat them with anything. Oil, powder, nothing.
- I never check or in any way control humidity.
- Temperatures range between 16 and 30. 
- No direct sunlight at all. 
- I practically never take them outside. 

But..., if you have to remove clothes to find out whether there is a tear, why bother? 
I would still always pick TBL bodies for their improved stability and articulation (except for those wrists being ridiculously limited). Tears can be glued and covered with clothes. Still better than fighting with wobbly ankles or torsos that won't hold the pose the way I want them to. 

Which body types were the figures that ended up with holes in them? I wonder if they were older figures or not.

Diana wrote:
But..., if you have to remove clothes to find out whether there is a tear, why bother? 

Tears may start small and grow langer over time. If you can prevent them appearing or slow their progres, this may help in the longevity of the figures.

The way I look at the bodies as throw-aways that will eventually have to be replaced. I've had two or three bodies suffer from deterioration, so I just take it with a grain of salt and feel content knowing I can get almost any body for under $50.00 on Aliexpress at any given time... Other than that, I just use the damaged bodies for figures intended for permanent display in one getup.

Melancholic wrote:The way I look at the bodies as throw-aways that will eventually have to be replaced.  I've had two or three bodies suffer from deterioration, so I just take it with a grain of salt and feel content knowing I can get almost any body for under $50.00 on Aliexpress at any given time...  Other than that, I just use the damaged bodies for figures intended for permanent display in one getup.

You can always sell damaged bodies to kitbashers to regain a bit of money. I know several people who will buy cheaper damaged bodies instead of expensive perfect ones

It's true, as Valiarde says -- I've sold damaged bodies before, I just put inthe description all the details of the damage and sell at a discount. There are still people who want it anyway...

As others have said, I tend to use tbleague bodies for 'one outfit only'. I use them for specific custom figures, which I dress up in a particular outfit and then I almost never change it again. I tend not to dress and undress them regularly in multiple outfits like you would a doll. That doesn't work for everyone, of course, but that's just my own approach.

skywalkersaga wrote:As others have said, I tend to use tbleague bodies for 'one outfit only'. I use them for specific custom figures, which I dress up in a particular outfit and then I almost never change it again. I tend not to dress and undress them regularly in multiple outfits like you would a doll. That doesn't work for everyone, of course, but that's just my own approach.

This is how I am. If I eventually plan to change outfits for a character, I just buy more of the same body and put the outfit on. The outfit doesn’t change afterward.

Stryker2011 wrote:This is how I am. If I eventually plan to change outfits for a character, I just buy more of the same body and put the outfit on. The outfit doesn’t change afterward.

I, on the other hand, have commitment issues, so outfits change a lot on the same body. And not just because of the Clothing seamless bodies thread, which seems to generate too little feedback to keep going. But, on the other hand, some figures, once clothed up, tend to stay for months (if not years) that way, until I need them for something else.

Stryker2011 wrote:

skywalkersaga wrote:As others have said, I tend to use tbleague bodies for 'one outfit only'. I use them for specific custom figures, which I dress up in a particular outfit and then I almost never change it again. I tend not to dress and undress them regularly in multiple outfits like you would a doll. That doesn't work for everyone, of course, but that's just my own approach.

This is how I am. If I eventually plan to change outfits for a character, I just buy more of the same body and put the outfit on. The outfit doesn’t change afterward.

Yes. If I want to switch the outfit, I'd rather just change the head onto a different body with the new outfit on it. Having to constantly remove and put clothing on tbleague bodies is not fun for me, I find it too stressful, so just putting the head onto a whole other body is my preference. ;p

skywalkersaga wrote:
Yes. If I want to switch the outfit, I'd rather just change the head onto a different body with the new outfit on it. Having to constantly remove and put clothing on tbleague bodies is not fun for me, I find it too stressful, so just putting the  head onto a whole other body is my preference. ;p

Changing outfits on a tbleague often takes me more than an hour they are so tight. This is at least one advantage to lesser quality plastic bodies: clothes slide onto them more effortlessly. I've started using lesser bodies on all of my figures that do not show much skin. My go to is the poptoys super flexible xing modified body (ST-92005 and ST-92006). It has a rubbery skin on the legs and arms, so the elbow and knee joints are seamless at least, and it costs less than half of a tbleague.

Yes, I really love that PopToys Xing body, as well. : )

gooboo wrote:Which body types were the figures that ended up with holes in them? I wonder if they were older figures or not.

Yes, they are actually somewhat older Phicen bodies. So which ones I bought 4 to 6 years ago (i.e. at the beginning of my Phicen collection). But I also have bodies that are just as old that look like they did on day one without any blemishes.

TravelGuide wrote:Tears may start small and grow langer over time. If you can prevent them appearing or slow their progres, this may help in the longevity of the figures.

That's why I've now started to undress all the bodies that were taken out of the packaging and to care for them with baby powder. Some bodies are going back into the display case, and some bodies are now stored differently - in closed plastic boxes.
It will take a while to finish this grooming project, but I hope it will be worth it.

skywalkersaga wrote:As others have said, I tend to use tbleague bodies for 'one outfit only'. I use them for specific custom figures, which I dress up in a particular outfit and then I almost never change it again. I tend not to dress and undress them regularly in multiple outfits like you would a doll. That doesn't work for everyone, of course, but that's just my own approach.

I only do this for particularly complex clothing sets that are very difficult to put on (super tight, lots of strings, etc.). I originally come from the fashion doll sector and I'm actually used to changing my figures from time to time.

skywalkersaga wrote:If I want to switch the outfit, I'd rather just change the head onto a different body with the new outfit on it. Having to constantly remove and put clothing on tbleague bodies is not fun for me, I find it too stressful, so just putting the  head onto a whole other body is my preference. ;p

This is a very innovative idea for new outfits! Yes, as long as the skin color and head size match, you could do it that way too - and save a lot of time and effort. Thank you for this new suggestion!



@all:
So many thanks, dear collector friends, for your thoughts and ideas on this topic. While I'm still sad about the loss, I'm still trying to bravely carry on. A fundamental body change to another company is actually out of the question for me.

Melancholic wrote:The way I look at the bodies as throw-aways that will eventually have to be replaced.  I've had two or three bodies suffer from deterioration, so I just take it with a grain of salt and feel content knowing I can get almost any body for under $50.00 on Aliexpress at any given time...  

Ah, that Glorious Golden Age of detailed and reasonably priced seamless action figure bodies! Who knew that scarcely one year later prices would be up... way up... and the level of detail that made seamless figures appealing to many collectors would be completely erased by government edict?



While the positive aspects of TBLeague bodies are eroding, the problems remain:

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This mondo suXX0rz! The TBLeague S41 is probably my favorite among the seamless action figure bodies in my collection because of its relatively moderate proportions, a size that is compatible with fashion doll clothing, a good range of movement, and well-distributed weight that allows for unsupported posing.

I kinda wondered, though, when I first learned about "seamless figures" a few years ago, if they would be prone to the same kind of disintegration over time that plagued rubber toys from my childhood, like Major Matt Mason, Gumby, and GI Joe's "Kung Fu Grip" hands (or, a few years later, Stretch Armstrong). Apparently my concerns were well founded. However, back in the day it took Matt Mason and Gumby years before they began to break down. Some of these seamless figures start to have issues within months. Just shows to go ya: they don't make 'em like they used to.

Thanks for the info and the creative photo series. Poor girl.

I also had my first elbow problems just a few weeks ago with a figure not in extreme positions. Not sure how old the body was though

Thanks for the warning. I don't have too much of a problem with the idea of changing over to non-seamless...at least, for figures that don't show skin.

But... there are a couple of figures I've had custom outfits made for that are essentially 'sewn into' their clothing, and I am now worried I might need to think about swapping those over to a different body. Problem is though... I used the smaller tbleague body for one in particular and so there isn't an equivalent non-seamless body to swap it to, other than a literal Obitsu doll body, which just wouldn't look right. So, hmmm. Gotta think about that one...

Nice to see you back, David, and what a cool way to share your experience with this issue. Well done. And good luck with the others.

skywalkersaga wrote:Thanks for the warning. I don't have too much of a problem with the idea of changing over to non-seamless...at least, for figures that don't show skin.

But... there are a couple of figures I've had custom outfits made for that are essentially 'sewn into' their clothing, and I am now worried I might need to think about swapping those over to a different body. Problem is though... I used the smaller tbleague body for one in particular and so there isn't an equivalent non-seamless body to swap it to, other than a literal Obitsu doll body, which just wouldn't look right. So, hmmm. Gotta think about that one...

There’s slimmer body plastic/ hybrid like cbi x E&s for Erica storm, banshee to name a few..
These body are slimmer than Verycool body and poptoys/xing plastic/ hybrid bodies..

Not so sure whether cbi x e&s female bodies got base body available for sell.

skywalkersaga wrote:But... there are a couple of figures I've had custom outfits made for that are essentially 'sewn into' their clothing, and I am now worried I might need to think about swapping those over to a different body. Problem is though... I used the smaller tbleague body for one in particular and so there isn't an equivalent non-seamless body to swap it to, other than a literal Obitsu doll body, which just wouldn't look right. So, hmmm. Gotta think about that one...

Hot Toys female bodies tend to be roughly comparable to the TBLeague S24-25, for the most part. Like a Black Witch or Yelena or Leia body, for example. So, if you see them parted out...