This is my first post - thank you all for letting me be a part of the forum!

In some of my more aggressive restoration projects, I've attempted to get rid of scratches in my G1 figures plastic using 2000 grit sandpaper. It reduces the sheen/glossy finish of the plastic but I'm able to get it shiny again using microfiber cloth and polishing compound. However - its' not *quite* as glossy as the untouched plastic.

It seems unlikely to me that mass produced plastic toys would undergo serious polishing so I'm led to believe they must be covered in a very thin clear coat. Can anyone confirm this, or is it just way the plastic parts are produced that leaves them so damn shiny?

 

Maybe use a floor polish for durability?

 

Original G1 figs more or less has lead in their paint hence the shiny effect. As for the plastics, they were shiny ( or no longer all shiny) until after the figs started being manufactured in HK/Taiwan and no longer just Japan. Most of my original G1 are made in Japan (I can't say the same for the so called Mexico variants). 86 to 87 up, the glossiness (and quality) of the plastics were kind off all over as some variants ditched the country of manufacture(most likely from China already)

 

If the mold is smooth, the result will be smooth. It's that simple.

 

Awesome info! Where did you learn this?

 

That was also one of my theories. Although that would leave them VERY smooth, smoother than I would expect from a simple mold.

 

Oh I've used that plenty. It's definitely a lot thicker and more noticeable than the original finish.

 

That's how injection molding works.

I do something at home on a much smaller scale with silicone molds and resin casts. As long as the original is smooth, my final products are smooth too.

 

First hand experience. As I posted, I own several Takara JP TFs (not the Hasbro ones waaaaaaaaaaay back in the late 80s.)

As for the paint issues, general info. Lead was used as a paint component though it has since been banned.

 

Welcome to TFW! @ziltama is right. They polish the hell out of molds from which they want to produce shiny parts. It’s a lot of work! Shiny mold = shiny part, though!

 

Asked and answered. I appreciate everyone's responses!

 

Unless it's a Mexican Transformer, then no, lead would not be in the paint.

Transformers Toys Containing Lead

 

This is not remotely correct. Only G1 toys to have lead in the paint were the Mexican/IGA figures and those were eventually recalled and corrected. Also them not being made in Japan is not true either. I have a bunch of movie figures that were made in HK and Japan, and there is no difference to the shiny-ness of the plastic. Any lack of glossiness was due to the material chosen by Hasbro, not the manufacture, especially toward the end where they started trying to reduce cost.

 

Honestly it struck me as a little odd that lead would be used in toys as recently as the 80’s. In any case, is “paint” the operative word since we’re describing colored plastic?

 

1. I am talking about the G1 toys made in Japan, HK, Taiwan and China. G1 as in the 80s G1. Not talking about the Bayverse movies. If you mean the 1986 Movie, there are differences, oh yes there were. The paint apps style most obvious. I won't say where but G1 Optimus had a veeeeeeery different paint apps compared to his later versions (the ones with no country of origin molds). The plastic glossiness too.

2. As I also posted, I have no idea on the Mexico releases.

3. Back in the 80s, toy companies still used lead in their paint. Until it was banned in 1978 in the USA. What about in other countries? My G1 80s figs made in Japan are all still so glossy while the recent Encore are kind of dull.Did Japan stop using lead in paint the same time as the USA? There had to be a transition period as it was not immediate. In fact, lead was still being used as part of IC wafers chips even until the early 2000. Relevant? You bet it is as Xbox360 was an epic fail when the ditched lead in their soldering process back in 2005. There was a TRANSITION before ditching lead. Same with paints internationally.

 

OP mentioned paint apps aside from plastic.

 

Why would you think DoubleClouder was mistaking Bayverse for G1? Dude knows his stuff.

 

1.) I was talking about the 80's toys, not bay verse. The differences were not because of where they were made, it was because Hasbro was cutting cost, ie die cast to plastic, rubber wheels to plastic wheels, chromew to stickers, etc. As far as glossy-ness of the plastic, there is no differences between my Japan and Macau Aerialbots or Stunticons. Protectobots are also the same except they switch out the diecast, but the plastic is the same. Also keep in mind, you have to use a similar blend of plastic, otherwise the mold might not work, due to tolerances, shrinkage, etc. They also moved factories because they were cutting cost, again the factories will make whatever you want, but it's going to change the price. G1 in the early days were so popular they had multiple locations running to keep up with the demand. Hence why you get Prime with light blue, dark blue, and gray parts. For the US releases of Optimus up until the G2 use of the mold, all of them were made in Japan.
2.) That's fine, but those are the only one to be known to contain lead.
3.) Any Transformer sold in the US, irregardless of whether it was made in Japan or not, did not contain lead. That is a US regulation, again has nothing to do with the factory. Now other countries might be a different story, but as stated above the only figures known to contain lead are from IGA

 

AS I clarified, 1986 Movie or bayverse. When you mention movies, it is almost synonymous with bays. You have to add 1986 to make a difference.

 

My G1 TFs (the 80s ones) are all JP box fonts. What's good for the USA ain't always the same as for other countries targeted for export. So I base my logic on this.

As for the G2 Optimus with the black soundbox, that was China made already.