How Do You Pop a Klickie?

[JLMatterer]

I'm ashamed to say that I don't know how to "pop" a klickie. I know some of you, many of you, have the talent of taking klickies apart for making all sorts of weird & wonderful concoctions, in addition to the awesome original accessories I see being created here. I also know popping somehow involves slamming klickies about to get the heads, etc., to "pop"  (yes?), but that's about it.

I can certainly tale the Fi?ures apart (duh) but am clueless about anything else. I recently received a bag of klickies from a collector, & when researching what they were on the DB, realized that some had heads, arms, etc., that did not match the original torsos; said klickies were also a little loose in both legs & arms, so I knew transpositioning had taken place. A neat trick for those who know how to do it.

Is anyone willing to lead a discussion of this? Pop-a-Klickie 101 for the Freshman class?  TX! 

[tahra]

Besides the "sticked topics" right here on this board, I described my popper here: My Popper - link

Any questions... ask

[Tiermann]

Yep, three basic methods. The pull string one Tahra uses that she linked to. The "Hans-On" method where you raise the arms, bend the waist and then slam the feet at an angle on a carpeted surface to pop the head out, or wrap a rubber band around the neck to stretch it away from the body as much as possible, turn the head sideways, and use a pliers to pull the head out. Special techniques required for the speedo style figures linked in the topics in this forum.

For a brand new standard style klicky I use the Hans-on method. For anything tricky or special I use pliers. The main risk with the Hans-on is that the legs can leave stress marks on the plastic of the torso if it is a difficult pop. That is more likely with older klickies where the plastic is not new and fresh. The main risk with the pliers is teeth marks on the head - so use plenty of good padding that still lets you get a grip. I haven't used Tahras method but I understand it is better for people with less hand strength.

[tahra]

If the legs are not extra important, for normal non-fat klickies, no lifted skirts torsos, no skirts legs, you can whack them. I believe the original "Hans On" refers to actually doing that in your hand. I think some people can (I wish!). The rest of us have to whack them on something, like Tiermann said. It's fast and you don't really need much - I use a folded towel on the kitchen counter.  I think this tends to mark the frame. And it IS kinda dangerous for the legs - besides the mark that can leave in both the legs and torso (you can use some card between to prevent that, but that kinda defeats the "faster" purpose, right?). You can break the legs, for stuff with two parts - like boots and shorts. For me, it's my "lazy method"    Oh, and I do get a sore hand. Sometimes I put the towel over the poppable's head, to minimize the blow to my hand (I rarely use this method for a couple of klickys).

For the newest speedos with painted heads I have started to yank them - I wrap a rubber band on the neck, put a thin cardboard ring around the head and use the pliers over that. I think the heads are more fragile or something, and I managed to mark a couple with the popper. I don't find it very practical, but oh well. Like Tiermann said, the neck/head/torso marks easily, so make sure to protect everything.

For kids, the cape + beard method is always my first choice if there is no neckpiece. If that won't do, popper. Sometimes I have a hard time popping the kids, cause there isn't much to grab - you can't grab just the legs. I have yanked a couple too.

Everything else... My popper has no restraints. Fat guys, any neckpieces, old lifted skirts, long skirts, short skirts, anything goes. It takes longer than whacking them (duh). I think my only casualties in HUNDREDS of popped klickys after using this last version of the popper (first in the kitchen doorhandle and then the popring) were those two marked speedo heads - and made a mess of one of their frames. I found that my finger gets somewhat messed up if I pop a couple of dozen klickys.. so when I have some I got something to protect it...

[Birdie]

I was lucky enough to get a private lesson from tahra on using a popper. It takes some practising, but it's a very effective method 

[Hadoque]

Regarding the "Hans-On" method, you can swap out the legs for a pair of old legs to avoid any damage to the original legs.
To do so, you insert a very thin but sturdy and not-(too)pointy blade (from a round tipped knife f.e.) between the legs and one side of the innerframe. With the blade you tilt the innerframe a little outwards, the legs should pop out on that side. Then remove the legs completely and insert a pair of legs you don´t care about.
Then you can smack as hard as you like with the Hans-On method to pop out the head and disassemble the klicky completely.

[Macruran]

Putting a stiff piece of card in betwee the legs and the torso prevents the damage.

There's still a little damage to the neck shaft. That seems to be unavoidable and thus puts a limit on the number of times you can pop that particular headpiece.

[Klickteryx]

What is the "hit the head" method mentioned in that other thread?

Sitting position on a carpet

• r towel, 45 degree angle, arms reaching out, hit the head - done.

Is this basically the same as the Hans on method?

[JLMatterer]

Thank you for all the replies. I'm still trying to absorb all the information (I've been slow about this) & haven't actually tried any of this yet - I'm actually wondering if I'm strong enough to do some of these things, as I've never built my strength back up from being as sick as I've been. 

Tahra, I should've known there were sticked topics on this - TX for pointing it out. This is the first time I'm posted on this board & don't know it well.

I can see this sort of alteration becoming important to me shortly as my experience with Playmobil grows. Sometimes seeing all the creations some of you have come up with goggles my mind & I don't see how I could ever accomplish similar miracles! But, it's goal to work for & I think it'll be fun.

I'll be asking MORE questions SOON. TX.

Then, there's THIS customizing video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R0w4foRSzU He takes a Dremel to his klicky, which was a bit shocking to me at first, but I quickly became desensitized to the implied violence.