Look I know that people's opinion on what I'm about to ask vary drastically and as I say each to their own but I have to ask regardless.

I have some MOC figures, i want to remove them from the card to display them but at the same time the card artwork is so good I'd hate to destroy it.

So for those of you that have done this in the past, how do you do it? I know their might be different techniques for different cards so I'd love to hear them all.

Cheers,

Fisty

Was told this by a Hot Wheels collector at a GI Joe convention ages ago and I've been meaning to try it but just haven't done it yet... If you want to test it I'd suggest trying it on something common and dirt cheap first. The guy told me to take a can of ether (starter fluid) and heavily spray down the cardback, put the card in a ziplock bag and place it in the freezer overnight. In the morning the bubble is supposed to be off the card without damaging it, either from the glue holding it on or the ether. Of 'course this could be a huge pile of crap, too... The only other option I know of is to use an art knife to carefully cut the bubble free but you'll still be left with the plastic that's sealed to the card.

Thanks Jim, Could alway try the ether option with a cheap figure from the shop though will have to convince the missus I'm not going to burn the house down first, second thought it might be better done outside.
I considered the art knife option and think that if I can't find a safe way to get the bubble away completely I'll use it as my fall back.
Cheers

Not that I care about card art, but I was thinking, Hot Wheels collectors are depackaging METAL cars, we have PLASTIC figures. Better make sure the ether won't hurt the plastic first.

CCC.

I was thinking of something like a heat gun or hair dryer. That works pretty good on price stickers.

The only thing is that you probably have to be really carefull so you only loosen the glue and not melt the plastic.

I haven't tried it on a bubble, but like I said, it works great with price stickers...

I have seen bubbles warp, discolor, and crack from heat just in storage without it ever letting go of the card, and others just fall off. It depends on the company and the adhesive they use, but generally it is good stuff. I probably would not risk it.

CCC.

Good point about the ether Lordmudd..
I think I'll get a few bargain bin toys from the local toy shop and try out a few of the different ideas on here. I'm offshore working for the next four weeks but when I get home I'll try to take photos of the results and update the thread..

If you're not trying to preserve the bubbles you could always slice them open and remove the figure first.

My dad should have some ether around his farm, I'll see if I can get some from him in the next week or so and and see if I can give it a try before you get back to dry land.

I don't know the freezing point of ether or if it has one, but ether is a liquid. So wouldn't the cardback soak up the ether and damage the card art?

According to the information I was given, no, but I haven't tried it so I can't say for certain. Ether may work like Goo Gone which just evaporates without damage. According the Wikipedia entry, at least one form of ether would "freeze" in a household freeze, but it may be more the chemical reaction between the adhesive, the ether and the cold. I'll give it a test as soon as I can to see if there's any truth to the story...

Be careful.

Somebody just grab a clearance figure and try it!

We'll all sit back and watch.