Thunder Knight Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Greetings Brothers, I'm in the process of back-issuing a set of Anvil Industry heads onto my chapter. As bodies are in short supply, I'm going to remove the heads of a few compatible plastic command personnel and special characters, who currently wear those familiar bald faces of boxed marine sergeants. My current technique for removing heads involves trying to get a scalpel into the correct angle to cut into the glued plastic, but as you may know, this results in always losing the very tip of fresh scalpel blades, embedded in the plastic through over-pressure. Not to mention the danger of putting so much pressure on a scalpel that simply isn't designed to cut through a thick layer of plastic. I'm always in the very real danger of accidentally slipping the blade through a piece of nearby battle-plate, or throne forbid, my own fingers. I've also tried using a pin-vice with a tiny drill-bit to cut into the neck plastic, using the turn of the drill to gouge multiple holes that eventually join side-by-side. This method, however, often takes time and through restlessness or necessity results in damage to the head and face. I hope to avoid such damage this time around, as I'm using this technique on heads that represent hours of my hard work painting. So, to cut to the chase... Does anyone know The Technique one can use to perform a clean marine decapitation, without damaging the head or the armor? Chainswords and Power Weapons are out of the question I'm afraid, Brothers. As I only have access to the Armories of the local Hobbystore and DIY Shops, limited as I am by the cruel fate of reality. Am I on the right track with a scalpel or drill? I can't quite imagine the tiny, ice-cream scoop shaped blade I'm dreaming of actually exists... Yours in Brotherhood, Ser Ottendahl Vame, Thunder Knights Chapter Master Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/260621-how-to-behead-a-marine/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orlunu Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Well, when faced with the need for decapitation myself (surprisingly often) I go for the classic home-made sculpting tool. It may inflict slight damage to the armour if you are too forceful, but it will be on the inside of the neck armour and easy to fix (also hard to see even if you don't fill it in). ;) This variant of the hammered-nail-in-a-bit-of-sprue requires you to hammer the nail into the end of the sprue so that it looks like a spear with the head on backwards (reinforce the joint with GS or loads of superglue). Part two is to hammer the thick end of the nail flat, so that it looks (if I remember my bitz correctly) like the back end of a Chaos Force Staff. Part three: sharpen! :mellow: Part four: place blade on neck. For five you smack the back of the haft with something until complete decollation is achieved. Optional part six: fill gouge on inside of neck armour with GS. Yours from the other side, Queen Orlunu the Controller, Mistress of the Asylan Empire and the 3rd cohort of the Alpha Legion Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/260621-how-to-behead-a-marine/#findComment-3171011 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rider-75 Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Do you really need the head? If not, pair of grips grasping around the ears and give it a short sharp twist. You might get lucky and avoid damaging the head - but it should snap free relatively cleanly at the joint.... Unless you went heavy with the glue. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/260621-how-to-behead-a-marine/#findComment-3171015 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunder Knight Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 This variant of the hammered-nail-in-a-bit-of-sprue requires you to hammer the nail into the end of the sprue so that it looks like a spear with the head on backwards (reinforce the joint with GS or loads of superglue). Part two is to hammer the thick end of the nail flat, so that it looks (if I remember my bitz correctly) like the back end of a Chaos Force Staff. Part three: sharpen! :mellow: Part four: place blade on neck. For five you smack the back of the haft with something until complete decollation is achieved. Optional part six: fill gouge on inside of neck armour with GS. So, It's hard to picture, but I think what you're saying is to dig the nail into the plastic of the sprue with the tip of the nail, as if you're driving it in normally, and then convert the head that you'd normally hit with your hammer into a flat blade? Thanks for the tip, I hadn't considered such a method, and have a tonne of flat tipped nails in my tool-box, I could definitely see it cutting into the flesh of the neck quite neatly, so long as I can get it underneath the chin... Such grisly work! I'd lament such an action were my brothers not getting an upgrade... I'm going to gently try this one. Do keep any ideas and techniques coming though! Do you really need the head? If not, pair of grips grasping around the ears and give it a short sharp twist. You might get lucky and avoid damaging the head - but it should snap free relatively cleanly at the joint.... Unless you went heavy with the glue. They are quite new marines, so I can't imagine they've got too much glue on them like my older work, but then I can't be certain until a committed snap-twist really! Like I said, I would like to keep the heads intact, they're nicely painted, and even though I won't be using them on my Thunder Knights again, I may want to give them as a gift to a friend at some point, or just stick them on something else, perhaps just keep them as painting reference. Who knows? I've decided to always use a thin layer of Super-Glue for heads in the future, that way at least they'll always come off with a relenting crackle-crunch rather than a drawn out blade battle. Take note if you're reading this as a neophyte, as Orlunu said, the need for friendly decapitation comes surprisingly often, best to attach a mans head with an insubstantial join than a permanent one. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/260621-how-to-behead-a-marine/#findComment-3171026 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razblood Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Plastic cutters like the ones in the GW toolset. Ease the tips in around the neck with the angled side of the clipper blades facing up and gently apply pressure whilst closing the clippers about halfway, then just lever the head off. I've had about 90/95% success with this method. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/260621-how-to-behead-a-marine/#findComment-3171041 Share on other sites More sharing options...
xmercx Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 depending on the type of glue used to hold the heads in place you can sometimes just stick them in the freezer for a while (hour or three) to break the glue bond (works better with superglue). You may have to re-glue some other pieces depending but it generally will leave clean separation of the bits when it works. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/260621-how-to-behead-a-marine/#findComment-3171052 Share on other sites More sharing options...
henrywalker Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 do the snap twist thing. either with your fingers (ive never found a bit i couldn't snap off) or with some needle nose pliers that you wrap in felt. the felt stops them crushing the surface Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/260621-how-to-behead-a-marine/#findComment-3171084 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunder Knight Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 do the snap twist thing. either with your fingers (ive never found a bit i couldn't snap off) or with some needle nose pliers that you wrap in felt. the felt stops them crushing the surface Nice, hadn't considered the felt for cushioning before. I'll try it for the next one I do. So far, I've fashioned a flat-head nail using the technique Orlunu gave, sharpening it with a file, and then instead of hammering it into the jugular, I used my pin-vice drill to make a small hole under the collar, wedge the nail in and use it as a lever. The head came out with some gentle prizing and muttered litanies. It did leave a bit of damage, but only inside the actual chest, and none on the armor or anything I've painted; Victory! I think I was lucky that I've not used too much plastic glue on this guy. Had much fun making the little head removal nail tool. I'm going to try the snap-twist on the second marine, as I don't like his face one bit anyway, so any damage incurred can only improve his looks. I only wish I had some more precise plastic cutters as suggested, sounds like the tool for the job, as I can imagine they're quite adept at slicing through such thick plastic as in a marines neck. I'll have to pick up a pair on my next visit to the Workshop. I do like to try a bit of everything when it comes to these kinds of suggestions to get a personal preference. Thanks again for all your help so far, I think I have a pretty good idea of how to do this now, but if there's anything anyone's overlooked, feel free to add to the discussion. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/260621-how-to-behead-a-marine/#findComment-3171332 Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Wolfmeister Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 If you just push hard with your thumb on top of the head and wiggle back and forth it'll come off without damaging the head or body. Has worked for me several times even when the parts were melded using plastic glue. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/260621-how-to-behead-a-marine/#findComment-3171364 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Garrett Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 Don't forget to scream "THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!" each time you decapitate one of your models. I realize this in no way helps your technique, but it will earn you style points. :D Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/260621-how-to-behead-a-marine/#findComment-3171464 Share on other sites More sharing options...
appiah4 Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 This is why I feel it's always best to use superglue rather than plastic cement. It's still strong but you can snap it off. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/260621-how-to-behead-a-marine/#findComment-3171609 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disruptor_fe404 Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 If you just push hard with your thumb on top of the head and wiggle back and forth it'll come off without damaging the head or body. Has worked for me several times even when the parts were melded using plastic glue. Like The Wolfmeister, I brute force it with my thumb and just push it against the back collar. Superglue, plastic cement, whatever, I've never had a problem yet. And I did it to an entire 1000-point force. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/260621-how-to-behead-a-marine/#findComment-3176280 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subtle Discord Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 Yup, if you want to snap it off, any of the 'by force' methods given will work. As mentioned, if you don't mind ruining the head bit, just grip it tightly with needle nose pliers and give it a twist. And, as mentioned, you can add a 'pad' to the jaws of the pliers (Wrapped in masking tape, electrical tape, sheet rubber, felt, foam, leather, anything soft) to try and minimize damage this might cause. If you're looking for a more 'surgical' solution, all I can suggest is a Jeweller's Saw, also called (for good reason) a Razor Saw. A Razor Saw is essentially a really fine razor blade, with teeth! Even if this is overkill for your current needs, it is a very useful tool to have at your workbench. It's so fine and sharp that you can carefully cut bits off a miniature, and do it so cleanly that you can salvage both the miniature and the part you just cut off. It will use saw blades like these wich you can buy in bulk. It's a good thing, since the blades are so fine that they will break sooner-or-later, (usually at the worst time) and you'll want a good number of replacements. You can even get 'Spiral Blades' that can cut in any direction. They are not as fine as a 'straight blade', but are great for cutting around corners if the part can accommodate the slight extra width. Just be very careful with a Razor Saw. They are meant for jewellery fabrication, so they cut through metal with ease, and it can be easy to cut too far on softer materials. They also cut fingertips with ease, so be careful. Lastly, a little bit of wax or oil on the blade is usually very good to keep the blade friction down, and this will help significantly in keep blades from breaking during use. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/260621-how-to-behead-a-marine/#findComment-3176511 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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