Sorry if this is posted in the wrong place or if this subject has already been addressed, which btw I did do a search b4 hand...

So, as I was doing some early spring cleaning, dusting off my toys and reposing them on the shelves, It never really struck me until recently that my Japanese vinyl figures are a lot different in quality than the ones made in Chinese Vinyl. Japanese vinyl is softer and even has more "vibrancy" than Chinese vinyl which in comparison feels chalky, more dense/stiff, yet more likely to "break". So why the differences? Is the recipe for vinyl a secret one used in factories in Japan? And if so, which seems more likely, does it cost more to produce toys in? Is this like Coke vs Pepsi?

I'd like to produce some vinyl toys someday, which eventually I will just b/c I want too and hopefully wouldn't mind having them all over the house, so thinking about these details having become an obsession of minds recently. anyways, for now I'll try to just stick with resin, the poor man's mass production solution.

Thanks for any input on this!

Probably more like Coke vs Water (when you have a craving for a Coke).

I think that the Chinese factories are capable of making vinyls that have the level of finish that Japanese ones do. Of course you'd have to expend the time and effort to get the Chinese factory to perfect the process, and then do what it takes to make sure they followed through.

I have 2 Instinctoy bears, and I swear they are made from japanese vinyl! The company is Japanese, but the toys are stamped made in china!

Aren't Medicom vinyl figures made in China too? Some of the glossy ones have really nice quality like the Stormtroopers. But when Papa Lucas is looking maybe they have to amp up quality?

Yes, Medicom's toys are made in china. Also BXH stuff... although I think in this case you can tell which ones are made in china and which ones in Japan.
I guess China has the means to manufacture high quality vinyl but also, one of the reasons why someone would make their toys there is to make it cheaper so it's not so common to see that high quality Chinese vinyl.

It is all about the quality of vinyl. Most western vinyl is produced in large numbers so using High quality vinyl would be costly. and most are painted/printed anyway.

Im not sure but, I think the japanese vinyl is more pure. I have seen Chinese made blanks that have a marbled kinda look. May be a combo of vinyl and pvc?

PM sent.

is not vinyl and pvc the same?

Wow Scott, u poured your own vinyl??? Thanks for the explanation!!! Is that "seal"l toy ur design?

Every time you post stuff like this Scott I'm more excited to see what's next. I wish I was in FL just to see some of this first hand, must be like a mad scientist lab. Thanks for the info. I assumed they were molecularly different as well as the straight up processing. I didn't know that the Japanese vinyl started as a liquid, I thought all of it started as pellets.

I just want to be adopted by this guy in order to continue his work...

thats why I collect these dumb money magnets, History and craftsmanship.

sweet, is that what u got going on in florida, scott???

This video is very instructive too :

Soft-Vinyl Factory in Japan

. . . . . . in my humble experience Japanese vinyl glows way stronger than Chinese vinyl . . . . . .

i want his job!

it reminds me of being a baker, but instead of loafs of bread, its rows of toys!

thanks for the vid!

What a great job he has, Id love to go to work everyday if I had that job. What kind of machine is that hes using that he puts the freshly poured vinyl molds into? Vacuum chamber?

Shimizu-san uses a vacuum chamber; a little more efficient than Obitsu's centrifuge. It pulls the dissolved gases out of the liquid vinyl to prevent bubbles.

Thanks Sanjeev, damn what a great way to make money...

yeah looked like a dryer at the laundry mat!

So when they pull the vinyl piece out of the mold, I understand that the piece has to be somewhat squishy to get free, but what if the piece is like the head of say., kumon, for example:



I guess I should just ask Dennis.

Well, did you watch the video? The molds are hot as FUCK while cooking in the hot oil...they're drained and cooled in water for a bit...then the puller anchors the mold, and yanks out the still-hot-as-fuck parts outta the mold with pliers. The parts are super rubbery when they come out, so undercuts don't really matter, as long as there are no potential choke points in the design (think Argus eye stalks) that could result in vinyl tearing and getting stuck in the mold.

Love the scientific descriptions of heat in your explanation