[JohnByng]

I am trying to strip the Pangaea Greek general (Achilles) but I can't see a way to get at the chest armour and tunic without removing his arm. I have tugged at it but it seems to be firmly seated. Should I just pull until it comes apart or is there a knack to it, like the combination to a safe: 3 turns to the left, one to the right and pull! I would rather not damage the arm but I will if I have to as I want to dress up a Phicen body as Achilles.

 

[plastique]

Some bodies are screwed together and the shoulder joints are trapped between halves inside the body. I don't know about Pangea bodies though.

 

[GubernatorFan]

If I recall correctly, the Pangaea bodies (or at least this one) are actually ACI bodies. These have (or had) often very stiff and sometimes brittle joints, to the point of easily breaking at the shoulder or elbow. Therefore, if you do not want to damage the body your figure came with, do not try to pry anything off. If you are feeling adventurous, start by heating the figure with a blow dryer or by immersing it in hot (just boiled?) water. That might (might!) help.
Before you do anything drastic with the body, however, you might want to explore the armor for any good inconspicuous area that could be cut open with an Xacto knife so that you could slide it off the body. (It is likely to be a challenge putting on a Phicen anyway.) I do not have this figure out so I cannot give you a specific suggestion right now, but that is what I would try first.
Hope this helps.

 

[JohnByng]

Thanks guys. I have seen someone parting out the armour on Ebay but of course they may have done something drastic to the body to get it off! The problem with cutting it is that the tunic underneath also needs to come off and I do not want to damage that as I might want a figure to wear it without anything over it. I will have a go with the blow dryer as you suggest. I might have to break or saw the arm off if all else fails. Thanks for the help!

 

[AdamC]

Thanks guys. I have seen someone parting out the armour on Ebay but of course they may have done something drastic to the body to get it off! The problem with cutting it is that the tunic underneath also needs to come off and I do not want to damage that as I might want a figure to wear it without anything over it. I will have a go with the blow dryer as you suggest. I might have to break or saw the arm off if all else fails. Thanks for the help!

Looks like they are unlacing or cutting the laces of the two pieces in order to get them off judging by some of the part outs. From the body can't really tell how the shoulder/arm connects as the upper torso obscures it.

 

[rollotomasi]

Thanks guys. I have seen someone parting out the armour on Ebay but of course they may have done something drastic to the body to get it off! The problem with cutting it is that the tunic underneath also needs to come off and I do not want to damage that as I might want a figure to wear it without anything over it. I will have a go with the blow dryer as you suggest. I might have to break or saw the arm off if all else fails. Thanks for the help!

The body is an ACI "Bruce" based on pics. I don't think the arms can be removed without splitting the upper torso.

And same as AdamC stated... the ebay pics of the tunic looks like the laces have been undone... or perhaps loosened just enough to slide off the body.

Have to ask though... if you break/saw off the ACI's arms and retain the armor and tunic intact... wondering how are you going to put them on a Phicen?

 

[JohnByng]

I am not sure I can split the torso without destroying the chest armour. Maybe I will do that as it is a bit cheap and nasty looking anyway. I cannot gauge whether it will fit until I try as this is my first time doing anything like this. Do you think they will not fit on one of the slimmer male Phicen bodies?

 

[GubernatorFan]

The slimmest Phicen body, M31, in my opinion, is not worth it (I know not all will agree) if any part of the body will remain uncovered, as in this instance. Yes, you will have excellent articulation (except if/where restricted by armor or clothing). But those seamless arms you will get will look a bit like noodles at the elbows when you flex them and you will have problems with the wrists if you ever change the hands.

Body: Go with at least M32 (although this is a tad slim on the lower arms and lower legs), better yet M33 (if you want it taller, it comes with specially designed ankle extenders, which are fairly seamless and at any rate would be largely obscured by the boots and greaves -- speaking of the boots, you will need to keep the ACI feet because the Phicen feet will probably not fit in them. ACI and World Box feet work on Phicen.).

On M31, M32 and M33, see my reviews HERE, HERE, and HERE. For M34 you can see HERE, but it might be too muscular for the armor and clothing in this instance.

Armor: I excavated the figure and looked it over to answer your question. Looks like you will have to untie several items like the kilt, leather tunic, and maybe greaves. Unless you discover their tied ends, you will have to cut through the little lacing on each side of the armor (under the armpit). Then gently (!) open up the armor and slide it up and off the body. Heating it might help, but be careful. After you get it on your Phicen you will need to replace the the lacing under the armpits (actually I don't know, you might be able to get away without it). This should be it, but again all this is hypothetical, based on looking at the figure and minimal futzing with it. I haven't actually done what you are planning to do.
Hope this helps.

 

[JohnByng]

Thanks for the help! I have a Phicen but I am not sure which one. I can't get at it at the moment as I have it behind a pile of books! Actually, the lacing looks pretty easy. It seems to come undone from the bottom so I think I can just unlace it and do it up again. I have put the figure aside for the moment as I will try to work on something a bit easier first by way of experience. I am waiting on ACI releasing their hoplite sets but it seems to be taking them forever! I want to dress up my other Phicen (on order) in one of those. It would be easier as I don't have to strip a body first.

I have a couple of ACI Romans so I might have a go at trying to strip one of them and put the stuff on my Phicen.