[Comicsrcoll78]

When I began kit-bashing Phicen figures I was 100 percent sold on Knock-offs. Then I saw pics and post of figures with brand name heads and although they looked great I still thought "waste of money." Then the paint on my Knock-offs started to rub off and I had to purchase replacements (exit the cheap element). So I switched to brand names with a few exceptions. The Hot Toys Scarlet Witch Knock-off (in pics) looked the exact same to me as did the brand name. But now in hand the fake can't hold a candle to the real thing. HTs says each sculpt is hand painted. So how are Knock-offs painted? Does a mass painting robot do it? Toy Havens author did a review of Phicen M31 with a Cap America /Chris Evans sculpt. It looks great but is it Knock-off or brand. Also, I don't have a lot of experience with Enterbay or Blitzway (?). I'm making a Phicen Bruce Lee. Does anyone have any pics of those companies head sculpts compared to the Knock-off versions? Phicen Scarlet Witch

 

[Comicsrcoll78]

If you can't tell which is the Knock-off or brand name please ask (I used the best light as I could to show sculpts).

 

[crusader1xxx]

These days it's hard to know which is which as far as who is making what. There are a few theories that some of these so called knock off's are just the real thing going out the back door of the factory or they are seconds that didn't make the grade so to speak. My personal opinion is that they are just really good copies.

As to how they are painted, most if not all are cast in a skin tone already, which acts as the base color, then they are painted by hand with a large # of companies using decals for eyes.

The process has been refined over the last few years so the quality of the paint is getting harder and harder to spot between the "branded" and so called custom head.

Add to the fact that there are a limited # of places that can do this type of work, and well they all start to have the same "look" or quality to them.

I have over 100 knock off or non branded heads and honestly they look just as good as the real "hot toys" ones, in which I have a few of those as well.

Part of my head collection

 

[Broadshore]

Crusader. Your HS collection make me cry.

 

[crusader1xxx]

I have an addiction...what can I say? :dizzy:bag:lol:lol

 

[Stryker2011]

I have an addiction...what can I say? :dizzy:bag:lol:lol

Holy S$&t, dude. That is awesome!

 

[Comicsrcoll78]

These days it's hard to know which is which as far as who is making what. There are a few theories that some of these so called knock off's are just the real thing going out the back door of the factory or they are seconds that didn't make the grade so to speak. My personal opinion is that they are just really good copies.

As to how they are painted, most if not all are cast in a skin tone already, which acts as the base color, then they are painted by hand with a large # of companies using decals for eyes.

The process has been refined over the last few years so the quality of the paint is getting harder and harder to spot between the "branded" and so called custom head.

Add to the fact that there are a limited # of places that can do this type of work, and well they all start to have the same "look" or quality to them.

I have over 100 knock off or non branded heads and honestly they look just as good as the real "hot toys" ones, in which I have a few of those as well.

Part of my head collection

Great answer! Amazing collection. Thank you for the picture! I'm not insulating Knock-offs (bty), I'm grateful to have mine for various reasons/all the things one can do with them/their various uses et. And for example of your collection, I have held in hand only a few of those.

 

[Comicsrcoll78]

No matter where this thread goes, grows or not can anyone show pics of two (2) heads of the same character or person, one a brand name; the other custom?

 

[GubernatorFan]

I think Crusader is my hero. And enabler -- I used to think I had an indecently large number of heads, but now I can go on collecting more and more! :wink

 

[Comicsrcoll78]

For example: If you own this figure or the head sculpt of this figure and a Knock-off version of this figure's head sculpt, will you please share pics for comparison?

 

[rogerbee]

Bonafide MJ Choi Indy (Not original hat.):



Knock Off:



Knock off on my figure:



The original came unpainted, meaning you had to hire the talent, the KO was done in house, and I think they did a grand job.

Oh, by the way, Crusader, I was considering one of those KO Connery Bond heads, but, now I know how small it is, I won't bother. Thanks for posting!

CHEERS!

 

[Comicsrcoll78]

Bonafide MJ Choi Indy (Not original hat.):



Knock Off:



Knock off on my figure:



The original came unpainted, meaning you had to hire the talent, the KO was done in house, and I think they did a grand job.

Oh, by the way, Crusader, I was considering one of those KO Connery Bond heads, but, now I know how small it is, I won't bother. Thanks for posting!

CHEERS!

OK (thanks for the info/pics), in this case the Knock-off is better to buy than original unless you're a repaint artist. And KO looks amazing.

 

[madplowman]

Here's a HT and KO comparison of Jake G. on Phicen M34. The original HT fits on the peg with no mods and has better proportion; however, IMO the KO is a better colour match. The HT has a weird reflectivity and grey tone. It's just a matter of taste, and what you're matching to. I imagine that the KO shops are using the same skilled labour pool as the name brand ones. Not every skilled HS artist in China can work for HT.

 

[tofanpw]

I don't think there's a KO of that Tyler Durden head yet. As for Bruce Lee, the HT's smiling one is cheapest. But I like this one(a KO & rescale of Enterbay's 1:4 Lee), though a member here said the head's too small on Phicen M32.

 

[madplowman]

@Crusader, from a fellow HS junkie, I'm in awe of your collection. Very diverse as well, and I like your idea for spool holders as a display!

 

[Comicsrcoll78]

Here's a HT and KO comparison of Jake G. on Phicen M34. The original HT fits on the peg with no mods and has better proportion; however, IMO the KO is a better colour match. The HT has a weird reflectivity and grey tone. It's just a matter of taste, and what you're matching to. I imagine that the KO shops are using the same skilled labour pool as the name brand ones. Not every skilled HS artist in China can work for HT.

View attachment 375963

Good point(s). I'd still like to know specifics on Knock-off production though. How many of you watched "the hammer test" video?

 

[Comicsrcoll78]

I don't think there's a KO of that Tyler Durden head yet. As for Bruce Lee, the HT's smiling one is cheapest. But I like this one(a KO & rescale of Enterbay's 1:4 Lee), though a member here said the head's too small on Phicen M32.

Thanks. Yes I've heard the same thing. Months ago I post about this project and found an eBay store selling a Phicen M32 w/Bruce Lee head sculpt by "Supreme." The sculpt looks great but skin tones do not work. So, still searching.

 

[rogerbee]

OK (thanks for the info/pics), in this case the Knock-off is better to buy than original unless you're a repaint artist. And KO looks amazing.

If you have the budget then originals are the way to go every time, but, if you don't then KO's can be very helpful.

CHEERS!

 

[blackpool]

No matter where this thread goes, grows or not can anyone show pics of two (2) heads of the same character or person, one a brand name; the other custom?

For what it's worth, here is a comparison shot I had made when the Avengers black widow was released, on the left the HT original sculpt, on the right the knock off that was released shortly after...

There is strictly no comparison in the painting, the hair implant, and even the plastic quality, the knock off lost his color after a few months when the HT still looks like the first day...
This said it's not a general fact, I own some knock off sculpts that are amazing in quality, and added to this it was now a few years back, knock off quality has greatly improved in the meantime.

 

[crusader1xxx]

The thing about knock offs, especially like the BW shown above, its the same sculpt. Maybe different paint, but same sculpt so where did it come from? Same factory? I would guess yes, a few extra produced and out the back door...