Flop

Last modified by Hypno Harem on 2022/07/19 17:02

It happens to all of us. Yes even to THEM. And them too.

Flops are toys that have had something go wrong. They are not toys that are just not *perfect.* It is nearly impossible to produce a perfect toy and most will have signs they were hand made, such as small imperfections from hand sculpted masters, areas of light 3d printer texture, and trim marks on the base. Even factory-made toys will have mold marks and trim lines, and many will be lower quality in appearance than indie toys. If the flaw is in the master and it is disclosed by the listing photos, it is part of the design and not a flop.

Flops can happen for many different reasons; pigment clumps, too liberal an application of mold release, delamination of splits, small bits of extraneous silicone in the mold from the last cast, bubbles, or cheap mixing sticks that shed. How each shop determines what constitutes a flop and what does not is HIGHLY personal, and so is what sorts of flops may or may not be sold. 

Consider the examples below as reference points only. You can deviate from them to fit your specific toys and shop.

Cosmetic Flops

Imperfections that are purely cosmetic and do not impact the form or function of the toy.

Discounted: Sometimes / Small

Sold: Normally

  • Bubbles on the bottom of the base (With NC this is often not considered a flop)
  • Bubbles visible in the surface of the toy, but too deep to be broken open from vigorous use
  • Mold flaws causing a weird texture or creating open faced bubbles missed by the maker and thus not disclosed in the listing
  • Small bit of extraneous silicone that cannot be scraped out
  • A speck of dirt or pigment that cannot be scraped out
  • Small pigment pocket below the usable area of the toy
  • Very uneven trim marks on the base
  • A heavy lean to the toy
  • Small pock marks from mold wear and tear

Flops

Imperfections that are more than just cosmetic and may have some impact on the form or function of the toy, which can be accommodated for. These do not affect the ability of the toy to be cleaned or the safety of use.

Discounted: Normally

Sold: Normally but can be shop-specific

  • Open faced bubbles that can be cleaned
  • Trapped fibers
  • Excised pigment pockets
  • Small nicks, tears, or scrapes that will not propagate with heavy use
  • Deeply enclosed pigment pockets

Turbo Flops

 More serious issues that impact the safety or usability of the toy.

Discounted: Always

Sold: Uncommon. Usually when they are, they will be permanently defaced so they can not be mistaken for non-flopped toys on the secondhand market.

  • Cure inhibition on usable area of the toy
  • Multiple bubbles in the usable area of the toy that cannot be cleaned
  • Delamination or peeling apart (most common on drips and splits)
  • Excessive shedding or rubout of powders / pigments / micas 
  • Large rips or tears that will propagate with use
  • Excessive pigment pockets beyond what can be reasonably excised and cleaned

Not a Flop

Anything that is reasonably part of the toy-making process or expectable in a hand made product

Discounted: Unlikely

Sold: Yes

  • "Ugly" pours
  • Fingerprints from a hand sculpted master
  • Light printer texture
  • Larger flaws from the master or mold that are disclosed in the listing
  • Toys that naturally lean or don't stand up because of the design or super soft silicones

Flops are not always called flops and may be called "mishaps" or something similar that is understood in context. There is no hard rule about naming conventions just as there are no hard rules about what is or isn't a flop.