Identifying Recasts

[Tecumsea]

I've no wish to reactivate the various threads regarding Recasters, however there are a number of new figure modellers appearing on the site and it is possible that they could unknowingly purchase a recast with all the inherent risks, indeed a thread has just been posted where that appears to be the case.
Identifying recasts is difficult but there is one big clue.......

If on Ebay you are offered a kit without an original box then it is very likely to be a recast............it is quite common for recasters to show a picture of the original box in order to fool you into thinking it is original..........read the text, very often it will say no box provided in spite of there being a picture of one.
I saw a Roll Call kit advertised this week from Hong Kong using just this scenario.

Beware anything from Hong Kong, Argentina or China without an original box. Remember if something is not as described if you report it to Ebay and have used Paypal they will almost certainly credit your account immediately leaving the seller to prove the legitimacy of the product, which of course they will be unable to do.

Just a few thoughts which someone might find helpful.

Keith

 

[housecarl]

I think the price is a good indicator too Keith.
If something sounds too good to be true, it generally is,
Carl.

 

[Einion]

Timely topic, I received one as a pressie for Christmas (seller in Hong Kong)!

Another clue to a recast is where the pics in the auction are far cleaner than the castings you get, although this can also be true of originals every now and then.

If you find a double set of mould lines, that should be a sure sign that you're looking at a recast. The first are from the original casting, faithfully reproduced in the new mould, and the second set of mould lines are often in quite a different place to the first.

Einion

 

[Tecumsea]

Good point Carl.

 

[Bailey]

Yes, a price that seems too low can be a good indicator... but some people do offer good deals when they sell off excess pieces from their grey army. Check their location (I don't want to stereotype... but a lot of recasts seem to come from China) and look at what else they are selling. If they're selling just a couple kits, it could be just a good deal. If it looks like they're running a hobby store through ebay, beware of recasting.

Also, the material can be a tip off. If the original seller only casts the figure in metal but the online one is resin it's a recast.

 

[housecarl]

Good way of getting all those white metal kits you've wanted to paint in resin.
Carl.

 

[gordy]

The same producers seem to get pirated over and over, here's an observation on the whole re-pop and piracy thing:

• Subject matter in high demand.
• High price tag.
• Both the above.

Seems like there is a void in the market .

If I were a figure producing person, my bread and butter output would take those stats into account.

 

[renarts]

Sounds like a Jeff Foxworthy stand up routine......
If you get the figure, and its cast in bubblegum....it might be a recast.
If the figure normally sells for $100 and you get it for $20...it might be a recast.

Good info guys. And the best way to know is a little education, and a little research before you buy.

 

[TonyT]

If you get the figure, and its cast in bubblegum....it might be a recast.

Not totally true, the camo'd German figure I did of which I have 2 and we determined were indeed recast after they were purchased are of high quality, crisp and up there with the none recasts I buy, if not better than some of them!

Also have bought genuine without full boxes as the owner to save space had kept the sleeve but discarded the rest of the packaging.

 

[Paul Kernan]

LOCATION! MATERIAL! COST! DESCRIPTION! TIMING!

So in a nutshell....don't buy a no-name resin figure (by Pegaso) from a dealer in China a week after it's release for $5

 

[Ron Tamburrini]

Don't Buy this type of stuff from Ebay, "Remove the risk removes the danger"

Also it will put the cost of the legitimate products up as they have to compensate
for the fraud.

Well worth bringing up again Keith

Ron

 

[housecarl]

Also it will put the cost of the legitimate products up as they have to compensate for the fraud.
Ron[/QUOTE]
Which in turn will make recasting more lucrative, a bit of a vicious circle.
Carl.