The Energon Pub

News Credits: 409 · by **Stormrider** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 10:24 pm

I am curious if you allow your friends, children, or family members to handle and play with your Transformers. What do you allow? What are off limits?

I have a couple friends that love looking at my Transformers. I don't mind them handling my Henkei figures and transform them. But, they are restricted with G1, Masterpiece, and Binaltech. Usually I only allow them to pose.

by **Nickolai** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 10:29 pm

I allow friends to play with Universe, Henkei (fingers off the chrome, plox), Animated, Encore and AEC. Interestingly, random people like the Cybertron figs most.

by **Grimpoo** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 10:29 pm

Mine are off limits to almost everyone. Except that old cornbag OptimusMagnus.

by **Valandar** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 10:53 pm

I don't mind if it's the 'lower end' figures. But my MP figures (other than that indestructible tank, 20th Prime) are pretty much "hands off", same with Music Label Soundwave.

News Credits: 5 · by **Mr O** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 10:57 pm

Not after a mate broke my Pretender Grimlock. Hell nose. Well, they can handle them but that's it, I'll be poised like a ninja with the hackles up until they unhand my precious.

News Credits: 97 · by **Savage** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 11:03 pm

Depends on who the person is (some of my friends have a bit more respect than others), as well as which TF is in question.

General rule of thumb, if it cost me more than $50, hands off. There are a few exceptions, of course. Mostly I just let them try some of the sturdier/simpler G1 figures, Universe figures, BW figs.

BotCon figures are off limits, as are the MPs, Japanese figures and any other high-dollar items. It's not that I dont trust them to be careful, but I have broken my share of TFs in the past, so I know that sometimes it doesn't matter how careful you are.

I had to laugh at myself last year at BotCon. Someone was in our hotel room taking a look at my Shattered Glass set and started to transform one of them. I literally had to tell myself "It's okay, he's a Seibertronian, he knows what he's doing." I'm so used to being overly cautious about people handling my TFs that I forgot I was surrounded by people equally (or moreso) versed in transformations.

by **WolfDawg** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 11:19 pm

As most have said, the more expensive and fragile figures are off limits. My girlfriend used to love transforming my figures and had a habit of grabbing the most expensive figures off the shelf and fiddling with them. After nagging at her about it, she pretty much ignores my figures completely.

I'm lucky enough to have friends that ALL respect my figures, so I trust them with my figures. They all know most of my figures are pretty expensive, so they handle with EXTREME care. They know they'll have to pay for it if they break it.

I personally don't play with my figures at all. I see them as display pieces that can transform. Even when I was a kid, I never played with my Transformers are Power Ranger Zords. I man handled my Ninja Turtles and Jurassic Park figures, but the TF's and Zords were display only (and I was 7 at the time, lol). Robots always demanded respect in my eyes.

News Credits: 127 · by **Counterpunch** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 11:36 pm

My collection gives off the impression, 'look, but don't touch' from the outset.

I always ask if I can handle other people's collectibles prior to doing so. I expect the same courtesy.

News Credits: 402 · by **Mkall** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 11:42 pm

I tend to keep the more commonplace figures foremost in my display, with the higher priced figs either on higher shelves or back in the display. This way the casual person will handle only the cheap figs.

by **Loki God Of Mischief** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 11:48 pm

It depends on the person and what they want to handle. If a child wants to handle anything the answer is no. If one of my friends wanted to see a toy as long as it's not a rarity or a high end toy sure. Just handle it with the care a collectible deserves.

by **st4rscr34m** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 12:18 am

if i do let my friends handle any of my collection....it's usually one fo the ones i care about least. although, on the flip side, the only pieces of my collection that my 2 year old has never ever handled are a few of my g1 figs and my mp starscream. his daddy has taught him well with how to transform and play with them without being a lil hellion breaking things. hell, he's even co-opted a few of my figs, since the bumper battlers and the like bore him to death nowadays. gotta keep the future of the scene alive and well i suppose.

News Credits: 409 · by **Stormrider** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 2:37 am

Counterpunch wrote:My collection gives off the impression, 'look, but don't touch' from the outset.

I always ask if I can handle other people's collectibles prior to doing so. I expect the same courtesy.

Admit it, it's the barb wire you set across your case that gives folks that impression.

by **Pyrostrata** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 8:30 am

As a general rule of thumb, most are allowed to looky but no touchy...I do have exceptions, of course. The sturdier figures are allowed to be handled when I am present, and ONLY in alt mode....If they wanna see robot mode, I transform the figure for them and they can look at it then. The "high-end" figures, like the MPs, are off-limits NO EXCEPTIONS (well, fellow collectors tend to get exempt from the "NO EXCEPTIONS" rule...they generally know what they are doing). My best friend made the error or "kidnapping" my Henkei Megatron as a joke....I was not at all amused. He knows better now!

The only types that are forbidden from ALL my figures ALL the time are those under the age of 14....Little fingers tend to break off pieces! I have more than enough other toys laying around here they can brutalize...I have to, I have a 9 yr old nephew!

News Credits: 9 · by **Mykltron** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 9:09 am

I know my friends will respect my figures. They know they'll have to replace anything they damage. That said I still watch like a hawk! And they wouldn't be allowed to touch G1 or MP Megs. And probably not anything I've painted.

News Credits: 4 · by **typh0id** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 2:48 pm

Savage wrote:General rule of thumb, if it cost me more than $50, hands off.

I'd say unofficially that's about how I look at it...

My let my son, (who's three and a half) play with my figures...He has known since he was old enough to realize Daddy has toys in his room that he has to be very gentle and careful with them and can only play with them when supervised...He doesn't usually try to transform them too much because he can't really figure them out anyway (his fast-action battlers, and the like, are much easier for him)...And he's always been very respectful of them...

That said, however, I would never let him mess with something like City Commander, or any MP figure...That's just obvious...

News Credits: 127 · by **Counterpunch** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 3:55 pm

Stormrider wrote:
Counterpunch wrote:My collection gives off the impression, 'look, but don't touch' from the outset.

I always ask if I can handle other people's collectibles prior to doing so. I expect the same courtesy.

Admit it, it's the barb wire you set across your case that gives folks that impression.

That and it's a 7 foot wall of Transformers. :grin:

News Credits: 2 · by **Seibermore** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 7:38 pm

Well I have no freinds that like to look my TF's so Im ok.

News Credits: 2 · by **Sid Burn** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 9:24 pm

I dont let anyone touch my bots, they are behind glass.

I once was sitting at a convention, selling some bots, this guy walks up and before I can say anything, starts transforming a loose with box G2 Tank Megatron I was selling, when I asked him not to do that he looked at me like I was crazy.

News Credits: 3 · by **MagnusPrimal** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 11:03 pm

No.

News Credits: 2 · by **TFBuyer** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 11:35 pm

The kids (6 & 3) are allowed to handle some choice figures, mainly more recent ones that are pretty hard to break or just separate at a ball joint instead of snapping in two. Alternators and G1 stuff is all behind glass and under lock and key, so that's a definite no-no. I've let a friend or two take a look at something every now and then, but it's a collection, not just a bunch of toys...

News Credits: 6 · by **City Commander** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 12:28 am

Generally my mates have no further interest then just looking at them where they stand, but for some reason the ladies always want to pick them up and play with them.

Which I'm fine with. I'm a bot collector, and bot toys that are fragile are far and few between indeed.
Nobody messes with alternators though, but that's simply because they seem to turn people off =?

So yes, I don't mind peeps messing with them. As long as they don't plan on ramming them into each other. That's so early 90s

by **TM Waspinator** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 1:00 am

I think I may be a bit more lax than most of you folks here. My friends are basically free to handle and (attempt to) transform almost all of my figures at their whim. Of course if they start roughhousing with them, I'll be like "what the hell!?!" But they're old enough to know better so that never happens anyway.

I have some younger cousins though, and one of them LOVES transformers, and he's about five years old. I like to let kids be kids, so I'll let him handle almost all of my figures as well. However, for most of my toys, I keep him under constant supervision to make sure he doesn't break anything or lose any pieces, and I will do the transforming. However, if I want to hang out with my friends and I don't feel like supervising him, I'll allow him to play with the ones I don't care about and that I'm planning on disowning anyway.

News Credits: 5 · by **Barrelass** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 3:43 am

None of my friends are really into Transformers (except for their kids). I may be nuts about them, but don't really talk to my friends about them much. When their kids come over, they usually know better, but I like letting them stare in awe of my collection (it may not be a huge collection, about 300 pcs), but to a kid it is pretty impressive just to stare at. Im sure if I turned my back, they would be all over the place.

I am lucky thus far, every one of my friends has damn good kids, which leads me to beleive that if I ever have a kid, I will end up with the demon seed that destroys everything he touches.

by **Rijie** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 7:30 am

"Eyes only" is generally my motto. I'll only allow other people or collectors touch the ones that I bought for myself to mess with. Case in point, Classics/Universe, I buy the Hasbro versions to fiddle with, but I purchase the Henkeis for display only. So, if it's on the coffee table, it's fair game. Touch anything in my collection room without my permission, and it's your head.

by **Prime Riblet** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 12:18 am

I just don't care if my friends or family handle my TF's. i mean, i do, but not enough to make a great big stink about it. there are a few things that i try to keep out of other people's sight, but even with those i could care less about people messing with them. like someone said before, as long as they don't throw them against the wall or something stupid like that, then all is good. and forgiven. i just look at it like "oh well, there's some money down the tubes", but it is (usually) possible to replace these things.

Now, if we talk about my guitars....well, that's a different ball game!