Breaking plastic glue bonds!?

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**FURIOSO**

Hi guys I have some second hand models that I need to break the weapons and helmets off of but plastic glue is hell to try and break off, does anybody know of a decent way of unbonding it without the use of expensive solvents or tools, any ideas please let me know, also need it not to damage the plastic, Cheers guys!

**ScootyPuffJunior**

If it was a high quality plastic cement, you aren't going to break it without damaging the model; plastic cement fuse welds the two pieces together.

Your best bet is to get a sharp hobby knife or jeweler's saw and start cutting.

**Sean_OBrien**

Plastic glue, unless done poorly or with cheap glue must be cut. The two parts are effectively welded together.

If done poorly, you may find voids and be able to pry it apart and cut the sections that are glued. Some cheaper glues end up behaving more like superglue and can be popped apart.

What you describe though will likely need to be cut off. Sharp knives or clippers can pop heads off with minimal damage. Jewlers or razor saws can as well, though you will loose the saw kerf.

**FURIOSO**

Are the games workshop razorsaws any good and it is a tiny tiny piece i need to saw, do you think it would work?

**Bildsturmer**

Most people will probably cringe at the idea, but I use pliers to pull apart glued models.

It works surprisingly well and I have yet to damage a model to date.

**Kilkrazy**

The GW razor saw is a good one, actually. You could get something as good more cheaply from a DIY shop if you want to hunt around.

Another saw worth buying is a jeweller's saw, which has very thin blades.

**throwoff**

I tend to use a very sharp craft knife and a lot of patience.

**oadie**

When I have the option, I prefer to saw over clipping or slicing. Yes, you lose some material (razor/jeweler's saw kerf is quite narrow, anyway - if you can even notice the loss, it's quickly fixed with a thin shim of styrene sheet), but you tend to get a straighter edge and with no deformation of the surrounding material. Being that they cut with wedges, however fine, clippers and knife blades will always have to push at least some material out of the way, which I consider undesirable.

**SRSFACE**

Bildsturmer wrote:
Most people will probably cringe at the idea, but I use pliers to pull apart glued models.

It works surprisingly well and I have yet to damage a model to date.

Yeah, if you're careful it can be very effective. If it's like an arm or something that's got a large enough wedge, placing the plier head in between, let's say the armpit? and then slowly letting it open up to push the arm apart til the seam breaks can do wonders. Done it many times. A thinner plastics glue like what Citadel puts out won't make a bond so strong this doesn't work.

Doesn't help with heads, though, as there's just no area small enough you can apply enough force to not damage the model.

**FURIOSO**

Hmmm never thought of that will give it a try. ..

**ahzek**

I use cheap replacement razor blades, they are sharp enough to slice without damage, cheap and small enough for fiddly jobs

However, the blades are double sided so be VERY careful

**FURIOSO**

It was half a dark eldar arm, managed to do it with some needle nosed piers, a lot of filing and a spare shoulder guard from my hellion sprue lol, can hardly notice it i'm rather pleased with myself to be honest