I am anxiously awaiting my NAG/AHG H1 “Nightmare” as it will be getting the royal hair treatment from Freddy Loper.
I am going as The Shape this year for Halloween (alongside my buddy as 1974 Leatherface with his Addison Morarre “Hunter”).
Needless to say, I’m extremely stoked. Anyway, I’ve got some amateur-ish questions for anyone whom would be kind enough to answer. 1.) Rot, Deterioration
I will be wearing my mask for the majority of the day (Michael wouldn’t be as scary going around carrying his mask).
Should I carry around a rag and some cornstarch? Maybe stop by a sink here and there throughout the day to get the rag damp and wipe the inside, then apply the starch? Brush, sprinkle, or apply with fingers?
2.) Heat, Sunlight
I have no idea how the weather will be, because Michigan is ridiculous. If it is sunny out, will that hurt the paintjob at all?
3.) Handling
When not worn, should the mask be carried around on a foam head? Should I cover it? As far as removing it from my head goes, is there a recommended way to do this? Should I put my hands in a certain place for the least amount of stress on the rubber/hair/eye cuts?
I know a lot of people would say to just abstain from wearing the mask altogether. However, I got this baby with the intent to wear it and enjoy it in that way. That being said, I’d like to have my cake and eat it too by preserving it for as long as I can.
Thanks in advance for any advice, guys. Thanks for keeping the community supportive.
Wipe out the mask after wearing it and powder it with corn starch or a low talc content baby powder. (do this every month or so when displayed). I display my masks on foam heads, mask stands (Kitchen towel holder with a tennis ball on the end) stuffed with bags or pillow stuffing, you can put a bag over them if you’re worried about dust. As for the sun, I can’t imagine one or two days will hurt it much, just try and stay out of direct sunlight for extended periods of time imo. Removing the mask is something you’ll get the feel for, I generally ease it on and off carefully, not much I can say about that, try looking at youtube videos, there must be some.
I usually store it on a paper towel holder with the skull part of a foam head stuck on top.
Yeah, I was thinking one or two days shouldn’t hurt it - like you said.
Thanks!
Yup, exactly like Simon said! You should be fine wearing it for just one day like that if you wipe and powder it afterwards. The best way I find to powder it is to put a scoop of cooking cornstarch inside of a tube sock and tie the end off. Drop that inside the mask and give it a good shake. It will make a little dust bomb on the inside and cover it with a nice thin layer of powder. That’s a little trick I got from JC awhile back and it works great!
Should I wipe and powder each time I take it off during the day, or just at the end of the day?
That tricks is awesome! Would a women’s nylon sock work?
Here’s a pm that I saved when I first joined this site in 2009 sent to me by respected member Caesar015 , explaining mask care in great detail. It’s my bible on mask care.
“Well you just about got the main basics bud…You dont have to stress mask care to the extreme but you cant slack in the area to much either if that makes sense…It really depends on how you are displaying your mask…Latex today is very strong compared to latex used in the older days…If cared for properly they can last a life time…I have experineced every mask disaster there is from every element that cause a mask to break down…Ive experienced everything from Melting to oxidation…Discoloring to warping…Cracking to mask rust…The absolute best way to protect any mask is throw it behind glass…A case of some kind that does not allow air to seep through is 100% the best protection…If you are displaying them on stands out in the open like on a shelf or something then you do need to keep them dust free…When I have mine this way I wipe them down once or twice a week…Ive found that Dust is one of the worst elements for a mask…Dust can settle in the mask and not only discolor them causing mask rust but they it speeds up the break down down process…Sunlight is Horrible for mask…Keep them out of direct sunlight or any kind of UV light…The heat and UV rays can cause them to dry out, crack, break down and warp…Warping is when the mask starts to loose its shape…So keeping them cool is something that must be done also…One of the worst enemies for latex is oxidation…Once a mask starts to oxidate there is uterly nothing you can do to reverse it and its only a matter of time before the mask breaks down completely…Oxidation is caused by Air and mainly moisture…This is why you have to wipe down the inside of your mask after each use and powder them…Moisture is very bad for latex…But when you wipe them down the cloth or paper towel must be very very damp…I always wipe them down, then dry them to make sure its completely dry, then powder them with corn starch…And make sure you get the nose and mouth area very well…The first signs of oxidation is yellowing of the mask…But yellowing doesnt always mean the mask is suffering from oxidation either…Yellowing can also be caused by a bad mix in paints and Dust…Another sign of oxidation is the mask drying and cracking…These are very clear signs but you really have to treat your mask horrible for this to take place…When stuffing them always use plastic bags as other material like news paper have inks in them that interact with the latex and can be very bad for them…The stuffing also helps hold their shape…When they are on stands you can also put a plastic bag over top of them if you dont mind them not to be seen…You dont have to go that far if you wipe them down once or twice a week…I use a feather duster as they are soft and work very well…Some people will suggest to use a damp rag but I dont like that idea because you are putting moisture on the mask…You should only have to wipe the outside down with a damp rag if the dust has built up quite a bit…when you dust them you will see a difference as they will loook cleaner…Also the less you handle a mask the better…Its best to only wear them on the Main Night :Halloween” LoL… or for costume pics on occasion…Dirt and finger oils can speed up the break down process also…Some members go as far as using latex gloves when handling their mask…Im guilty of it myself but I dont anymore…I dont think thats neccesary if you care for them properly…
I dont want to scare you in thinking you have to be on this like crazy or you will loose your mask in a few months because that isnt the case bro…This is just a more in depth look into mask care…Like I said latex these days is strong and can last forever with a little proper care…
-Keep them out of sunlight
-Keep them cool
-Wipe down the inside and powder after each use
-Dust 1 or 2 times a week with a feather duster
-Keep them stuffed with plastic bags on a stand to maintain their shape
Do that and your mask will last you a life time…But in a case Like from “Quiet on the set” or Amyd you never have to worry about those dangerous elements like dust, air and moisture…That is the safest way to keep a prized piece protected…But even in a case you cant put them in direct sunlight or in a hot place…If they area very hot place that case becomes a Hot box and the mask will warp…Back in the day I used to put my mask on my closet shelf…One day I came to get it only to find it had melted right to my shelf and it made an awefull sticky mess…It just got way too hot in there…A few years back I went to a convention during the summer and Had a red october In a box in my trunk…When I got their and pulled it out it was badly warped and lost its shape…So heat can be bad…Some members wont stress that but I do because I experienced it first hand several times…I havent had a problem in a very long time…So if you do the basics my man you will be fine…Dont worry about it too much but dont underestimate these elements either…Hope this gives you a better understanding and some what makes sense LoL…Later H"
Really any normal cotton sock will work just fine I recommended the tube sock just so there is plenty of room to tie a knot in it. Nylon may work as well, I’ve never tried it but I don’t see why it wouldn’t. As far as frequency, I don’t think it’s necessary to wipe and powder it throughout the day. Just a good cleaning and powdering before it goes back on display should be all you need. The latex used today is way better quality then it was years ago so you should have no issues enjoying it to wear once in awhile
