Twist Ties... I Hate 'Em!

[dustrho]

How many people here hate those stupid twist ties that are in Star Wars packaging?  Why in the world do they have to be used?  I understand that sometimes they're used to keep the figures in a specific pose, but do they really have to be used so extensively?  I mean, the Saga X-Wing Fighter had anywhere between 10-15 of those twist ties... that's just way too many if you ask me.

So, what's your take on twist ties that are used in Star Wars packaging (and any other toy lines if they're used)?

[MisterPL]

I'm building a woman out of mine. So far I have a sturdy femur.

[Darby]

I hate them as well.  I got a Droid Army 3 pack today at TRU and was dismayed to see that these guys were sealed in there with two twisties each.  Why?  Oh, and those little clear rubber bands, too.

[dustrho]

I hate them as well.  I got a Droid Army 3 pack today at TRU and was dismayed to see that these guys were sealed in there with two twisties each.  Why?  Oh, and those little clear rubber bands, too.

That's where I got the twist ties in the picture from.    I couldn't understand why they used twist ties on that Droid Army 3-pack either.

[jadesfire]

Worst twisty tie Star Wars item:  Portrait Edition Queen Amidala. I think that is where MisterPL got a good base for his women .

As of late, the 12" two pack of the Ewoks.  Geesh...some of the ties were twisted to the end, I swear it was 12 turns before I got one off!!

[Morgbug]

Yep, hate em.  I bought a pair of angle pliers just to cut the darn things.  Marvel Legends are pretty bad, as are the new Hulk figures (my wife bought me a smash and crash Hulk).  Probably the worst things though are little playsets for little girls and Barbies  They're for my daughter.  

[dustrho]

They're for my daughter.  

Sure they are...

[Vator]

I actually like them.:runs for cover:They're better than tape,and can (most of the time)be undone.However I hate the big ones,ohh and the white things you have to cut.

[proudfather2]

I just finished getting my new Alien Queen out of the box... and I bought it three days ago! This thing not only had tons of those twisty little nightmares but also had the longest ones I'd seen in quite some time. Twisty ties suck hard!!!

About the use of twisty ties in everything toy these days. Those little buggers seriously deter shoplifters. Don't laugh, it's true. Back in the late 70's I knew a boy that could, and did many times, steal Star Wars figs, and any other loosely sealed toys he could get his hands on, by the dozens. He would simply yank that small blister off the card, toss the empties behind or under the shelfs and put said figure/toy into his very deep pockets and keep going till he was fully loaded. That little phase of his lasted a few years but he ultimately gave it up and reformed himself as best he could. Anyway, as I stated above, since the advent of the twisty tie I dare say that a great many a toy have been spared from the once almighty shoplifter as they simply take too damn long to get anything untangled from them! And that is a good thing from the perspective of the retailer, manufacturer and consumer.

[Mikey D]

I hate them too.

On a slightly related note, how do they originally twist the ties?  Is there a machine or is some poor soul over in Taiwan making $0.50 an hour doing it by hand?  

[MisterPL]

Helpful Hint on twist ties: Nail clippers. (Martha Stewart should do a book on this kind of stuph.)

I recently bought some Marvel Minimates. These things come in 2-packs, they're 2" tall, and are encapsulated in the standard form-fitting double blister. And of course, each one is bound with TWO twist ties and a rubber band. Can I get a "WTF?!"

Worst twisty tie Star Wars item:  Portrait Edition Queen Amidala. I think that is where MisterPL got a good base for his women .

Woman. Singular. She'll be life-sized. And most of my twist ties are coming from McFarlane's Alien & Predator figures lately. That Queen is in there TIGHT.

Is there a machine or is some poor soul over in Taiwan making $0.50 an hour doing it by hand?  

Twist ties are a hand operation. And workers overseas aren't generally paid by the hour, they're paid by the unit. Imagine getting paid 50˘ for every Alien Box you put together. Faster, Chow Ling, faster.

[Boba Binks]

The Alien Queen was a nightmare to get all the twistys off.  

Yes, Twist Ties suck.  

[Darth Broem]

Yes, the twist ties are a pain.  You know what though?    I would trade in the pain and agony of twist ties just to find a new figure.  

[BushiFox]

Hmmm.  Hard to say really.  I don't think I mind the twisty ties as much as the little plastic rubber things on star wars figures.  I remember almost pulling one figure's arm off...and, then the new way of sticking figure's legs or arms through that plastic backing material stuff...Icky.

I have a pair of wire snippers I can normally use with much success on cutting the twisties.  I don't think you could pay me enough to untwist all of those...The only problem I had was I cut off half of one of the cantina cinema scene aliens feet on one of those foot twisty ties.  

What about Marvel Legends packing?  I remember when I opened my spiderman classics, I must have spent 10 minutes trying to get him out.  You have to use a knife.

[dustrho]

I remember almost pulling one figure's arm off...and, then the new way of sticking figure's legs or arms through that plastic backing material stuff...Icky.

That's another pet peeve of mine.  Well, the only other thing I can think of that they'll do to prevent people from stealing the figures, are to shrink wrap several layers of plastic around the figure, and then put it in the packaging.  If people are stealing all these figures why don't they just luck them up behind glass?!