My theory: The brick differential

[monkeyjay2003]

This topic is for those who sometimes wonder, is this brick actual LEGO? If you have ever asked yourself any of the questions listed below, you may want to read the topic.

Do I mix my similar brands together?

Do I have bricks without LEGO on the studs? (Plates do not apply)

Do I have any figs that clearly aren't LEGO? http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/megablokshalowars/images/c/cf/Megabloks-forward-unto-dawn-97117-3086.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20121203202408

Have you ever bought custom pieces?

I will help with these problems. If you post(with an image) I will read it.

[deraven]

Hi Monkeyjay! If you'd like to help out with this sort of thing, check out the existing thread here: http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=67887

[bemuser]

go for it! http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=107841 - they're old, but just knowing where they're from / what name / date would be appreciated!

[mpfirnhaber]

Now we test your skill. How many LEGO bricks are there in this picture?

[Saberwing40k]

It would seem as if there are only two non Lego bricks in the pictures, the Tyco and Megablocks bricks at the bottom left.

[monkeyjay2003]

I count two.

[Peppermint_M]

Four possibly. Someone has a brick from Spain and what looks like an older Bestlock?

Also, do I spy the original, a sensible toy interlocking brick? I wouldn't count that as a clone.

Or it is a tricky trick and all of them are not LEGO.

[bemuser]

I think it's a "tricky trick" ;)

[mpfirnhaber]

There are four LEGO bricks in the photo.

Top row:

1. Not LEGO. This is a very early clone brick from the late 50s. Not much is known about it, so many call it "X-Clone". It is made from hard, brittle plastic which doesn't warp like the Celluloce Acetate Lego bricks from the era. The studs have small nipples in the center, and fast injection cycles often leads to studs caving in, though this particular brick is very much intact.

2. Not LEGO. This brand was marketed as Puwi in Denmark, as Diplom in Switzerland, and as Lino in the US. They are from the late 60s into the 70s, but they mimic 1950s Mursten style Lego.

3. Not LEGO. This is a brand called Pebe that was manufactured in East Germany from the late 50s into the 80s. The bricks evolved quite a lot over time, and used several different clitch mechanisms over the span of the system.

4. LEGO. This is an early 1950s Automatic Binding Brick from Denmark, one of the first Lego bricks to ever be manufactured. They were made from Celluloce Acetate plastic which tended to warp over time.

5. LEGO. This is a test brick manufactured by the Bayer corp in Germany. Date unknown - maybe early 60s?. It is part of a series of four bricks that were presumably made to test clutch strength while TLG was moving to new plastic (ABS). Bricks are labeled A, B, C, or D. A bricks barely stay together, while D bricks grab each other and don't want to let go. Modern bricks match the C bricks in clutch strength. These ABCD bricks come in sets in a HUGE variety of different colors.

Bottom row:

1. Not LEGO. This is a TYCO Super Block, a high-quality LEGO clone manufactured in the US from 1983 to about 1991.

2. Not LEGO. This is a Mega Blok.

3. LEGO. Another Bayer test brick. Not much is known about this series, which features the letter G on 7 studs, and a number on the 8th. They come in white, light blue, and

4. Not LEGO. This is a Tente brick, a Spanish brand that started making sets in the late 60s. Some of their early space sets were amazing! These bricks are not Lego compatible because of the large studs. The plastic is very hard and edges are sharp - playing with them often leads to cut fingers.

5. LEGO. This is a Prima "Target" slotted brick made from 1953-1955 in Sweden as a licensed production of Lego. It is made of hard, glassy polyester. Prima bricks are contemporaneious with the Lego Mursten line in Denmark.

Edited April 12, 2015 by mpfirnhaber

[bemuser]

I think it's a shame the Tente bricks weren't marketed more and didn't become more popular. I second the nice space sets. Standing in Woolworths as a kid, looking at Lego classic space and Tente sets adjacent, it was really difficult to choose between the two!

[mpfirnhaber]

I never knew about Tente until recently (I've been collecting 2x4 clone bricks for a few months now).

I ordered my first Tente Astro set a few weeks ago (0650 Desintegrador de Rayos Laser), it's on its way from Portugal now. I'm excited!

I have a massive Classic Space collection, and if I like the Tente set as much as I think I will like it, I might start collecting that too :)

[62Bricks]

One cool thing about Tente bricks is that the pins on the undersides fit into the holes in the studs, making it easy to place pieces at half-stud intervals. You can also join them bottom-to-bottom.

[mpfirnhaber]

That's true of regular Tente, but not their big "Elephant" line of bricks. I only have two colors in 2x4 so far - want more!