Discussion: Now what?...Is Kragl the answer?

[Luke_likes_Lego]

Hi everyone,

I'm an AFOL and a long time collector and my children now have a good collection of their own.

Recently my daughter received a 'LEGO compatible' set (Sluban) as a birthday gift from a schoolfriend.

I don't want to see this set mixed in with the real LEGO....but I'm not going to take it away either.

I feel a bit like I'm being a snob ...but basically...the solution I'm going for is to treat it like any non-LEGO toy i.e.. it stays separate.

Obviously, this isn't as practical as separating Barbies and model cars etc. from the LEGO.

The solution will probably be to glue the other model together.

Any other AFOLs/parents given this any thought?

Cheers,

 

Luke 

[deraven]

Unless she has a particular attachment to it, I'd donate/sell it and get her something similar that's real Lego.  I'm right there with you- I'm not a snobby person in general, but this is something where I just don't compromise.  When I buy bulk Lego and have other "compatible" bits in it, I separate them out into a box and, when I've got a good amount of it, I donate it.  Not quite sure what I'd do if someone actually gave me a clone/bootleg set, but I definitely wouldn't have it out and potentially mixing in with the rest of my bricks.  

[Sven F]

This is a funny story, worthy of a film sketch. When is the other girl's birthday?  Maybe you should get her a puppy. 

I don't know if you can do anything. I was brought up to think that every non-lego toy was junk so I dismissed things like that myself but that was a time when clone brands were really ghastly looking things, except Playmobil which was then regarded as the evil sub-par competitor. 

I would leave it be, but subtly comment how the bricks are bad quality, children usually pick up opinions from parents, if not instantly. It shouldn't be a complete disaster having to separate bricks from one set even if it does get mixed in.

[-zenn]

I haven't got kids myself, but I whispered to my nephew that it's 'fake' Lego... It helped.

[Peppermint_M]

Or, you let her have fun with a nice and thoughtful gift? Is her LEGO separated from your LEGO? If so, it hurts no one and she has more bricks to enjoy.

If not then you sir are insane and should create a "Children's Portion" and "Grown Up Portion" forthwith. 

It is pretty snobby to be making such a big when they are truly for the kids to play with. We didn't have money for luxuries when I was growing up, LEGO was very expensive. I had a great big Motor Sport bucket of Mega Blocks and loved that I had so many more bricks and wheels to use. Sure, when I grew up I parted out the LEGO and the otherwise, I have a smaller box of clone brands that now comes with me to the events I display at so that kids can play. (It really wasn't hard to divide them. So simple to spot the clone brick amongst LEGO)

 

[Trekkie99]

4 minutes ago, Peppermint_M said:

Or, you let her have fun with a nice and thoughtful gift? Is her LEGO separated from your LEGO? If so, it hurts no one and she has more bricks to enjoy.

If not then you sir are insane and should create a "Children's Portion" and "Grown Up Portion" forthwith. 

It is pretty snobby to be making such a big when they are truly for the kids to play with. We didn't have money for luxuries when I was growing up, LEGO was very expensive. I had a great big Motor Sport bucket of Mega Blocks and loved that I had so many more bricks and wheels to use. Sure, when I grew up I parted out the LEGO and the otherwise, I have a smaller box of clone brands that now comes with me to the events I display at so that kids can play. (It really wasn't hard to divide them. So simple to spot the clone brick amongst LEGO)

 

This, this, and this!

[Robianco]

It won't have Lego on the bricks... you'll be able to tell it apart should it manage to make it's way into a big pile... If you can't tell then what's the issue?

I'm with Pep. Let the kid play. 

[Tariq j]

Exactly, you should let her develop opinions of her own on the matter. Her collection shouldn't be influenced just because of what someone else says/thinks.

[Space Police XVIII]

17 hours ago, Luke_likes_Lego said:

I feel a bit like I'm being a snob

yes

Let her decide.  If the parts are really terrible, she'll separate them out herself.

[Luke_likes_Lego]

Ha! The idea that she won't develop her own opinions because one of her parents insists on a particular way of doing something is a laugh (at least with this young lady). If anything it will galvanise her existing opinion (be it for or against) further.

Also...it's not just her collection, it's her and her three siblings.

It was interesting to hear the opinions...particularly being labelled as 'insane'  ...my wife would probably agree.

[rodiziorobs]

My kids were gifted a giant bag of off-brand bricks. We opened them up and played with them and then bagged them up again.

They are used to playing with stuff separately (so the brothers' stuff doesn't get confused with each other's or with mine) so they just naturally kept it apart. Later when my wife asked them why they didn't combine it with the family's communal Lego I heard them tell her that it was "fake Lego." I am pretty sure I didn't feed them that response, but I was pleased nonetheless.  We still have it but have talked about giving it away to someone (with kid's approval of course).

I'm glad we didn't mix it in, but we had a good time with it anyway. If stuff gets mixed in, its pretty easy to sort out later on if you or your daughter wants to.

Edited August 28, 2017 by rodiziorobs

[ColletArrow]

I seem to be committing the heinous crime of mixing non-LEGO parts with standard parts!  

I find it fairly easy to spot the difference; a different shade of white or yellow, far-too-bright green parts, parts that don't exist in real LEGO, or one brand that has bricks slightly shorter in height making them incompatible, especially the 1x6x5 panels which are almost a plate too short!
I find them useful however, as e.g. I like to build in yellow, but I have few parts and run out frequently; the result is that I will willingly use the non-LEGO parts. I try to avoid doing so, and if I must I put them inside the model where they won't be so noticeable, but some brands are so close that they look correct at a distance and I am fine with them being there. If I wanted to take all them out I could easily, as I know exactly where they are and what they look like. The benefits of a small collection!

When I was younger I always saw the inferior quality of non-LEGO parts, but would frequently get parents to buy them as they were cheaper, had unusual parts, or were more available in my locality. This is probably why I am more lenient towards them; it all depends on what is available to you.

Edited August 31, 2017 by ColletArrow