Can later material LEGO cloth sails (10210 Imperial Flagship etc) also be cleaned with Oxiclean?

[Skulls_Eye_Schooner_Sailor]

https://imgur.com/gallery/fmc8y2a

https://imgur.com/gallery/iByn5pc

https://imgur.com/gallery/XzkKUbE

https://imgur.com/gallery/g0wcamy

We had a Biblical level infestation of flies some years ago, they are apparently attracted to things that are tall or high up, landed all over my Pirate and Imperial Navy ships.  I've soaked and cleaned most of the sails with Oxiclean, except the Imperial Flagship, because I don't know if it is safe for that thinner, scrappier, stiffer material.  I'm not sure what either version of the sails (and capes and flags) are made of, but I've soaked all the older style material with no issues, but I can't find anything about cleaning the later cloth material.

I also didn't know sails could yellow until I read about it and saw the video posted here.  The lower front sail on the Skull's Eye Schooner was slightly yellowed, and it was back to normal after an Oxiclean bath.

https://imgur.com/gallery/o1hdAys

For some fraying and unthreading sails on my childhood copy of the original Imperial Flagship, and some extra Armada Flagship and Black Seas Barracuda sails, I cut right at where the thread emerged from the sail, and carefully cut off some threadbare unraveled sections that are prime for more fraying.  Hopefully cutting those off will stop that. 

The childhood Imperial Flagship sails are going to get soaked too.  They were in a shed at my grandma's old house that had holes in it and got very dirty!  I'm just glad those sails and the other two hull sections were there!  I thought I had lost them!  How would you lose such giant parts haha.

I hope to be more active here again from now on!  And don't worry, no second dark age here.  I have a good ten years worth of MOCs and grown collection of sets and bulk parts to share.

I have so many parts from childhood and adult sets, bulk collections, eBay, Pick-a-Brick, Bricks & Pieces, and Bricklink orders, I can sit down and pretty much build whatever I want to my heart's content, and I've got a dedicated hobby room and big work table with a bunch of bins now.  There's also model trains, slot cars, die-cast, and retro games in that same room. :)

Happy to be back and thanks ahead of time for any help and advice on getting my Imperial Flagship back on the open sea again!

[PxChris]

While I've cleaned a lot of older sails using Oxiclean, I've never attempted it with any of the newer more paper-y kinds. I don't have any idea how they would react.

Certainly best of wishes in your cleaning endeavor - I look forward to hearing how it goes with the Imperial Flagship sails!

[Skulls_Eye_Schooner_Sailor]

On 4/25/2023 at 11:58 AM, PxChris said:

While I've cleaned a lot of older sails using Oxiclean, I've never attempted it with any of the newer more paper-y kinds. I don't have any idea how they would react.

Certainly best of wishes in your cleaning endeavor - I look forward to hearing how it goes with the Imperial Flagship sails!

Thanks.  I figure the 10210 Imperial Flagship is over 10 years old now, surely someone else's sails have gotten dirty and they tried cleaning them?

I believe the reissue ships used the same material.  I have the reissue version of the Redbeard Runner and the material is similar, not like the 90s or 89 ships.  I am trying to see if maybe I have as mall cape or something I can test it on.  I have the Fright Night witch's cape, but I already cleaned it, it seems fine, but I don't think it is the newer material.

If no one else has cleaned  Imperial Flagship or reissue ship sails, surely they've cleaned sails for the pirate relaunch sets or the Pirates of the Caribbean sets?  I doubt those went back to the old material.  I can't believe no one has tried to clean any sails, flags, capes etc with Oxiclean or anything else.  But, I can't find anything about it.  Presumable everyone who would have cleaned them, kept them in good condition as they were already adult collectors when they bought these sets.  

If anyone had the 2000-onward sets as kids and grew up, and stayed LEGO fans or returned to LEGO, maybe they have cleaned them.  Granted, some kids take very good care of their stuff.  I thought I did too, but a few things still got dirty, lost, or broken, here or there!

So far all I have found in my own collection is a Prince of Persia princess figure.  Her cape seems to be the newer material, but she's on a keychain, and you can't put metal in Oxiclean.  Hmm.

I don't think the Redbeard Runner sails are very dirty either.  I could use them as guinnea pigs as I care about them less, but would still be unfortunate to lose or damage even original LEGO reissue sails.  If only I knew what the material was made of, I could check if Oxiclean or whoever else says not to use it with Oxiclean.

I want to get all the sails clean so that my 2 new Imperial ship MOCs have all clean sails (figure I wash the original 6271 Imperial and new Imperial Flagship sails together to be more efficient,) and finally get the sails back on my 10210 Imperial Flagship!

[iragm]

I have cleaned two sets of Black Pearl sails with no issue.  Couple hours in Oxyclean and warm water, followed by ironing on low heat under a presscloth.  Again, no problems at all.  But to be honest, they didn't feel any different than the old school 90s sails to me, though, so I don't know if they were the new material or the old.  I don't have 10210 to compare.

[Skulls_Eye_Schooner_Sailor]

On 4/28/2023 at 7:52 AM, iragm said:

I have cleaned two sets of Black Pearl sails with no issue.  Couple hours in Oxyclean and warm water, followed by ironing on low heat under a presscloth.  Again, no problems at all.  But to be honest, they didn't feel any different than the old school 90s sails to me, though, so I don't know if they were the new material or the old.  I don't have 10210 to compare.

Hi.  Thanks.  I called and talked to a nice fellow at my local LEGO store, supervisor Chris.  He has the Black Pearl and he says it uses this same material as the Imperial Flagship (which would be the same as the reissue ships and any ships past 2000 or so I believe.)  Or perhaps the Black Pearl used multiple versions of sails like the old UCS Star Destroyer came in both light gray and light-bluish gray? 

He is also aware of the different materials used for Star Wars capes, and Superhero capes, etc.  I never knew Star Wars and Superheroes had specific material for their capes and didn't share materials (though I am sure there's exceptions, I am no minifigure expert on these two themes.) 

He said to simply clean it with warm water and a soft cloth.  I did that, but I also soaked the sails for a while, and then rubbed with the soft cloth and my hands.  I don't recommend microfiber cloth as the two materials interact to create like a sort of micro velcro effect.  Though I'm not sure what would be better.

I got tired of messing around with it, so I did my best to clean with the cloth and my hands.  Most of the fly spots did not come off, though some of them became very faint.  They must have been further deep than just surface stains and dust, as Chris said this method would mostly only remove this.  A brownish mystery stain (aerial soda drop from a can being opened near the ship, which I don't remember doing?) on the front sail triangular sail was removed, and I was able to remove one fly spot with a fingernail. 

The sails do seem crispier and brighter than before.  Of course, all dust, lint, hair, cobwebs, dust bunnies etc are gone now.  They don't need to be ironed, as they naturally return to being flat.  Oddly, they curl up in the water.  They almost feel like they are made of plastic fiber when wet?  I am going to call The LEGO Group soon to find out just what they are made of, and any possible cleaning techniques (for next time, not taking the sails off AGAIN after I just go them back on, after the ship not having sails for months or close to a year at this point.)

I do not know the current rule for image embed size limit.  I presume it is no longer 800 x 600, though the rules thread has never been updated on this matter.  I will post the link to the IMGUR post (unlisted for now,) and then I guess resize all the images to no larger than 1080p should be acceptable, for embed?  Thanks again everyone for the suggestions.

I still cannot believe I have not found one case of anyone cleaning these new material sails in their entire 20+ year history!  NO other sails got dirty in all this time.  I know all those ships and capes and flags didn't all go to AFOLs when they were new LOL. 

Edited May 4, 2023 by Skulls_Eye_Schooner_Sailor

[PxChris]

8 hours ago, Skulls_Eye_Schooner_Sailor said:

He has the Black Pearl and he says it uses this same material as the Imperial Flagship (which would be the same as the reissue ships and any ships past 2000 or so I believe.)

Just an FYI - the sails on the re-issue ships of the early 00s (so we're talking sets 6290, 6291, and 6292 from 2001 and 10040 from 2002) are of a material that is very, very similar, if not even identical, to the original sets of the 90s. I personally own both 6285 and 10040 and can state that those sails are pretty much identical in the material. The other sails from the 2001 remakes also have all seemed to be likewise the same that I've seen. Unlike the much more "papery" type sails of the later 00s and into the present. However even from that period, there is certainly a bit of noticable differences between sails of different sets, so I think it safe to say that LEGO has experimented with various materials over the years.

It is really good to hear through that your cleaning experience was successful!

[Skulls_Eye_Schooner_Sailor]

53 minutes ago, PxChris said:

Just an FYI - the sails on the re-issue ships of the early 00s (so we're talking sets 6290, 6291, and 6292 from 2001 and 10040 from 2002) are of a material that is very, very similar, if not even identical, to the original sets of the 90s. I personally own both 6285 and 10040 and can state that those sails are pretty much identical in the material. The other sails from the 2001 remakes also have all seemed to be likewise the same that I've seen. Unlike the much more "papery" type sails of the later 00s and into the present. However even from that period, there is certainly a bit of noticable differences between sails of different sets, so I think it safe to say that LEGO has experimented with various materials over the years.

It is really good to hear through that your cleaning experience was successful!

I have the original versions of all the classic ships besides Renegade Runner which I never got around to.  All are original, except Redbeard Runner, which is a reissue.  It uses a paper thin scrappy material, similar to the modern material, and that of 10210 Imperial Flagship.  Actually, I think it is THINNER than the 10210 sails now that I think about it!  It's NOT the same. 

Even the Cross Bone Clipper and original Armada Flagship use the same old thick soft cloth as the other 90s and 89 ships.  Did I get counterfeit or repro sails with my Redbeard Runner reissue?

Yes it mostly was successful.  Do I need to resize the after cleaning Imgur pics to no more than 1080p to directly embed here?

Edited May 4, 2023 by Skulls_Eye_Schooner_Sailor

[PxChris]

1 hour ago, Skulls_Eye_Schooner_Sailor said:

Did I get counterfeit or repro sails with my Redbeard Runner reissue?

Well, I can't speak to that authoritatively since I don't own it (I do own the original RBR, just not the re-issue). I have seen the re-issue sails for the Armada Flagship in person though and they seemed to me at that time to be the same as the originals. And like I mentioned, I do have both versions of the Black Seas Barracuda and the material for the sails on those is very similar or identical. 

(As for image size, @Mister Phes would be the final answer, but I don't think anybody has paid attention to or followed those sizing guidelines for a long time now.)

[Elephant Knight]

On 4/21/2023 at 4:02 PM, Skulls_Eye_Schooner_Sailor said:

I'm just glad those sails and the other two hull sections were there!  I thought I had lost them!  How would you lose such giant parts haha.

Don't joke about such things. I did loose the front hull part from my childhood Cross Bone Clipper. Pretty sure it was during a move, but still... I still can't fathom how it happened. And it irks me to this day. I did eventually get a replacement, after the discovery of Bricklink. Literally, it was the first thing I or my family ordered from there (With a few other parts thrown in)

Hope your restoration goes well.

EKnight

[Skulls_Eye_Schooner_Sailor]

Here are the after pictures!  Thanks for the advisement about sizing guidelines. @PxChris  Let me know if I went too far with picture size or count and I can edit the post!  There's also a preview of some my old and unseen and new MOCs on the two collection shelf pictures at the end.

My LEGO 10210 Imperial Flagship After Sail Cleaning, Minor Mods and Rope Added

https://imgur.com/gallery/USiI0Yg

I swapped out the silver giant robot finger pieces for black to hold up the rigging. It looks much better and makes the ship look classier, as does the strange tan pieces I exchanged for black behind the figurehead, under the Captain's Cabin windowsill/patio thing, and I also added additional decorative elements to the top back of the captain's cabin. Too bad that center roof piece was never made in dark brown! But black on top suits the ship just as well I think, given the overall color scheme! I've also FINALLY finished cleaning my sails (mystery never solved, just had to soak in warm water and gently rub with my fingers and a soft cloth), and I added a rope down the middle like all the other LEGO sailing ships have!

On 5/4/2023 at 3:34 PM, PxChris said:

Well, I can't speak to that authoritatively since I don't own it (I do own the original RBR, just not the re-issue). I have seen the re-issue sails for the Armada Flagship in person though and they seemed to me at that time to be the same as the originals. And like I mentioned, I do have both versions of the Black Seas Barracuda and the material for the sails on those is very similar or identical. 

(As for image size, @Mister Phes would be the final answer, but I don't think anybody has paid attention to or followed those sizing guidelines for a long time now.)

I see... the flag is different too.  They got with me with COUNTERFEIT SAILS!  Man, I got screwed twice on that ship!  The first time, the lady never sent it, and I was out 100-200 bucks I can't remember, and then eBay said I waited too long to tell them!  Then I finally get the Red Beard Runner and it's a reissue, which is fine, but counterfeit sails?  I was FOOLED lol.  Pirates selling pirate sets on eBay lmao.

On 5/4/2023 at 7:27 PM, Elephant Knight said:

Don't joke about such things. I did loose the front hull part from my childhood Cross Bone Clipper. Pretty sure it was during a move, but still... I still can't fathom how it happened. And it irks me to this day. I did eventually get a replacement, after the discovery of Bricklink. Literally, it was the first thing I or my family ordered from there (With a few other parts thrown in)

Hope your restoration goes well.

EKnight

Yeah losing parts is never fun, especially to cherished childhood sets. 

I lost Johnny Thunder's hat and Majisto's wand! 

Edited May 7, 2023 by Skulls_Eye_Schooner_Sailor

[Elephant Knight]

1 hour ago, Skulls_Eye_Schooner_Sailor said:

Yeah losing parts is never fun, especially to cherished childhood sets. 

I lost Johnny Thunder's hat and Majisto's wand! 

Most of childhood sets are missing some part of another, often of the minifig accessory variety. That wand part I also had, but with a Time Cruiser set, and I had lost it as well. And then lost it's replacement. Haven't lost the replacement's replacement yet, thankfully.

Set looks great, but can't help but notice all your flags are pointed the wrong way. 

EKnight

[Skulls_Eye_Schooner_Sailor]

7 hours ago, Elephant Knight said:

Most of childhood sets are missing some part of another, often of the minifig accessory variety. That wand part I also had, but with a Time Cruiser set, and I had lost it as well. And then lost it's replacement. Haven't lost the replacement's replacement yet, thankfully.

Set looks great, but can't help but notice all your flags are pointed the wrong way. 

EKnight

Oh, I just remembered, as I just saw a clear helmet piece in one of my ziplock baggies of parts.  I lost ALL the Spyrius android heads and I had like THREE of them.  JUST the heads.  I even have at least one of the clear helmets apparently!  Waahaaahaa!  And I have three Dragon Master capes but like 1 shield?!  What?!  I obviously bought the minifigure pack of them three times, but then where are those shields?!

Thanks.  I am happy with how it and the other sails turned out.  Some 20 year old stains and creases couldn't be completely removed off the old cloth sails that had mysteriously ended up in my grandma's old, busted open, leaky shed, but I guess they will just have to be that way.  If 6 hours of Oxiclean didn't remove the stains completely, I don't know what would!  And I'd rather have childhood sails on a MOC than have to replace them at a steep cost anyway.  I'm not bothering with repros either.

Hah, those flags.  It just doesn't look right to my brain to have them flowing forward.  The wind pushes the flag forward with the sails (or at least in the direction of the sails, not sure how this would work if the ship is sailing into the wind, either,) or the speed and force of the ship moving through the water forces the flags toward the back?! 

Although, in one of the catalogues, LEGO themselves has them flowing to the back!

DUN DUN DUN!

Edited May 7, 2023 by Skulls_Eye_Schooner_Sailor

[Elephant Knight]

7 hours ago, Skulls_Eye_Schooner_Sailor said:

Oh, I just remembered, as I just saw a clear helmet piece in one of my ziplock baggies of parts.  I lost ALL the Spyrius android heads and I had like THREE of them.  JUST the heads.  I even have at least one of the clear helmets apparently!  Waahaaahaa!  And I have three Dragon Master capes but like 1 shield?!  What?!  I obviously bought the minifigure pack of them three times, but then where are those shields?!

Truly amazing what one looses and what one does not. 

 

7 hours ago, Skulls_Eye_Schooner_Sailor said:

And I'd rather have childhood sails on a MOC than have to replace them at a steep cost anyway.  I'm not bothering with repros either.

Me too. My original Cross Bone Clipper still has the original sales and flag, even though they are both very worn. The flag does not even stay up on the pole by itself. But I wouldn't replace it unless I completely lost it. Nostalgia is a powerful tool. And cheaper than replacing it, too. And besided, I also have another Cross Bone Clipper, one that is near mint condition!

7 hours ago, Skulls_Eye_Schooner_Sailor said:

Hah, those flags.  It just doesn't look right to my brain to have them flowing forward.  The wind pushes the flag forward with the sails (or at least in the direction of the sails, not sure how this would work if the ship is sailing into the wind, either,) or the speed and force of the ship moving through the water forces the flags toward the back?! 

Although, in one of the catalogues, LEGO themselves has them flowing to the back!

Ah, but the images on the left have the flag pointing forward. To me, it makes sense that the flags point forward, for the wind is pushing the ship forward. I guess if a ship is going into the wind, then the flags would be pointed behind, but I think the sails themselves wouldn't be in the same position? I think we need an expert to weigh in on this.

EKnight

[BrynnOfCastlegate]

Not an expert, but I have some knowledge of this :)

The flag is a (relatively) small piece of cloth and will blow in the direction of the wind. The most efficient way to sail is with the wind at an angle behind you, not directly behind you, so the flag will point at an angle towards the front of the ship.

It is impossible to sail a ship directly into the wind (with sail power), so a technique called tacking is used, basically a zig-zag motion. In this case, the flag should point at an angle towards the back of the ship. The flag should never point straight back, though. :)

[iragm]

On 5/7/2023 at 4:12 AM, Skulls_Eye_Schooner_Sailor said:

Although, in one of the catalogues, LEGO themselves has them flowing to the back!

The ship in that picture looks to be in irons (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/in_irons) -- you can tell because the main is sagging and not full as it is in the picture on the left.  Or perhaps the person laying out the sets missed some details, look at the raft from 6273 :)  Mistakes were common in a lot of the older promo pictures, sometimes minifigs have fallen over, dropped their accessories, etc.  To me it adds a lot of charm to the older catalogues.