I've noticed that, when I compare old instances of 6019 to part 21252, and even to instances of 6019 from 2008 sets, that the older clips used a softer variety of plastic, which had a duller sheen. This plastic was also used for Battle Droid minifigure legs and heads (Though it may no longer be used for those, it's been years since I got a set with Battle Droids in it), old 1x1 plates with vertical clips, and old flags with 2 clips.

What variety of ABS was that, and why does it seem to no longer be used? When used for clips, it lost tension faster, but it never cracked like hard ABS clips are sometimes inclined to do.

Edit: Oops, it truncated the title.

Edited November 27, 20159 yr by The Kumquat Alchemist

I've noticed that, when I compare old instances of 6019 to part 21252, and even to instances of 6019 from 2008 sets, that the older clips used a softer variety of plastic, which had a duller sheen. This plastic was also used for Battle Droid minifigure legs and heads (Though it may no longer be used for those, it's been years since I got a set with Battle Droids in it), old 1x1 plates with vertical clips, and old flags with 2 clips.

What variety of ABS was that, and why does it seem to no longer be used? When used for clips, it lost tension faster, but it never cracked like hard ABS clips are sometimes inclined to do.

Edit: Oops, it truncated the title.

Are you absolutely sure it was a different type of plastic? I don't know one way or another for this part in particular, but not all changes in a part's look are due to the materials used.

Often, the "sheen" of a part has more to do with its surface finish. This sort of thing is most obvious on heavily textured parts like roof slopes, but surface finish can make a much subtler difference on other parts. The effect on a specific part can even change without the mold itself changing—a mold near the end of its lifespan might lose some of the texture it once had.

As for clips cracking, I haven't noticed old clips being any more durable—my older battle droid parts certainly aren't much more durable than the ones I currently have, and I'd reckon just as many have cracked. Changes in those qualities could also be due to mold revisions, and I know that there have been several changes to the design of plates with clips in the past two decades. In general, though, I get the impression the current varieties are more durable than the types that came before them, not less.

Edited November 28, 20159 yr by Lyichir