Many times you hear folks (builders) say that their figure has a head lock. What is a head lock? Of all the figures that I have in the Ventriloquist Central Collection I have only one figure that has a true head lock and that figure is my very early Shaw figure.
Click here to see head lock on very early Shaw figure
Let me explain the head lock on the Shaw. On the bottom of the head stick is a screw, Located on the bottom board of the body is a metal clip that opens on one side, you place the head of the screw into a slot and then close the clip. This is an actual head lock. The head can not be removed unless you reopen the clip.
When the figures went from attaching through the bottom board like Mack and early Marshall figures, and went to ball and socket a new way to secure had to be used. Frank Marshall secured the head stick by stapling a cloth covered rubber band to the bottom of the head stick and then tied it to an eye hook on the bottom board.
Today’s makers use two eye hooks, one on the head stick and one on the bottom board and then use a rubber band. This works but if you know anything about latex, it does break down. So I have found that the type of rubber cloth covered cord, like Frank Marshall used, is still available. You can find it in the hair section of your local drug store. They are cloth covered bands that women use to pull back their hair and they are the perfect size. I have used them on my figures in the collection and they are far superior to rubber bands.
Now I did skip, but do want to mention , the McElroy Brothers. The used a cradle which had a long ;pin the slid inside the figures head stick and when you placed the head stick onto the pin you slid it down at 90 degrees and then when it is all the way down onto the pin you turn the head forward and it locks onto the pin. The cradle inside the body is then locked with the rubber cord to the sides of the body from a ring which is located on the bottom of the cradle.
So there you have it as far as head locking for Ventriloquist Figures.
Dan
www.ventriloquistcentral.com
Have you seen the Frank Marshall Tribute DVD, click here
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Ventriloquist Central is the brainchild of Dan Willinger and Steve Hurst. Dan is a ventriloquism enthusiast and ventriloquist figure collector. He has been collecting for over 25 years. He created the Ventriloquist Central Collection. It now has over 100 ventriloquist figures and over 50 of them are Frank Marshall figures. Steve is a ventriloquist as well as builder of ventriloquist figures. He also has a background in sales, marketing, building websites and computers. Because they both love the art of ventriloquism, the website Ventriloquist Central was born. For more information about the website, go to: http://www.ventriloquistcentral.com
Copyright 2014 by Dan Willinger and Steve Hurst
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