UNSTUFFED Darth Atroxa Silicone Lekku

This sale is for a made-to-order Darth Atroxa style SILICONE lekku headpiece. If you need high resolution images of Darth Atroxa, send me a message and I can give you a link to them. Offering unfinished/unstuffed headpieces is a new experiment for me - I hope it will work out as a way for customers to get a lower priced headpiece and give them a chance to participate more in the creation of their Twi'lek costumes. Shipping unstuffed headpieces will reduce the cost of the lekku by $45 (my usual charge for the time and supplies dedicated to stuffing each headpiece), and it will reduce the shipping costs as well since unstuffed lekku can be folded and shipped in a much smaller box. It should also reduce the wait time for each headpiece because I can ship them as soon as I finish casting them, rather than waiting for my next round of stuffing the next stack of headpieces. DISCLAIMER:  Silicone is a finicky product and lekku do not come off the mold in perfect condition every time. I spend a lot of hours finishing headpieces - inspecting them for flaws, pulling loose paint brush bristles out of the silicone and adding a dab of fresh silicone or Sil-Poxy to fill any holes they may leave, painting more silicone over any thin spots in the lekku, stuffing the headpieces, and pouring expanding foam in the top curve. By choosing to purchase a lower priced "finish it yourself" headpiece that is fresh off the mold, you must accept that these jobs are now your responsibility and not an inherent cause for claiming that the lekku are poor quality. They're just part of the process! If you discover any flaws in the silicone, it will be up to you to repair them. I will offer guidance if you need advice. I find the finishing work to be an enjoyable part of lekku making, but it is quite time consuming. Paint Brush Bristles:  Silicone is very thick and sticky, and it has a tendency to pull the bristles out of paint brushes as the lekku are cast. I try to remove the bristles as I work, but they're difficult to spot and I always miss some of them. Before stuffing your headpiece, gently pull on each side of the headpiece. Stretch it out and look for any ripples in the silicone surface that reveal where a bristle is embedded and then gently remove them with a pair of tweezers. Stuffing: I like to use Poly-Fil, but other brands can be used. It takes less than a pound of stuffing to fill a headpiece so you won't need a large bag. Top Curve: Normally I add expanding foam to the top curve of the lekku to hold in the stuffing and support the curved shape of the lekku. An alternative to the foam is to get a small bag of the Dry Polyester Packing Fiber Fill or more firm types of pillow stuffing. These materials can be compacted tightly to help support the lekku where they curve out from the head. Thin Spots in the Silicone: As the lekku are stuffed, the silicone stretches and any thin patches that were invisible before suddenly show up. If you find a thin spot in the silicone, stop the stuffing process and repair the spot before you go any further. Thin spots have a risk of tearing, so you don't want to put unnecessary stress on them!  Silicone Repair Kit: I will include a small amount of silicone that can be used to repair paint brush bristle holes or thin spots in the silicone, and instructions on how to use it. Trimmed Edge: The raw edge of silicone at the head opening is very prone to tearing when it comes off the mold, so I will trim the raw edge before shipping the headpiece. If you feel that it needs to be cut back further, you can trim the headpiece to suit your preferences.  Shipping Time: Every lekku headpiece is made to order, and will be cast and shipped as quickly as possible.  The final shipping time will depend on how many orders I have in my work queue, and how complicated the designs are. Please be patient and know that I'm always casting and shipping as fast as I can! Note: I've been asked quite a few times lately if I can put this tattoo pattern on different colors of lekku for folks making custom costumes. Yes, no problem! I can make a blue Atroxa headpiece, or violet, or flesh tone, or any other color that you have in mind. Just select Custom Color in the drop-down menu, and then when you get to the checkout page you can click "Add a note to this order" and tell me what color you'd like me to use!  Tattoo Pattern: The tattoo pattern is cast permanently into the silicone. It blends into the casting and does not look as if it has been painted on top of the lekku surface.  Price Breakdown: The unstuffed medium style lekku are $120, and the tattoo pattern is $35.  COLOR OPTIONS: Reel Creations Red: Reel Creations Red is the most popular paint used for Sith costumes. It is the makeup that was used to paint Ray Park for his Darth Maul scenes, and it held up during those fight scenes in the desert, so you know it's good stuff! It is an alcohol-based ink, so it is very durable and lasts a long time. Apply with an airbrush for best results, and you will need a makeup remover to take it off. Soap and water won't work! I do sell Reel Creations ink and can combine shipping with the headpiece. SHIPPING NOTE: Because of postal regulations, alcohol-based paint can only be shipped via GROUND. I cannot ship it International or via Priority Express. Pro-Aiir Hybrid Lipstick Red: This is the second most popular paint for Darth Atroxa costumes. It is a hybrid so it has a lower alcohol content, but it still has much of the durability of alcohol based paints. While it can be removed with soap and water, using a makeup remover makes the cleanup process much faster and easier! Mehron Beach Berry: Mehron Beach Berry is the most popular water-based paint for Atroxa costumers.  Custom Color: Please click on the "ADD A NOTE TO YOUR ORDER" link when you get to the shopping cart, and use that box to let me know which body paint brand and color you would like me to match.    Head Sizing Options: The Atroxa style headpieces are made in only one size. The mold is 21 inches in diameter and will stretch to accommodate larger head sizes.  Ear Cones: I will include one pair of matching ear cones with this headpiece. My Order Spreadsheet: I have a Google spreadsheet where I keep a list of my current orders. It only shows each person's name and what style of headpiece they ordered, but it lets everyone know how many orders I have at any given time and they can watch their names move up to the top of the list as I ship out headpieces. I also post occasional notes and updates at the top of the spreadsheet. If you would like to see the spreadsheet, you can find it here:  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12ugjiqRntBPM5Ue8DflZravJT7kmnhdqrkMJJbRcR44/edit?usp=sharing Length and Flexibility: These lekku are 27 inches in length when cast. They stretch a bit when they're stuffed and may get a little bit longer when worn since the silicone can stretch a bit under its own weight. These silicone lekku are much more flexible than latex lekku and will sway more as you move.  Durability: Unlike latex lekku, which can begin to crack after a while, silicone lasts quite a long time. My oldest silicone headpiece is nine years old, and it is still in perfect shape even after traveling back and forth across the country for quite a few conventions. Silicone is prone to tearing under some conditions, however. It won't tear without a starting point, so you must be careful not to create a weakened point where a rip might get started. This is primarily a concern around the edges of the head opening. When trimming away excess silicone, make sure to cut a straight line with your scissors. If you leave a jagged edge, that point can begin to tear. Cut a smooth, even line and it won't be a problem! Stuffing: The lekku are filled with pillow stuffing. I reinforce the top curves of the lekku with a layer of firmer silicone and then they are filled with a soft expanding foam which preserves the shape of the curve. Please note that because of the wonderful stretch of silicone, sometimes it is really difficult to remove every trace of 'sagging' in that area where the lekku curve out from the head. Even after years of making silicone lekku I've never been able to fully eliminate that issue! Weight: These lekku average between 1.4 and 1.7 pounds. The weight varies because we can't always use the exact same amount of silicone and stuffing.  Static: Silicone is more prone to building up a static charge than anything else I've ever worked with. It's not a huge problem for costumers, just keep in mind that pillow stuffing fibers, loose bristles from paint brushes, and bits of hair will inevitably be found stuck to your headpiece. For the extra wiggle of silicone, though.... it's worth it. You can rub baby powder on the lekku to reduce the static and shine of the silicone. Glue: Nothing sticks to silicone! If you want to attach a decoration permanently to the lekku, typical glues like rubber cement won't work. Instead, you must use a silicone specific adhesive. I recommend Sil-Poxy, which is sold by Smooth-On. If the foam stuffing starts to come out of the lekku after a while, you can also use the Sil-Poxy to glue it back into place, and if the headpiece ever develops a tear, Sil-Poxy can be used to apply a patch. International Orders: If you're an international customer, please review your country's import policy before purchasing. Customs fees and import taxes are the sole responsibility of the buyer. As a business owner I cannot declare on the customs paperwork that the lekku are a gift, or that they have a very low value. Photographs: The photos shown in this sale are not the same lekku headpiece which is for sale. They are examples. The lekku I ship will be cast from the same mold and will look identical save for any natural variations in the silicone, colorant, and stuffing. Please keep in mind that colors appear different on different monitors. I would be happy to help with any Twi'lek costuming questions, so please feel free to ask. Twi'lek costumes are a lot of work, especially since you have to do the body paint every time you wear them if you want to be an exotic color... but it's definitely worth the effort. It's really fun! People often stop you for a picture, and I have a good laugh every time somebody asks, "Can I touch your tentacles?" Good times!