To all those who think the KK2 visors are too big:

[rogue27]

Interesting pictures.

I had recently (before seeing your pictures) noticed that the classic visors are indeed a bit wider where they connect to the helmet, mostly due to the feather holes on the sides. Even so, they taper off very quickly and look like they are significantly smaller by volume or weight.

Likewise, the old visors may be a bit taller, but that is just for the feather hole. The Vladek visor has those big cheesy anime-looking shapes on the top corners where the old visor has no plastic at all.

One thing that really bugs me, (and maybe you can post a picture to confirm or deny this) is that there appears to be a big gap between the top of the helmet and the visor if you view the helm from behind. I can't tell for certain, but it appears that way in the side pictures.

I would almost think you work in marketing the way you have these pictures set up to convince people the KK2 helms are good.

I'm not convinced, but it seems you've brought a few people on board. Good job. As to myself, it doesn't matter if I am convinced, because I'll buy them anyway. It IS castle, and it's all we've got at the moment.

[Formendacil]

I only have Vladek Encounter so far, and I have to say that I like the SHAPE of Purple better. Vladek flares out on the sides going backwards, and looks kind of..... unhelmetlike.

Pity that the purple's purple. May have to change that. THe shape is actually decent on those.

[Lord_Of_The_LEGO]

You are entitled to your opinions, but I respectfully opt to disagree.

In any case, I still think the KK2 visors rock, regardless of how relatively big or small they are compared to the other visor

Ditto. I love the shape of the purple visor, I just wish it was in black or gray. Still, I'm gonna get a lot of these babies!

[Sir Terrance]

Seeing some small bands of these purple knights don't really look that bad. I am thinking of just keeping the colors the way they are. The Valdeaks(sp?) visor is cool with the T shaped eyeholes and mouth hole. The other looks like the old one modified a bit. Both are very cool. I think as long as you keep the same colors together (Purple with purple, red with red,etc.) They won't look like a big jar of jellybeans, but like knights of a certain band.

[TwoTonic Knight]

One day later and KK2 are in SoCal at least to some limited degree.

The Old Visor (as opposed to the Classic Visor from 375) defintely seems smaller in person - it just doesn't have all that mass on the top of the helmet like the KK2 do. If I had to to choose only one from the KK2 Black and Purple styles, and the Old Visor I'd go Old. It has the customizing holes, and overall is not as massive and doesn't look as cludged from the back.

Despite it's size, I like the purple one. The shape of the visor is very good - perhaps when I get some spares I'll whittle away at the top to see if I can reduce the mass (I hear a collective inrush of breath at my usual sacrilege).

The black one - Idunno. Can't see how to modify it initially, and it is too fantasy for my tastes. I don't mind a few, however. I think it's best left as a mounted figure to try and disguise it's mass.

Gotta wait on the green, red, and Barbie blue ones. I like the pictures of green quite a bit, the red looks like the worst, and the blue I won't suffer in that color, so I'll have to reserve judgment once again until I can paint it.

[Formendacil]

I realize that a lot of people dislike the visors because of their colours, and I have to agree.

I also realize that a lot of people (not being TTK), won't paint them. I don't necessarily agree with this, but here's my solution:

Put the visors on different helmets, and on bodies where the purple/barbie/green/whatever is an accenting colour, and not the predominant one. Its what the Yellow Castle era knights did. (I know that they had red visors at least.)

I've experimented only a little with my purples, but I'm pleased with the results so far. As others have said, the shape is good, and the removal of the extra-strong purpliness is an improvement.

Of course, you guys are smart. You could have figured this out on your own. Right?

[TwoTonic Knight]

...I also realize that a lot of people (not being TTK), won't paint them. I don't necessarily agree with this, but here's my solution:

Put the visors on different helmets, and on bodies where the purple/barbie/green/whatever is an accenting colour, and not the predominant one. Its what the Yellow Castle era knights did. (I know that they had red visors at least.)

See Castle Customs for my Defense Against the Dark Arts demonstration.

As to helmet/visor switching - I do that all the time. I rarely have a solid color helmet, and I often use accenting colors (white, blue, red, yellow, green, etc.) for the actual helmet. I had planned to do this kind of thing, but use black and gray helmets with the colored visors. Didn't really work because you really don't see the actual helmet except from the back. The visor obscures the helmet and the two really don't form a design like the old visor does. I spent all of a few minutes putting off the inevitable, and then whipped out the spray black and Rub'N Buff....

[Formendacil]

As I was saying, probably everybody could have figured this out anyway, on their own. But at least that one dunce in 350 will now not have to stretch his (or her) brain-muscle.

But, of course, its not just the helmet changing, but the body changing. I mean, putting a proper head in place of the Vladek/Danju is a major improvement on its own.

And yes, as you will see in Customs, I have already seen the Rub 'n' Buff technique. As I said there, it looks great.

*Please wait... Though coming*

Actually, the large size of these visors would make them great for First Age dwarves (Tolkien, duh!). And the Silmarillion says that they're helmet/masks were 'hideous' in appearance. Guess that means painting will be unnecessary.

But I will anyway. Don't have the figs to spare for Middle-earth. Have to populate my own world. Pity.

[Gumby]

In the second group of pictures that Anthony posted (comparing to the 375 visors), the right-most KK2 helmet looks kinda like a football helmet. On second glance, it looks like Optimus Prime's head!!

Regardless, I still like the old style visors better, in dark gray and black.

[rogue27]

Put the visors on different helmets, and on bodies where the purple/barbie/green/whatever is an accenting colour, and not the predominant one. Its what the Yellow Castle era knights did. (I know that they had red visors at least.)

Yeah, I had been thinking about putting purple visor, arms, and hip with black torso, legs, and helmet. I was thinking that would look cool. However, I don't have any KK2 yet. I don't remember which sets have the purple knight, but if it's an affordable one, I would like to make a group of lancers dressed like that.

[Formendacil]

Yeah, I had been thinking about putting purple visor, arms, and hip with black torso, legs, and helmet. I was thinking that would look cool. However, I don't have any KK2 yet. I don't remember which sets have the purple knight, but if it's an affordable one, I would like to make a group of lancers dressed like that.

The purple knight (Thir Whatsisface?) come with Vladek Encounter, the cheapest of the sets (although at 9USDs, that's still kinda expensive, but well worth the money.

You might run into a problem though: Thir Purple-pants doesn't come with purple hips, but with new light grey. You could probably still make it work, but you'd have to use purple pants and black hips instead of vice versa.

[jamitjames]

Thanks for showing us them. I always thoght they were bigger And I hate the first visors, but then again I have never seen one in real life.

[rogue27]

Yeah, I had been thinking about putting purple visor, arms, and hip with black torso, legs, and helmet. I was thinking that would look cool. However, I don't have any KK2 yet. I don't remember which sets have the purple knight, but if it's an affordable one, I would like to make a group of lancers dressed like that.

The purple knight (Thir Whatsisface?) come with Vladek Encounter, the cheapest of the sets (although at 9USDs, that's still kinda expensive, but well worth the money.

You might run into a problem though: Thir Purple-pants doesn't come with purple hips, but with new light grey. You could probably still make it work, but you'd have to use purple pants and black hips instead of vice versa.

Ah! I knew there had to be a catch! Anyway, I do plan to get a couple Vladek Encounter sets after I can find them on sale for a good price. ShopKo often has BOBO 50% off sales, so I'll probably grab 4 next time they do that. (Assuming they have VE in stock at the same time)

Sad thing is that I would be happier if they just gave us colored versions of the classic visors instead of designing these new ones.

[The Blue Knight]

Call me crazy, but if I had a choice between the KK2 visor and the classic 375 visor, I'd choose the KK2. I've never quite liked that one anyway.

Alright, your crazy. The Classic Visor is the best (and most expensive by weight) castle piece ever. I may be slightly biased as I grew up with them. But the KK2 visors do look more massive. Thanks for the trouble of doing this Tony.

Personal-I was in Medina last week at my company headquarters! Small world, eh Doc S?

[jamitjames]

The Classic Visor is the best

No, they don't look like any thing from the middle ages. Why does every one hate the new colored guys when classic guys were colored to?