Kung Fu Grip

In 1974 GI Joe was modified yet again. The hard plastic hands that had been with Joe since the beginning were now replaced with soft rubber hands that allowed Joe to hold weapons better, slide down ropes, swing from tree branches and strangle that pesky cobra from the Search for the Stolen Idol. These new hands were christened Kung Fu Grip!

In addition to the changes to the figures the other drastic change was in the GI Joe logo. The plain white logo had existed pretty much intact since 1964, but the new logo was now in 3D with the depth of the letters in red and orange. By the time the lifelike GI Joe figures appeared the logo was even more colorful adding blue, red yellow and orange and tilting the logo 45 degrees for an even more dramatic 3D effect.

Hasbro had a good idea, they just didn't get it quite right. The original Kung Fu Grip hands are somewhat fragile. Many of the figures today are missing fingers and the hands on some of the figures (especially Mike Power) are discolored. Palitoy improved on the design and the Action Man figures issued in the late 70's have much sturdier Kung Fu Grip hands. If you have a figure that needs replacement hands Cotswold offers their own replacement referred to as action hands.

Another thing you may have not noticed. The pins on the Kung Fu Grip hands that slide into the forearm are longer than those on the Hard Hands, and the forearms for the two figures are slightly different. If you put Hard Hands on a Kung Fu Grip figure the bottom of the hand is obscured. If you put Kung Fu Grip hands on a Hard Hands figure the pin does not fit all the way into the arm.

Back Home