The STRANGE History of LEGO Minifigure Head Holes...

🔸 Audible: Get one (1) credit to pick any title, plus unlimited free Audible Originals every month when you visit audible.com/spitbrix or text SpitBrix to 500-500.
🔸 Thanks to Audible for sponsoring this video! (AD)
👍 Leave a LIKE if you enjoy this video!
⭐ In this video, I discuss the strange history of LEGO Minifigures head holes and their disappearance in recent years including answers to these questions:
1) How has the LEGO Minifigure head evolved since the 1970s?
2) Why were holes added to LEGO Minifigure heads?
3) Why were these holes removed starting in 2012? (3 Theories)
In this video, you will see minifigures from themes such as:
LEGO Ninjago
LEGO Star Wars
LEGO Collectible Minifigures
LEGO Marvel
and MORE!
⭐ More LEGO Videos:
LIFE SIZE LEGO CARS (Very Expensive) - • LIFE SIZE LEGO CARS (F...
Top 10 Most Valuable LEGO Sets - • THE 10 MOST VALUABLE L...
LEGO Sets that BREAK THE RULES - • MORE LEGO SETS THAT BR...
==============
🎵 Music:
Infndos - Mystery
==============
⭐ Do you have minifigures with and without holes? Comment below what you find!
👍 Please support this video with a LIKE!
🔔 SUBSCRIBE with Notifications turned ON: bit.ly/Sub_to_SpitBrix
Have a great day! 😄
#lego

[@SpitBrix]

👋 *Welcome new viewers! SUBSCRIBE to join our LEGO community!* • 20 Incredible LEGO World Records: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ipzGkqmYhraIqJY • Life Size LEGO Cars (Very Expensive): kzbin.info/www/bejne/npCVmaJ4n5iGmdE

[@hmcullmer]

Lego Minifigure

[@Ministryoftruth2]

@@hmcullmer what?

[@ronjoe6292]

@@Ministryoftruth2 Lego Minifigure

[@Peely_Is_Better_Then_Fishstick]

Lego Minifigure

[@HangmanSwingset]

Having grown up in the 90’s I do remember having a handful of the oldest design of lego figure heads. I HATED them because they were difficult to take off and put onto other figure bodies. The holes let air in and out, instead of just compressing the air out while putting on and creating a vacuum while taking the head off.

[@prkp7248]

Modern minifigures are exactly like that. I can't even twist head to different side (some heads are two sided with two emotions).

[@Bart-Did-it]

I never had that problem the heads went in my mouth first then onto the figure to stop that happening . The head got larger with the heat of your mouth and lubed it up first to . At aged 5 I did not no I was doing this and it worked …kids learning back in the day before this 💩 📱

[@BenjaminPalinkas2011]

Lego minifigure

[@dragon1130]

I always thought the holes in the heads were to keep the heads mounted more reliably. It was supposed to allow air to flow out of the top and prevent air pressure from poping the heads off.

[@roboticrebel4092]

i usually had the opposite problem the heads would get stuck so hard i'd have to bite them off

[@CallMe_Boris]

@@roboticrebel4092 same

[@roboticrebel4092]

@@CallMe_Boris front tooth hurts just thinking about it

[@CallMe_Boris]

@@roboticrebel4092 man i was so close to swallowing it. My front teeth werent as hard as my back teeth so i had to do IT with backs.

[@endlesspine]

@@roboticrebel4092 me too

[@lostcarpark]

Good content, but you missed one possible reason for the holes. They were introduced around the time LEGO started having multi-colour faces on minifigs. I believe they used a 3-pronged holder to keep the head piece in a fixed position between different passes of the printing pads, to ensure all print passes were correctly aligned. I think newer print processes don't require the prongs, so the hole pattern is no longer needed. You could well be right that the reason driving this change is the need to have an easily visible LEGO logo to counter fake minifigs. If the reason for the holes was to prevent choking, I think we would have had one round hole, not the 3 small ones

[@OakleyBartells]

Man wrote a movie script

[@newtybot]

@@OakleyBartells ??? Is two paragraphs too much to comprehend for you??

[@kailahmann1823]

I'd dismiss that theory, because the prongs don't align with the printing but vary with every head.

[@thatvikingdownstairs3756]

5:07 here's a time stamp for the end of the sponsor

[@archismarathe1589]

Our saviour

[@MontgomeryDelegation]

I did that but it got deleted :/

[@vanilla8777]

You are a true hero

[@CHEESE-cp1eq]

so glad i looked down at the comments

[@threeomgthree]

Thanks.

[@unownintendo]

I always thought they were so that the air that would get trapped in the hole when putting on the head would have somewhere to go

[@VanityFRV]

Tf?

[@sirparker2881]

So it dosen't force you to press down so hard

[@AlemoBavir]

Maybe also prevent a seal/suction making it hard to separate the parts.

[@unownintendo]

Sir Parker exactly

[@joydivision1970]

This. And by the time they had the 'force pressure' optimized (so they didn't need the holes anymore) they simply switched to a less cost intensive production method.

[@markarthcityguard8637]

To protect the "consumers"

[@Maximum_Spider-Man]

I missed the part where that’s my problem I don’t consume legos

[@AnnoyingBastsardonSteam]

@@Maximum_Spider-Man NO FING LEGOS OR LEGOES, JUST. LEGO.

[@bob837]

oh no

[@ayeshafenner7180]

Lego bricks

[@TheLetterbomber]

@@ayeshafenner7180 wego bwicks

[@zacharyvanderklippe5855]

The hole simply makes it easier to install/remove the head since it prevents a suction force. Some old heads were quite difficult to apply/remove.

[@rllynothere]

Not actually it's for safety so if a kid swallow it they can still breath

[@LitoMike]

@@rllynothere imagjne if like, it was *both*

[@thecommenter578]

Well, the holes on a pen cap aren't there to avoid chocking. They are meant to avoid vacuum when you take the cap apart because that would make the cap stuck to the pen. So for sure those holes on Lego mini figures are to deal with air pressure while assembling

[@sinisterisrandom8537]

The hole was incase you choked. It was a somewhat common occurrence before it was added

[@spleenlord7660]

The hole is used to control the minds of children to make them buy more LEGO

[@deandre9176]

Really

[@motorsportsenthusiast23]

Lol

[@George-floyd]

DonutFlikz Studios yes

[@alviyunitasari3737]

How?

[@carl0s_time97]

It hypnotizes them so whenever they see a lego box they wine until they’re parents buy it to them (cause a saw a kid do that once so yeah

[@Strawberry_PopTart]

I’ve been waiting for this, sounds interesting

[@shahmeer900]

Same bro

[@hotchocolateconnoisseur]

Its that menace Spider Man!

[@reactingcats7320]

Ur a menace. I'm a huge fan of JJJ

[@Maximum_Spider-Man]

Hmm something seems strange but i cant put my finger on it

[@dankerine]

I see videos like this where Zane is openly a robot, and I feel so old, I still remember the big reveal 😭

[@hal-fling]

Yeah same

[@evryflaremusic3243]

Why he rip off his own face tho 💀💀💀

[@CaveDDECanem]

Ahh I remember being young

[@PeteCorp]

Lego minifigure

[@kryota4546]

Lego minifigure

[@thebluejintythomasthetanke587]

*Minifigure Lego*

[@lucasdina3754]

Lego minifigure

[@owenpyper5195]

FigureLego Mini

[@-_ultra_-5079]

Lego minifigure

[@ryderace103]

Here are the reasons to save a bit of time 1. He head holes made it harder to put enough force to push it back up to cough it out 2. The holes are too small 3. Counterfeit Lego (the holes made it hard to put the Lego logo there)

[@pian-0g445]

Ryder Ace so basically it just didn’t work as intended, or at least we’ll enough

[@ryderace103]

Pian-0 G basically

[@scaryshit24]

@@pian-0g445 well*

[@savoryseaweed495]

You can swallow a LEGO head and you’ll be fine

[@politicallyinaccuratetoast4757]

I'm not a big fan of 3

[@Brickomotion]

I like these sorts of videos - keep them coming ;)

[@gecogirl4411]

Omg 🙊 BRICKOMOTION!!?? I love you videos 😍❤️ you got me to get the Harry potter diagon ally and it took ages but it looks grate and you video helped me alot to see if I really wanted it

[@melissawelch6018]

I like your vids brickomotion

[@jadenyuki3138]

Same

[@abcfurbybabiesofficialabc862]

i❤❤❤❤❤❤u

[@unoriginalperson72]

Move over Yankee with no brim now we have: lego with no holes

[@kayhanistan5555]

3:08 that's a fantastic map😃

[@ANDREWONETIME79]

Kayhan studios ikr

[@fnaftimex2361]

I know BUTTIFUL

[@indydd]

Ive seen you on a video before

[@irinaebbs8187]

You commented twice in a row for me lol

[@wommyu]

New Zealand is missing tho

[@adamn.4615]

I remember noticing the transition to the 3-hole heads one Christmas when my brothers and I got a lot of Legos. I noticed a few of my new minifigures had "funny heads," while the rest had the old-fashioned heads. If I remember, there were even a few cases in the next year where I would get a mix of the two head styles in a single set.

[@Duke_of_Lorraine]

I assume the holes were a way of easily removing or placing the air, allowing an entry or exit for air instead of having to deal with air pressure

[@mikesozickgaming1012]

Even though this is a year old, something interesting I found was with my LEGO alien conquest sets. The news lady didn’t have head holes while one of the ADU soldiers did. These were released around the same time so I wonder how that happened. What’s even stranger was I think these were released around 2011 (correct me if I’m wrong).

[@sombertownds149]

2:57 I HAVE HIM, i use him as a detective

[@Hockeyshooter]

sombertownDS 1 no one cares

[@sweet-sweetpineapple2817]

@@Hockeyshooter shut up

[@dreysantillan]

@@Hockeyshooter proven your rude ass wrong, I care

[@chonkimonki1320]

He looks like one but i wouldnt use him as a detective i would buy that one set

[@sombertownds149]

Bugget Noxes unfortunately, the saxophone has disappeared

[@pablo-xy7ly]

I actually just realized this a couple days ago while looking at my Minifigures, I found it odd cuz growing up they've always had holes for me, so I just assumed they all did. But looking at my newer figures, they all are closed off and I found it quite odd.

[@rickedysplit2458]

Same here, strange.

[@_Roik]

My siblings and i call the heads with the three holes “lagecy heads” and we trade them for other “high value” pieces like light saber pieces and etc.

[@hal-fling]

Lmao

[@_Roik]

@@hal-fling hell yeah man 😂

[@hal-fling]

This reminds me how i once traded one Lego friends boy minifigure as a kid... FOR A FCKING GREY RABBIT *WITH BROKEN EAR* Because my logic was "i need a pet for every girl, so i have to trade a boy instead" *Meths skils*

[@hal-fling]

Your trades seem to be much better tho

[@_Roik]

@@hal-fling LOL

[@molotera8789]

3:11 bruh i didnt know there was a Lego factory in my city yet it took YEARS in my country for a Lego store to open

[@RobertChambers1522]

I always thought the holes were to keep air pressure from potentially causing the head to explode when you assembled it

[@chamoo232]

I never though about the heads exploding but I did think for a while that it was both for chocking hazards and pressure. I noticed as a kid that it was harder to put the heads without a hole on the body and taking the head off gave a popping noise sometimes.

[@elFulberto]

This theory has blown my mind.

[@Carbon-cringe-human]

@@chamoo232 chocking

[@0186179821]

During quarantine anything is interesting to watch. Even this.

[@saffroncoasts6950]

69 likes

[@kailahmann1823]

bringing the Logo back onto the head is pretty sure the main reason for that change - we also see the removal or fully open studs on other pieces, however heads with their often unique prints are very interesting to sell other brands as Lego.

[@entityunknown2]

who remembers lego power miners?i almost have the whole set.

[@DeeDee-tn8pw]

I have the full farm set

[@-ions]

They made a PS1 game of that there

[@kaeleefield6895]

Hmmm... I have season 1 Jay with the holes in his head, but then Jay DX without the hole... I got them off of bricklink so the Jay DX head could be a newer head on the older minifigure.

[@demigod5598]

Kaelee Field yeah I got a lego deadpool fig without a hole but I saw a guy with the fig and it had holes so mine might be newer

[@VanityFRV]

Same

[@icymariobros3793]

I buy mini figures from a store at the mall you can buy mini figures from 1-5 dollars and you can ask to inspect it closer (you cant touch them while on the shelf) so you know what head piece the figure has i really like it because its just figures and no sets so if you lost say a kai figure you could walk down give em 2 bucks and have kai back i really want to go there when this whole thing is over because i have lots of money saved up and want a hulk fig and some spiderman and ninja figs

[@Eidolon1andOnly]

Or you got a counterfeit head

[@avi7529]

Hi I never new about the 3 holes in the heads, it’s really cool

[@Lmn-hc3ll]

@@jeannefortin5603 Same I got one of the first Lego Ninjago set Witch was the Jay motorbike, and a snow trooper battlepack I saw them but i didn't know what it was for.

[@TakisEnjoyer]

Thanks for the video. I remember sorting my Lego to remove all the fake ones by looking for the safety holes not knowing there were none in my newer ones. So basically Theory #3 worked the other way for me lol

[@Marco1973est]

Awesome information and research 🔬!! Ty!

[@ryanmackenzie7651]

Ninjago is my favourite lego theme of all time.

[@braxtonboy321]

:D

[@Supasmartguy]

Mine too

[@josetheclassicstarwarsfan8514]

And Star Wars to!!

[@lucaskimbrell2474]

I love ninjago as well

[@ThetitaniumNinja-yg7no]

Me too your cool

[@pedromichelini7364]

Interesting, i love your vids man, you always go behind the history of lego

[@janajayjana]

2:57 *Coffin dance intestifies*

[@kekchanbiggestfan]

I always thought it was to make it easier to remove from a toro piece as it would prevent vacuum. If it was because of a choking hazard, why didn’t they put holes in all the other small lego pieces?

[@kayhanistan5555]

I have lots of "fan heads" in my collection

[@warra7997]

Same! I think the holes are important for children not to choke cus they do

[@joyfuljay6829]

Same bro

[@indydd]

I have lots of mordor orcs so me too!

[@signalstatic8628]

@@warra7997 the thing is is the hole at the top is too small to breath through

[@anthonysmithcooking8873]

Holup

[@samuelyawful]

I always wondered how I could tell if loose minifigures were indeed real or not given that there was no place to stamp a lego logo on the three slitted heads. Perhaps they could've stamped the logo in the inside of the head near the bottom rim? I do agree that counterfeit lego must be a very pressing issue for the company right now so stamping the logo on the heads is a right move.

[@qbfig]

5:12 HEAVY BREATHING

[@icecremmester]

Oh my god! I hear it know

[@davebooshty299]

2:03 But yet swallowing a Lego head with or without holes , to me still seems very hazardous.

[@brickfits1384]

Ninjago and Star Wars are my favorite LEGO themes

[@briannadefalco8907]

Same

[@Aevasrealm]

Same fellow lego brother

[@Hockeyshooter]

Who cares

[@chonkimonki1320]

Mine is speed champions and creator

[@indydd]

Mine is lord of the rings and star wars 😁

[@alexbarrett3832]

I always thought that the holes were to make it easier to take the heads on and off. Without them it is possible for a vacuum to form, and make it harder to pull the two pieces apart. Clearly this isn't a major problem, so may also be an urban legend, I suspect the peices are so small that it would never be too much of a problem.

[@SavageJarJar]

It can be a bigger problem sometimes

[@yegr7763]

1:07 Just realized I had somehow gotten ahold of a 30 year old lego set when I was 4 or 5 because I had that exact minifigure. Probably not the best thing that I kept chewing on all the pieces to get then apart.

[@BraySMG]

1:32 ah yes a young master builder... lol xd

[@exelierxe.e]

in childhood(like 2010) i liked Lego agents and lego power miners 0:20 I remember this head

[@crashbandicoot9802]

They were introduced for no choking hazards, hence the fact that if one did choke on them, they would be able to breathe

[@chamoo232]

That's why they were originally made but we know now that the holes are too small to properly breathe and it actually make it harder to push the piece out if someone is chocking on it. The Heimlich technique work best when the airways are completely stuck.

[@Omegasutoraiki]

I prefer the holed heads because they are a bit easier to put on and take off.

[@saix2852]

I love when says: - young master builders💖

[@evalord6264]

Star Wars is my favorite LEGO theme

[@meganbenson1478]

Bruh your profile picture is a 501st trooper, not boba fett

[@starstuds]

@@meganbenson1478 Boba Fett was a clone though

[@beeyeeter6391]

Spitbrix 2020: Talking about holes

[@anthonyb507]

Awesome. I just bought a entirely red torso and legs minifigure with yellow hands and head with "Lego" stamped on the top with no hole. It sparked my interest to see why. It's the same one in this video!

[@wagsternatormemez5968]

This was actually really interesting, good video!

[@watery7474]

This is very specific, the evolution of the “LEGO” “minifigure” “head” “holes”

[@TheLegonaut]

Wait til he gets to the hand joints

[@Deby_Bumblebee]

Actually those are good theories I Love learning more about Lego... I must assist to a Lego School xd

[@RaqinsAccount]

Another good vid keep it up bro!

[@ruanvandenberg8747]

I enjoyed this video and I really wish you can make more

[@salamanderavem3782]

1:10 SPACESHIP

[@SuperiorSquid]

1:04 "Lacked holes in their heads" *shows a head with a hole in it

[@berniethekiwidragon4382]

These holes would be pretty useless, considering Poiseuille's Law, that air flow rate is proportional to the radius of the windpipe by a power of 4. Reducing the radius even a little greatly reduces the air flow. I speculate that what little air that can pass through makes practically no difference.

[@Barracuda65]

I always assumed they made it easier to put on and take off the head since the holes let the air move freely and doesn't turn the head into like, a giant suction cup (like when you stack cups into each other)

[@superdupergrover9857]

Fun Fact: minifig heads are the perfect size to be used as bullets in .40 S&W and 10mm auto pistol cartridges. They aren't exactly practical, however. The jist of it is that the super-lightweight minifig head leaves the barrel before the powder completely burns.

[@Michael-dj6pd]

So... Am I going to regret asking you, how you know this?

[@superdupergrover9857]

@@Michael-dj6pd If memory serves correct, a picture of a cartridge with a minifig head instead of a bullet was posted somewhere on social media. Then one of the firearms enthusiast websites I visit decided to see if it would actually work.

[@ElectricPeaPlayz]

3:21 Now i know why leakers have figures early

[@leavlingr4681]

My friend just introduced me to you and I can't stop watching

[@xjaiva]

loved when he said, "when a master builder starts choking"

[@vladimirfruitin3118]

Lego actualy removed holes cuz the heads whoud brake

[@fmuci]

Grammar much

[@SNinja91]

Roll265 M actually* would* break*

[@indydd]

@@SNinja91 cause*

[@Brick-Life]

heads are hard to break

[@joyfuljay6829]

I mean it is fun to stick swords on the LEGO heads for some reason lol.

[@violetcupcake]

Ya XD

[@lavasharkandboygirl9716]

It was to make it easier for the figures heads to be pushed on without the issue of compressing the aid inside. But it made it too easy

[@doctorj5807]

This video helped a ton! I ordered the dx ninja online and was wondering why they had the holes in their head.

[@Ghost_-_]

Lego Worker:sir but what if the three holes help the kids from not choking? Lego: Nah let them choke doesn't matter, not our problem.

[@pian-0g445]

Heiser is that a mthrfckin Spiderman reference

[@potatoheadpokemario1931]

I remembered LEGo removing the black spot on the neck but latter added it back, do you have an explanation?

[@Vshmarov]

Lego spots are used for the machines to know on which side of the torso part must particular prints be

[@potatoheadpokemario1931]

@@Vshmarov That doesn't tell me why they where temporarily removed

[@Vshmarov]

@@potatoheadpokemario1931 I suppose they changed the equipment a bit and at that time the new machines on the factory were somehow able to distinguish between the front and the back of the torso not needing the dots. Maybe those new ones weren't as effective as the old ones were, so LEGO just brought up the old technique of dots (I hope I made it clear)

[@majorwoody1720]

When he started talking about the choking thing, it brought me back to when I was 8, I shoved a lego up my nose, it got stuck, and had a horrible bloody nose😂😂

[@phil-levin7978]

The 2012 Kai minifigure was my 1st lego minifigure. And i still have him with the spinner and the cards. After I got this figure my life changed extremely. I bought the comics, I bought the sets and the stickers. Now in 2020 my room wall is full of these pages of the lego comics and all my lego is there where it was since 2016.

[@7_y1ar]

5:07 is the end of the sponsor meaning we only have 2:13 of video time if sponsor wasnt there, most of the video is a sponsor

[@polarboy5862]

I'm afraid the holes for breathing is just an urban legend. Safety standards don't work with a "we'll just pick one style of the many pieces you make, and if you could make a token effort please that would be great". If it was legally required every stud, brick, plate and jumper would have to comply. Also as your video showed head pieces are generally contained in hoods or hair or hat pieces so what are the chances of you swallowing one without the other? You did somewhat touch upon the real (and rather mundane) reason, and it was simply a production change in the injection molds used. This has happened many times over the years for a variety of technical reasons with most pieces and more often then not the difference is undetectable to the general consumer.

[@thehappydude26]

I’ve been waiting 9 years for a video on this subject.

[@azmibricks]

Nice informative video. Thank you.

[@FiremanSam_LegoNinjago]

Me: checks my original Jay where’s, hmmm no holes

[@bibasik7]

*"LEGO MINIFIGURE" IF YOU SEE THIS!*

[@Bobert2020]

LEGO MINIFIGURE

[@winnietheflu4633]

i love this video! Edit: reaally awesome video :)))

[@seven0dub417]

Great video would of never new why they blocked the holes in the head

[@user-yl9oh3rq6s]

I’m just going to say LEGO minfigure.

[@Swannyswancutt04]

One of the hundred comments

[@ShrimpZipperz]

I never thought the holes were odd. I had thought that they were needed in some way.

[@AndrewTheCreativeDesigner]

Also minidoll heads had holes at some point. In 2018 they started to ad holes. But not in minifigures. Interesting 🤔. Also 06:06 LEGO MINFIGURE

[@dishashrivastava572]

"LEGO MINIFIGURE"

[@rickyv8709]

This is such a specific topic

[@JonatasAdoM]

I remember trying to breath through one of those pen caps (for some reason) and now I remmeber it was quite arduous if not painfully impossible.

[@SBYLEE]

This is MEGA COOL!

[@lydeart]

I always thought these served the elimination of a vacuum forming during head removal

[@GameDevBurger]

Me: checks Minecraft Lego figure. Also me: Oh there's no hole:(

[@comiccat4650]

Pre-90s lego heads makes me very uncofortable

[@Jax49]

dang, that was smooth sponsor plug transition

[@jelanimillner3167]

Lego minifigure!!! Love your vids!

[@hartwarg3051]

1:04 Yeah, these seven holes in my head make me miserable!

[@dominichadley2712]

My Gosh, Legomobile! :O Playmobile and Lego Clashed together, thats actually pretty kewl :3 0:55

[@togglefire3537]

You know it's crazy I've been collecting and playing with Legos for so long that I have the pre-hole heads and I also have post hole heads and everything in between.

[@alexgamerboy1234]

Man I remember the holes on the head we would get something stuck in it like dirt and it would break sometimes I never noticed it changed

[@fasih0771]

Thank you a lot I really wanted to know about those I have like ten but I thought they were fake LEGO and I almost threw them out but now I know thank u so much 👍keep up the great work😁

[@ramnoobie]

The happy slime of the Lego man makes me happy a bit

[@alienatedpoet1766]

It's been years since I bought a set with a minifig. I didn't know they changed the head holes until now.