Silicone Doll seam lines

[esquisseallure]

Ohhhhh, I know this discussion. It's the same as BJDs, you
either hate the ball jointed and it breaks realism or you accept it as part of the product.

[Mr Franz]

Not really, the OP is talking about casting seams, not external mechanical joints as found on BJDs. There too though, on the more expensive variety, one expects those joints to be less pronounced and flash removed.

[TJ_Foxx]

I’m sorry, but seams are par for the course.

Well said Stacy.

[TJ_Foxx]

So I see a lot of seam lines still visible in plenty if not ALL silicone dolls sold here. For TPE, you can simply solder it down but silicone is much different.
Can it be further removed like they do with many silicone movie props?
This for example, it shows how to remove flash seams, and patch them up and texture it again delicately with a brush.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByV88zLJc7g

If you paying $4K+ for a doll and you see that seam, it would take you out of the experience. For $4K+, I'd like to see it well polished.
These companies can learn a thing or two from these Hollywood SFX guys.

I can tolerate seam lines to a degree depending on the doll and the location of the seam, but yeah, as the price goes up, the less tolerant I become of sloppy workmanship....

No one would disagree with sloppy workmanship being an issue. DJC, Stacy and I are referring to the barely perceptible seam line in higher quality dolls, like the ones made by Abyss, 4Woods...

[Mr Consistency]

Speaking of Gynoid, seam lines wouldn't bother me as much as the 'beauty marks' they use. Seam lines I'd generally get over and move on unless they are really obnoxious. My eyes, however, would constantly be moving to the marks in an 'oooh! squirrel!' type of way.

Wierd, huh?

[Colonel Angus]

Last I'll say on this, especially since some are eager to outright dismiss my opinion entirely. But, those who have been exposed to dolls for a very long time seem as though they may have been desensitized to many faults through overexposure. The more accustomed one becomes to something, the less extreme it appears to them. It's only natural. But, that resulting in resignation and acceptance isn't a good thing. Granted, in some that you mention, Abyss etc, it is far less glaring, even to my layman's eyes. But others in the price range just below, IL, Sino, etc., it is still pretty obvious, and those makers are not incentivized to improve due to the aforementioned resignation and acceptance.
Someone above suggested a thorough seam cleaning before details/finishes were added in the production process. That, to me, makes an enormous amount of sense.

[TJ_Foxx]

Speaking of Gynoid, seam lines wouldn't bother me as much as the 'beauty marks' they use. Seam lines I'd generally get over and move on unless they are really obnoxious. My eyes, however, would constantly be moving to the marks in an 'oooh! squirrel!' type of way.

Wierd, huh?

LOL Mr C that's funny. But GAWD! I LOVE beauty marks on women, organic and synthetic. I am fortunate my wife has several well paced ones.

[bettyboo]

Just coming in to point out how ridiculous it is that people who have not owned a doll but has only seen pictures would feel they have more expertise in the area. Have you ever seen a doll in real life before?! Not necessarily owned one but saw one? Also the whole thing about stuff being more obvious in real life if it’s obvious in pictures is just not true. The photograph flattens and distorts and also as it’s compressed the experience into one dimension - looking at a picture of a doll on a screen is very different from experiencing a doll in real life, where all of your senses are engaged.

Also, with the casting process, there will always be a seam line. It’s just the way it is when you cast in silicone. If your doll is handmade, as is the case for many doll, the silicone will seep through the cracks of the cast. This minor leftover can be removed yourself with nail scissors if it bothers you that much. As much as you want the doll to fully resemble a human, they are not and never will be. So maybe dolls are just not for you.

[garriola83]

I just showed you guys how it can be nipped out and silicone can be re-applied to smooth out the flash lines. By one guys! There's a video too!
But hey, lets not actually see that it can be done but keep the idea that things from the past will always be the same.

[Colonel Angus]

I never once claimed to be an expert, or anything of the sort. Although I have worked professionally as a sculptor before. Also, I didn't realize that owning something, or seeing it in the flesh often, made someone an expert in it's manufacture. And yes, I have seen one in person before.

[Pummelbrook]

You get what you pay for.
I have 3 silicone dolls.
Only the 4woods doll has no visible seam lines.

These are my 4woods and the Mdoll or IMdoll.
The skincolor is also more realistic with the 4woods.

But remember the 4woods is more then 3 times the price of the Mdoll.

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[Mr Consistency]

I have to wonder if a part of the cost for those silicone dolls that use special makeup for the bodies is time involved for removing excess seams.

For anyone that has such a doll, how are the seam lines?

[TJ_Foxx]

There are a couple of different points being made here.

The OP presented a video by a professional special effects artist on how to nip and fill seam lines is cast silicone prosthetics. Note the silicone being worked is unsealed/unfinished for use. A doll you purchase will be sealed and finished for you. Yes, you can trim the seams like the instructor does in the video, but nip too much you will penetrate, read: damage the sealer layer. Not unlike scrubbing it off with a washcloth or brush when you bathe your doll. DIY'ers might want to consider this and seek advice from someone with experience in this task with a doll prior to undertaking such a project.

So what about seam lines in dolls? I think a good statement was, "You get what you pay for." Seam lines will be more pronounced and less perhaps precisely trimmed in lower price point silicone dolls. While these dolls are all platinum silicone they are also different blends. Not unlike the various grades of stainless steel. Workmanship also varies from mass produced silicone dolls in the $2-3 range up though more involved $5-7k range. The amount of individual attention to detail each doll gets on the line adds cost to doll. The cost of the labor in the country the doll is made adds to the cost. Visibility of seam lines and accuracy of their trimming are some of those details.

Experience owning a doll, or rather having the doll in your life, as I prefer to call it, does have its advantages to insights on such matters over just googling and looking at pictures. By all means google and looking at pictures is how we all got started!

What you will find here n TDF is a group of experienced doll people as it were, who are willing to help you learn about what care and feeding of a doll is like over time, if you are willing to listen and have an open dialogue. I came here 5 1/2 years ago without a clue and a bunch of misconceptions about dolls. Once of the big decisions back then was built in vagina vs. removable insert. I never thought I 'd like ta doll with a insert,regarding look or feel.- but i kept an open mind, and saw how wrong I was. That was just one of the first things I learned early on. But if your mind is already made up maybe you don't want invest in a synthetic companion. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

To learn about platinum silicone doll care and tips, seek out Brick Dollbangers videos here on TDF and on his website. Brick is the the Abyss Brand Ambassador. For more involved repair and modifications, you can look to the Mods, Repair & Maintenance section in each doll manufacturer's forum. You can also google Galmato Haven the authorized Real Doll Repair affiliate.

Keep Calm, Doll On.

[HornedPear]

I have to wonder if a part of the cost for those silicone dolls that use special makeup for the bodies is time involved for removing excess seams.

For anyone that has such a doll, how are the seam lines?

You don't have to go too high end to get a doll with barely visible seems. I can't see the seems on my DS Evo unless I look very closely and the light hits at just the right angle. I would say DS is in the middle range in the spectrum silicone doll prices but they are designed more for visual appeal than sexual functionality.

[catdaddy]

I make the seams a feature, if I over twist a limb I can quickly see how I'm doing by checking the seam lines and back off the twist or movement to preserve the Silicone. Works for me. Kind of like watching your RPMs on a tach.