My Jewel diary- a running review and blog for my Textile BBW

privatetai · Post by **privatetai** » Tue Jun 02, 2020 5:57 am

"Another give away that it is a common problem is the fact that I never received an answer to my messages. So not only is it a common problem, they don't have a good solution to fix it either. The way I looked at the video, the only thing I could think of is that the old joints would have to be completely cut out and that a joint that changes the metal to plastic joint to one that is metal on metal is the way to go. Something that offers a pressure resistance by some kind of spring. Using just lockwashers isn't good enough as that will eventually wear down. I think a while back DS-Doll had posted what their skeleton looked like and it was something pretty intricate. It would be a large undertaking and / or probably expensive too."

Yeah, whoever thought that plastic on metal would work obviously didn't care about the dolls lasting, or had no clue on how things wear and tear. Considering how it was made in China, anything's possible lol.

Diaval · Post by **Diaval** » Tue Jun 02, 2020 10:49 am

privatetai wrote:"Another give away that it is a common problem is the fact that I never received an answer to my messages. So not only is it a common problem, they don't have a good solution to fix it either. The way I looked at the video, the only thing I could think of is that the old joints would have to be completely cut out and that a joint that changes the metal to plastic joint to one that is metal on metal is the way to go. Something that offers a pressure resistance by some kind of spring. Using just lockwashers isn't good enough as that will eventually wear down. I think a while back DS-Doll had posted what their skeleton looked like and it was something pretty intricate. It would be a large undertaking and / or probably expensive too."

Yeah, whoever thought that plastic on metal would work obviously didn't care about the dolls lasting, or had no clue on how things wear and tear. Considering how it was made in China, anything's possible lol.

Yes, I was thinking the same thing. From what I seen on those joint repair videos had me shaking my head. Is it any wonder the joints failed so quickly. That is why I didn't bother going in and fixing Eryka because I know that all the joints will fail and to be productive in fixing her...ALL the arm and leg joints have to be replaced at the same time. So the big question is to find a joint substitute that is reliable and then graft that into frame. The only way I can see that happening is if someone posts a detailed video of a skeleton of a known reliable doll, such as a DS Doll. At one point they DID have a picture up of their skeleton on their site, but I sadly, I can't find that picture any more. But even though, I would need VERY close up pictures AND I would need to know the exact materials they used for the joints and I seriously doubt DS would give that information up as that skeleton they have a patent on. The only other alternative is to perhaps look into mannequin designs and perhaps get a joint design from them. Some mannequins have articulated fingers and could possibly replace the whole hand structure. So in a way this is kind of adopting a 'donor' skeleton per say. Since mannequins were built for commercial use, the armatures are usually wood or metal, so if armature parts are needed, that is certainly stronger materials to work with. However, it would come at a cost of making the doll heavier, but not my much since we are really talking about only replacing the limb joints. The rest of the armature that make up the torso can remain as it doesn't appear that there are too much issues with the torso spring or the neck joint (which I don't move much anyway).

It is just a real sad shame that it comes to this.

Obviously it does seem like the easiest, but not very cost effective way is to replace the body with a Textile one, if Yuri would do it. But I know that would probably run at least the cost of a Dagmar doll. Textile Dolls do seem like they are more expensive than Happy Dolls, but the trade off is a better skeleton that doesn't seem to fail easily. It is just that there are some limitations here as well as to some of the recent discoveries when talking more about Jewel's construction with you. The shifting skin and 'lumping' of the underlying material are not good signs, but it isn't a major problem as you said it can be easily straightened out. I guess I am a bit on the fence going this route as I liked the nice smooth and firm body of the Dagmar doll. But the body does have a concern in that what happened to you with the breasts can happen to me too. So it does boil down to it that if I would attempt a repair on Eryka, it would be best to take care of all the known problems at once so I only would pull the skin off her one time.

It is terrible no matter what and I am VERY angry with Happy Dolls mainly because they are so close to having a perfect shaped and somewhat realistic looking doll, yet they skimped on the skeleton. For about another $200 more, they could have a 1st rate skeleton put in their dolls. It would make them a bit heavier and bit more expensive, but it is worth it as it seems like all those skeletons will fail in a relatively short period of time.

As for Textile Dolls, they already have a decent skeleton and body design, if Yuri would do something about those plastic heads, then he would be on top of the fabric doll market.

I just find it amazing that three years have gone by and there doesn't seem to be many advances in the field of fabric dolls. Only Teddy Babes seems to have a decent upgrade this year and then there is the release of the Valentina Dolls, but as I mentioned in the other thread, I have no interest in those. It seems like the market they are after is the frequent traveler as they tout their dolls can be folded up and put into a suitcase.

But in terms of Happy Dolls and Textile Dolls, neither has come up with any updates or improvements.

privatetai · Post by **privatetai** » Tue Jun 02, 2020 2:11 pm

"But in terms of Happy Dolls and Textile Dolls, neither has come up with any updates or improvements."

It's a slow moving industry to be sure. Look at cell phone in the 2000's versus cell phones today, now look at blow up dolls in the 2000's versus blow up dolls today- they're basically exactly the same lol. The same is true for TPE and fabric dolls. Once in a long while someone puts their mind to it to come up with a better design, but for the most part it seems people are more interested in making new body types, new faces, while the lousy finger wires never gets fixed.

Diaval · Post by **Diaval** » Tue Jun 02, 2020 4:16 pm

privatetai wrote:"But in terms of Happy Dolls and Textile Dolls, neither has come up with any updates or improvements."

It's a slow moving industry to be sure. Look at cell phone in the 2000's versus cell phones today, now look at blow up dolls in the 2000's versus blow up dolls today- they're basically exactly the same lol. The same is true for TPE and fabric dolls. Once in a long while someone puts their mind to it to come up with a better design, but for the most part it seems people are more interested in making new body types, new faces, while the lousy finger wires never gets fixed.

Yes, I was just mentioning this in the last message I sent you, but I referred to the gooseneck problem with the WM dolls. As far as I know, when it comes to the fingers, 6YE and DS have a solution. I THINK WM might have fixed the finger problem too, but sadly not all companies are adopting some kind of fix. I thought they would by now.

privatetai · Post by **privatetai** » Tue Jun 02, 2020 8:06 pm

"Yes, I was just mentioning this in the last message I sent you, but I referred to the gooseneck problem with the WM dolls. As far as I know, when it comes to the fingers, 6YE and DS have a solution. I THINK WM might have fixed the finger problem too, but sadly not all companies are adopting some kind of fix. I thought they would by now."

Yet it's not rocket science as we talked about before. Both Textile and Happy Dolls have managed functioning fingers that don't break. Even Cammy who's falling apart, her hands/fingers are as strong as the day she arrived.

Diaval · Post by **Diaval** » Wed Jun 03, 2020 2:43 am

privatetai wrote:"Yes, I was just mentioning this in the last message I sent you, but I referred to the gooseneck problem with the WM dolls. As far as I know, when it comes to the fingers, 6YE and DS have a solution. I THINK WM might have fixed the finger problem too, but sadly not all companies are adopting some kind of fix. I thought they would by now."

Yet it's not rocket science as we talked about before. Both Textile and Happy Dolls have managed functioning fingers that don't break. Even Cammy who's falling apart, her hands/fingers are as strong as the day she arrived.

When I saw videos for WM, I saw how the fingers were wiggling like crazy when the dolls were moved around. I knew the wires in the fingers had to be thin. But the Dagmar Doll, I can feel the wires are MUCH thicker. The downside is the fingers are thicker too, but hey, if they don't break so easily then so be it. Also I found out when it comes to wire skeletons and wire fingers, the key is to SLOWLY bend them. if you bend them quickly, it actually breaks the metal down faster. But unlike a select few that have digits for fingers, like Textile doll, almost every manufacturer out there uses wires in the fingers. 6YE and DS Dolls use a cap on the end so they don't punch through the finger tips.

With Eryka, I rarely moved the fingers.

privatetai · Post by **privatetai** » Wed Jun 03, 2020 3:04 am

Yeah I think me kept posing them with objects in hands was what messed up Stephanie's fingers. With Sarah I've learned my lesson so she doesn't get to hold items as much

Diaval · Post by **Diaval** » Wed Jun 03, 2020 12:21 pm

privatetai wrote:Yeah I think me kept posing them with objects in hands was what messed up Stephanie's fingers. With Sarah I've learned my lesson so she doesn't get to hold items as much

I figured this out early on when I was initially researching dolls and naturally the first ones that came up were WM. The gooseneck neck and finger poke through issues is what drove me away from them. However, I can say this, WM probably has the greatest selections of heads of any manufacturer out there. Their heads are also very beautiful and only Z-OneDoll surpassed them as looking a bit more realistic. With 6YE and DS doll, they do not have as great a selection of heads and even then there are only a couple I like.

So I don't know if they fixed the issues on the WM's finally. You might know more there than I since you have a WM on the way.

privatetai · Post by **privatetai** » Wed Jun 03, 2020 4:35 pm

"So I don't know if they fixed the issues on the WM's finally. You might know more there than I since you have a WM on the way."

I'll be sure to start a new diary for Nautia (name for the new girl by my gf lol), we'll find out then! Not sure how much longer it going to be before she gets here...

Diaval · Post by **Diaval** » Wed Jun 03, 2020 5:04 pm

privatetai wrote:"So I don't know if they fixed the issues on the WM's finally. You might know more there than I since you have a WM on the way."

I'll be sure to start a new diary for Nautia (name for the new girl by my gf lol), we'll find out then! Not sure how much longer it going to be before she gets here...

Sounds good...but how do you pronounce that name? If it is pronounced Naw-sha...well, all things considering, that is kind of close to Nausea. Some people here actually pronounce that as Naw-sha, but where I am from we pronounce it as Naw-zee-ah. However, if I am wrong on that pronunciation and it is closer to Naw-Tee-ah, then I would recommend changing the "t" to a "d" and that would be Naw-dee-ah. It has a similar sound and there is no confusion with Nausea.

Of course she is your doll, and you name her as you like. It is just that with that spelling there will be probably many that will think as I did. So I am just looking out for you there.

BTW, I have been talking with Yuri and he says he can do the body for me for around 750E. Of course that is a rough estimate and he didn't get me a shipping figure yet, but that doesn't sound too bad.

My biggest worry is the skin color matching. I am worried Yuri might ask for Eryka's head. So what I have been thinking about doing is picking up a WM head (or two) used and if Yuri can put the M16 thread mount on the doll, then I could send him a WM head that is closest to the color of Eryka's skin. This way I don't have to risk sending Eryka's head. If the WM head gets lost or damaged in shipment, then it wouldn't be a big deal. I think I will ask him if he has made adaptions to WM heads before.

privatetai · Post by **privatetai** » Wed Jun 03, 2020 6:40 pm

"My biggest worry is the skin color matching. I am worried Yuri might ask for Eryka's head. So what I have been thinking about doing is picking up a WM head (or two) used and if Yuri can put the M16 thread mount on the doll, then I could send him a WM head that is closest to the color of Eryka's skin. This way I don't have to risk sending Eryka's head. If the WM head gets lost or damaged in shipment, then it wouldn't be a big deal. I think I will ask him if he has made adaptions to WM heads before."

Is Eryka's skin tone the same as my Cammy? If so and you don't want to send him Eryka's head, let me know I can send Cammy's for you.

Diaval · Post by **Diaval** » Thu Jun 04, 2020 1:30 am

privatetai wrote:"My biggest worry is the skin color matching. I am worried Yuri might ask for Eryka's head. So what I have been thinking about doing is picking up a WM head (or two) used and if Yuri can put the M16 thread mount on the doll, then I could send him a WM head that is closest to the color of Eryka's skin. This way I don't have to risk sending Eryka's head. If the WM head gets lost or damaged in shipment, then it wouldn't be a big deal. I think I will ask him if he has made adaptions to WM heads before."

Is Eryka's skin tone the same as my Cammy? If so and you don't want to send him Eryka's head, let me know I can send Cammy's for you.

I believe I ordered Eryka with the 'pink' skin tone and not the more white anime tone. While I appreciate the kind gesture, I can't let you do that for me. God forbid something happens, then you would be out a head for your doll.

As it is, what I have done was put out a want ad in the Buy and Sell for a WM head. If someone comes up with a head I like, then that is what I would send to Yuri. In the event it would get damaged or lost, it wouldn't be a big deal. However, it could be a waste of time if Yuri cannot adapt his doll for a thread mount. Again, it is something I have to ask him.

privatetai · Post by **privatetai** » Thu Jun 04, 2020 3:27 am

"I believe I ordered Eryka with the 'pink' skin tone and not the more white anime tone. While I appreciate the kind gesture, I can't let you do that for me. God forbid something happens, then you would be out a head for your doll.

"

Well, I retired her so if I was out a head it's not really earth shattering.
The offer stands if you need it

Diaval · Post by **Diaval** » Thu Jun 04, 2020 11:21 am

privatetai wrote:"I believe I ordered Eryka with the 'pink' skin tone and not the more white anime tone. While I appreciate the kind gesture, I can't let you do that for me. God forbid something happens, then you would be out a head for your doll.

"

Well, I retired her so if I was out a head it's not really earth shattering.
The offer stands if you need it

Thank you again, I might take you up on that if it is indeed the same color. I know there were two color options and I chose the non-anime and more pink one. If you chose the same then they should be identical. For now I guess we will worry about that bridge when we get to it. As it is, I want to see if Yuri can put a thread mount on the doll.