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a bjd's lifespan

Mar 17, 2008

    1. I was reading a thread today that said that bjds are here to enjoy for only a little while and that they are not meant too keep for a long time because of yellowing ect.... this idea devistated me and i really hope that this isn't true because if I plan to spend 500$ or more on a doll, I plan to keep it for a very very long time. Do bjds really not last that long? could I not pass them on to my kids? What do you guys think?
       
    2. Oh, resin should last quite a while, its just won't always look brand new. I wouldn't worry.

      Face-ups will have to be replaced, and resin will yellow a bit, but these guys are worth it.
       
    3. I can't say for certain, but I would think that it is certainly possible to keep them for quite a long time. It depends on the type of resin you have (some companies' resin yellows faster than others) and also the way you store your dolls, how much sunlight they get, whether they've been sealed, etc. etc. There are a lot of factors. But, provided you take good care of them, they should last a long time. After all, polyurethane resin is a very durable substance (despite the occasional broken finger or chipped nose you hear about on here!).
       
    4. That's ridiculous! xD Resin does yellow, but everything ages. And plus - yellowed resin is fixable (not completely, but it can be lessened.) Resin is really durable, and it definitely won't break just by aging.

      Of course, however, everything gets wear and tear as it ages.. you might get some chips and broken fingers, and you'll definitely need to replace faceups and wigs.. but the entire doll? Definitely not. xD At least -- as long as you take good care of them. ;)
       
    5. I worry about this in terms of French resin. I don't plan to be getting the molds I want in a short span of time, so getting the molds that are French resin last would probably be better, considering they yellow so much faster. That's a depressing thought though, as I would like to enjoy those dolls NOW instead of way later. Even if kept out of the light and sealed, I keep fearing that FR would only last a couple years. ;___;
       
    6. Even tho some yellowing is unavoidable, if you don't keep them in direct sunlight for awhile, then it won't be too bad.

      I personally wouldn't ever buy french resin because of how much faster it yellows, buts thats preference.

      Its not like you couldn't keep your doll for 5+ years. Its just that by then, it wouldn't look like you just got it. :)
       
    7. I got my Lucas the first in Dec. 2002 and he definitely looks older than my other dolls. Part of that, though, is the fact that I used him for a LOT of faceup practice and before I got some Mr. Thinner I used to use nail polish remover on his face. The resin of his face is a good bit paler/more 'washed out' than the rest of him. The same is true for my Shiro T. I got a bit later. But, they don't look /bad/ and the fact that I have many BJD from many different years and makers means the resin isn't the same anyway. I don't think any of my dolls hae really yellowed so that you'd go 'ew!' and most are only noticeable when being compared side by side with other dolls.

      I don't see any reason that a well-maintained resin doll couldn't be enjoyed for decades if not centuries to come. No, they won't look like new, but that just can bring a nice sense of nostalgia to them.
       
    8. I agree with ryo and others, yes over time the doll will age, but a bit of yellowing does not have to be the end of loving them.

      age does not mean that they will not last they will just look loved/played with (by lack of better words) and they will still be the lovely doll you bought, just a bit older :)
       
    9. I s'pose it all depends on your feelings on yellowing. Personally, it doesn't bother me in the slightest, so I fully intend on keeping my dolls forever :)
       
    10. I personally plan on having them my entire life. Something really big would have to happen for me not to want to keep them anymore. I try to take care of them not exposing them to sun or smoke and I try to clean them from time to time (if nothing dirty them like once a year or two years... but I do have to clean the stains the clothes leave on them >.<). I hope this way they won't get yellow too soon, but even if their resin get yellow I'd still love them.
       
    11. I dont think they have a short lifespan.
      On the contrary I think they have a very long lifespan if you let them.
      As long as your not overly aggressive towards them I dont see why they cant last you for the rest of your life. Its true that even the best kept faceup only last for about 2 years (except if you keep it in a box all the time I guess).
      I have had my Freyja now since december 2005 and although she now has a new face up then she did back then I dont see why I shouldnt have many more years with her.
      It just all depends on how much yellowing matters to you and if you can accept it for what it is, its time, plain and simple. Every doll yellows cause that is the way resin works. It gives them more character I think.
       
    12. Most resin isn't stable - the yellowing that occurs is a process at the molecular level, a reaction between the molecules in the resin, and light (particularly UV light) and oxygen. The molecules are breaking down. Still, dollfies may last a lifetime with correct care (keeping them away from ultraviolet light, and various coatings that provide a barrier against UV light and oxygen.) Who knows what will happen to them in a hundred years, or more?
       
    13. That's the thing, no one really knows what will happen because resin BJDs are relatively new technology. The oldest dolls have been around for what, a decade? Owing to differences in resin batches, we may never be able to predict accurately how well or badly a particular doll will age. I was concerned about that when I first found it out, but since there's very little I can do about it, I'm just going to roll with it. Like my human friends, it's their personality I love, not their outward appearance. If my paper-white Baha yellows, I'll paint stripes on her and turn her into a marmalade tabby, and I'll change my attitude to think of my NS dolls as old ivory instead of yellowed plastic. Having grown up with antiques in the house, I should be able to adjust!
       
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    14. Yes, as so many have said, resin does yellow, especially French resin but even that doesn't look bad as it ages. My pinky-white Narin is slowly turning the color of an old wax doll but with my tanning Naraes & my golden-beige Narin the cor change is imperceptable. If anything the tanning effect is just getting deeper & looks very nice. So I'd say if you don't want to notice yellowing on French resin, get any shade except pinky-white. Please note, these dolls are at least 3 years old & in a bright room but out of direct sunlight so it didn't happen overnight.

      Resin itself has been around for such a (comparably) short time that it's impossible to predict the long term effects on stability of the material itself but like most other plastic type products should hold up for at least 50 years.
       
    15. I have 2 thoughts on this.
      Firstly, these dolls are on par with the antique french fashion dolls to me. Not only is their joint structured modeled of the old porcelain dolls, they are in the same rarified strata as well. They are not durable, soft toys for babies and toddlers, they are expensive toys for mature people ( however you prefer to define this term). Some of the antique porcelain dolls still look pristine and some show their age, but collectors love them either way. I have hopes my grandchildren will value my BJD's in the same manner. I don't feel that yellowing decreases their value. I feel that it will just be seen as a graceful aging and part of their "vintage' appeal.

      Secondly
      Your milage may vary as far as faceups go. Nathaniel is 2 1/2 years old and his faceup is near pristine. He never stays in a box. He is kept on a shelf in my room and I dress him and frequently use him as a costuming dummy and model. I am careful to keep my hands off his face and adjust his head by the back of the skull and the chin. This technique has worked well for me :)
      Susan
       
    16. Resin last a long time. So no worries about that, it is just that the color yellows and that face-ups wear off at some point, and you would just have to re-due it at one point. You could totally pass these dolls down to your kids, they just won't look all nice and brand new.​
       
    17. I was wondering about this too. I wonder if they eventually disintegrate...
      ((I mean in a long loongg time. Hopefully not in my life time XD Id be devastated to see this happen to my dolls.))
       
    18. That's just beautiful. Thinking of our dolls as made out of old ivory... sounds like something right out from Oscar Wilde ^^ I guess that's the right attitude towards doll-aging - creative&optimistic, and just a bit nostalgic.
       
    19. I don't see yellowing as destroying the doll--its just part of the aging process. There's no reason they shouldn't last a good long time.
       
    20. I have a related question... what's the oldest resin BJD everyone owns? I'd like to figure out who owned one the longest, and find out what they have to say...

      Edit: I just got into the hobby last year myself, but have a few second-hand dolls that are a bit older...