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Are they really that fragile?

Feb 8, 2011

    1. I don't really have a BJD yet but they don't seem extremely fragile but I'd still be super careful with it.
       
    2. yah there defanatly not as fragial as they seem
       
    3. I've had dolls that have taken headers up to 5 ft or more (usually on carpet, but still) and didn't get so much as a dirty mark. At the same time, I've had dolls that have taken headers off the same surface (onto carpet) and have had their ear chipped off. >.<

      I think it depends on the company, resin, age, and any number of things... I just try to play it safe, no matter what.
       
    4. An X Box 360 fell on one of my dolls once, and it fell from quite a height. The X Box broke... my doll was completely fine! I have owned dolls for a bout 6 years now and I only just broke one last year when one fell from a book shelf and broke the special Topaz hands, they completely shattered. My dolls have really been through alot, theyve travelled and fallen etc but only been broke that one time. They are really not that fragile. I think face ups are what you need to be careful of most, an odd placed finger and you can chip some off.
       
    5. To me, BJD are not toy for children to play with roughly but They Are Toy, meant to be played with more care. I don't think it's so fragile to the point it should in a glass case ^^
       
    6. Fingers for sure. That's the only thing I've ever broken on a bjd. And sadly, it was my own fault as I had the hands on the floor during restringing and it got crushed under something. :P
      But yeah they're surprisingly more sturdy than I thought.
       
    7. When I just got into the hobby, I was paranoid about breaking, scratching or otherwise damaging my dolls. Now, 8 years later, I know that they are much sturdier than I initially thought. Yes, fingers and other thinner parts can break under certain circumstances - but, that's true with almost anything made of plastic. I've yet to break or scratch any of my dolls, and while I am careful with them, I do handle them often and take them out on photo shoots and trips. Once you try out restringing, you can truly appreciate how sturdy the dolls are. Having said this, there are companies out there who manufacture dolls using more brittle, thinner resin, and even though I don't have any dolls from them myself, I would imagine that they would be more fragile than what I'm accustomed to.
       
    8. I don't treat mine too roughly if I can help it, but at the same time, I know they're not porcelain. I've had a head roll off a desk onto a linoleum tile floor and break the top off his ear, while one doll (on a cheap resin body) went sailing across the room and landed in a heap (please don't ask) and was completely fine afterwards. It really depends on the dolls themselves, Maika lost a finger and all I'd done was move him. Cass meanwhile has fallen off the bed and against the wall and hasn't even dented his face-up (my constant kissing/snuggling/petting him was the scourge that took care of that -__-;;)
       
    9. Well, I don't thing everyone is thinking they are so fragile!

      I've never had any of my dolls break fingers or get chipped.

      But I had a faceup scratched just by a doll face-planting on soft GRASS... so some things can be damaged REALLY easily.

      Even really strong materials can break if they fall the right way... A doll can survive if it lands hard on its back... but if it falls right on its nose on concrete--you'll probably get some damage!
       
    10. Reading this thread was super fun! I'm glad to hear about dolly survivals. <3 I've got some crazy miraculously unscathed dolly stories of my own, some of which raise my blood pressure just remembering. I was also a fairly paranoid owner when I was just starting out, and I've come a long way since then. I think it's important to realize that they're fairly tough, because looking back I definitely have more fun (or at least a different kind of fun) with my resinkids now than I did when I fretted over how and who was handling them.

      I also think that in a way, it's almost cathartic to have a doll break for the first time, depending on how you think about it. I had my first real doll breakage when I opened a tiny and found that in transit a finger had broken off. I was very disappointed, and I have to admit I think it did sort of color my enjoyment of the doll, but I found myself thinking that a break was bound to happen sooner or later. It was kind of a relief, in a funny sort of way, that I had gotten it over with almost - it was obviously not the end of the world, it was fixable, and I was able to regard my dolls with a little less pressure on myself after that. Now, I'm pretty comfortable being goofy and derping with my dolls all I like, because I don't really do anything that's actually dangerous (an arm-dangle now and then isn't going to kill anybody, I'll be honest), and I think that I'm happier within the hobby that way. ^^

      I totally agree with Anna, restringing is really an eyeopener!
       
    11. Originally I thought they were fragile as anyone else who never had direct touch with a doll before..
      however..yesterday when I wanted to dress my little new comer up...I accidentally caused her to fell from the table two times!!! I was scared but it seemed noting happened to her when I checked her.

      Tough no physical damage seemed to be happening to my tiny baby, I felt really really sorry for her because I think she might feel pain..

      I think parts like fingers or elf ears could be quiet fragile if they are long and thin...
       
    12. Fragile?
      Yes and no.

      I'd say people are being really TOO damn carefull with their dolls.
      Honestly, they sure can take a hit. Come on.
      I often throw around (dun wrry I dont ACTUALLY really throw with my dolls) with my dolls too, nothing happened yet.
      Like pick them up on their arms roughly, or just mess around with them a bit. Or letting them slap or kick things quite agressivally.
      It's all ok, it's not like they'll break just because of that. I've throw them on the bed thousands of times, and they'd bounce off, or on something else hard. No problem.
      And ofc my dolls had faceplanted, or fell down to the floor numberous of times.

      The thing you have to be carefull off, is more the hands and other parts that might 'chip of'
      And keep them away from sharp objects so they wont scratch.
      I think that's the main thing I look for. I've been so rough with my dolls, people always are shocked by me.
      But that's because I know they can take the hit, my dolls havent suffered any damage besides stuff I didn't do to them myself.

      My Ducan has some scratches, btu that's because of fallign down himself, or sitting on something that scratched his resin a bit.
      All of that above wasnt me being rough. That's just things that happen.
      I honestly think when people are being TOO carefull with dolls... That's when accidents happen.

      I also prevent my ducan from fallign down face first to the gruond.
      Since his nose is so typical, I'm sure it'll chip off if it would land on it too hard.
       
    13. Thin pieces of resin can break. My BF, the clumsy elephant that he is, has managed to knock the same doll of her shelf not once but twice. The same piece broke both times, a very thin piece that's part of the knee mechanism. However my slightly chunkier doll has fallen in to a metal sewing machine without as much as a dent.

      ETA: first time it happened my BF moved his computer stuff from the sewing room to the living room so he wouldn't have to be near my dolls, second time it happen I put the dolls behind glass.
       
    14. * Not so Fragile*
      I have dropped my dolls' headcaps quite a few times but there has never been any damage :) My dolls have taken a few face plants as well >.> I am always scared that a nose will be missing when I pick them up but so far they are tough little cookies. However, I think there are certain areas on a doll that are weak; like the outside of the kneecap on my SD10, fingers, noses, the thin resin around the joints of the ankles etc
       
    15. Now let's get our minds out of the gutter... ;)

      (Generic note: Mods, if you feel like this should be deleted, moved, or edited please do so.)

      So I have been watching BJD videos on YouTube and I noticed some comments where doll owners are being admonished for the rough handling of their BJD. Now I'm not banging my doll around or swinging her by her feet, no rough-housing like when I was a kid with my Matchbox cars or Barbies. Still I don't handle my BJD like she is porcelain or a crystal goblet. If you watch my video of Luella's Body Review it is pretty much how I handle her all the time. Question time:

      How do you handle your BJD?

      When do you consider BJD handling too rough?


      When is handling borderline abusive?

      On a slight tangent...
      If you allow someone else to play with your BJD, how do you tell them to be more gentle?

      And just for my own peace of mind...
      Did you find my handling of Luella too rough?
       
    16. It's your property, so you can handle it whatever way you want. I don't think you can abuse an inanimate item.
      But for me, it depends on which doll I'm handling. With some of my own I know how much they can take and how non-fragile they are, and with others I still have to test it out a bit. I'm not beyond dragging them by limbs and such, because they are my own property anyway.
      Other people have thus far treated my dolls with respect and I generally don't let people who have no doll experience hold my dolls. The other way around, I never do anything crazy to another person's doll. It's not my doll and I didn't pay for it, so I treat it carefully.
      I also don't see anything shocking in the video. Some years ago I saw a video of two girls pretty much slamming their dolls into each other, so yeah.
       
    17. How do you handle your BJD?Pretty much like any other doll. I don't throw them around or anything, but I do pack them like kids. When I take them out and about, I don't box them or use faceup protectors or anything. They go in my arm or in my bag (which is a dog carrier and they can "see" out of, so their faces are safe). I'm careful, but not like they are glass. I view my dolls as something to have fun with, not a priceless collectible piece of art. But I do respect them.

      EDIT: Also, if I am handling other people's dolls, it depends on the person. If it's one of my close friends' dolls, I go with how they treat it. If they are okay with me hugging and cuddling their doll, I will. If they treat it like glass, I'll do the same. At doll meets, if I don't know the person well, I don't touch without asking and if allowed to hold it, I am much, much more gentle than with my own.

      When do you consider BJD handling too rough?
      When it causes damage to the doll. I don't consider tiny scratches or other wear from being loved as true damage. I'm talking about broken fingers, deep gouges, matted or frizzy wigs, scraped faceups...Play with your doll, love it, enjoy it. But it's not a lawn toy, don't treat it like one.

      When is handling borderline abusive? When the doll is being thrown around, strings are being stretched too far and allowed to snap back, the doll is left on things that could stain it (like being tossed into a pile of dark fabric and left), smoking while holding it (or near it), allowing children or pets that are not well behaved (or unable to understand) near it.


      If you allow someone else to play with your BJD, how do you tell them to be more gentle? I do not leave my BJD with anyone other than other doll owners that I know how they handle their dolls. If I see abuse on their doll, they will not be left alone with mine. As for non-doll owners, I usually tell them the value first and they are more careful with them. If they seem like they might be rough, I don't let them hold my doll to begin with.


      Did you find my handling of Luella too rough? Sorry, I'm at work and am not allowed on Youtube right now. I'll try to remember to update this later, if I get a chance. :)
       
    18. I used to be super careful with my dolls until I realized that it just wasn't any fun if I was terrified of moving them and taking them around. As it has been said above, the only handling you should worry about is if it's damaging the doll, though as much as I hate to say this in a discussion, it really is your prerogative as to how gently you hold them. I've had friends that handle their dolls much more roughly than I ever would, and there's never been a problem for them. Really, it's all about getting to know the feel for the doll and what works for it.

      As for your video, I didn't see anything outlandish about the way you're handling her. It's true that they can break easily if you drop them or do certain things, but really these guys aren't as fragile as you think they are.
       
    19. When I first got into the hobby, I ended up with a doll hand with a broken finger. The company sent me replacement hands. So then I took the broken hand and snapped off another finger. Just to get an idea of how forgiving or unforgiving the resin was. I also let my best friend break off a finger as well. She found it very informitive as well. I have another set of hands recently that were replaced by a company, I think I'll bring them to a meetup and let some people break fingers to get an idea about how resiliant these dolls are.
       
    20. How do you handle your BJD?
      I handle it like any other toy that I own.

      When do you consider BJD handling too rough?

      Someone towards their own doll: Never, it's their property they can shoot it out of a cannon and it's still alright. Someone towards my dolls: When I think something is going to break off from a said action that the person should know is going to cause damage. (not accidentally dropping them)

      When is handling borderline abusive?
      On your own doll: Never. it's an inanimate object and a possession. You can't abuse it.
      Towards someone else's doll: Intentionally breaking it.

      If you allow someone else to play with your BJD, how do you tell them to be more gentle?
      If you keep that up it's gonna break, I would like it if you don't break my toys when I let you play with them.