Are you bothered by seams????

The only time seams bother me is when they are really bad... like snag-clothing bad. I had one girl with seams like that, but I just sanded them down to a more manageable state. Otherwise, I tend not to even notice them!

 

Some people like the seams because it's a sign that they are hand-cast. Also, since it does take time and care to sand seams, if the companies did it, they would likely have to raise the price of the doll at least somewhat. Personally, seams are something like the headcap/faceplate line or the joints... it might make them look less "perfect" or "human", but it's part of them being a doll. I might sand the seams on my dolls or at least smooth them out, but I don't mind the look of them at all.

 

Seams don't bother me as much as a sloppy sanding job by a company does. Some companies do a good job sanding, but I just fixed a company sanding on a DollFamily doll, and they made a real mess of him. I'd rather get an unsanded doll with ugly seams than a poorly sanded one.

If you're afraid to sand seams, there are always people willing to do it for you. And if you try it and botch it, there are people willing to fix it.

 

I can't help thinking this is because back in the day, it was such a struggle to even get a doll into the west that we all got over the minor stuff and learnt to fix any little issues like seams ourselves tbh. Now, there's SO much more choice and the companies are so much more accessible, people who're newer to the hobby and didn't have to fight as much as us expect more bang for their buck.

I also think it's got a lot to do with the general shift in the hobby away from customisation being the norm and into this strangely competitive race to have a "finished" doll that's perfect. That seems to be a new thing that I notice a lot more in threads like this too.

 

I have one doll with seams and one without. It doesn't bother me either way. As long as I'm not going to end up bleeding from the seams I don't care if they're visible.

 

I agree. Being an "older" collector (as in since 2003), needing to do a little finishing work on a doll doesn't put me off or scare me in the least.

 

Yes, seams bother me, luckily my girl does not have any except on her face and she is away getting that fixed right now. Seams on the face shocked me when I noticed them. Of all places.... Some of my former dolls had them.

Seams bother me because they pick up dirt really easily. I do not like noticing them, they seem like a flaw to me. I have been collecting 3 years and they still bother me. I do not like to sand them myself, as I do not have the proper face protector and have sensitive lungs/nose. I want my doll to come from where I buy it with seams sanded so I would not have to send her away. I would pay extra if it was a service offered, just so I would not have to ship again. I do not EXPECT companies to do this, particularly with cheaper dolls, but I do want them to make sure the buyer knows that they do not, even in a tiny itty bit of fine print somewhere obscure on the website.

 

Not at all for me since most of my dolls are dressed fully clothed. Actually now that I think about it...there are a couple dolls I own that I'm not sure if they have seamlines or not. It's something completely oblivious to me.

 

Question for the experts here. IF I were to venture to sanding the seams myself, I know I have to wear a mask. Do I have to also do it outside?
Also, the easiest way I've found to do any sanding with more control is one of those sanding sponges (it's like sand paper mounted on a sponge for easier grip). Anyone ever tried a sanding sponge? or does it have to be plain sand paper?
Oh, and how is it done? straight? circles?

Thanks in advanced.

 

Giodrakes: I can't answer about sanding sponges, but there is a thread here that explains how it's done and the kinds of safety precautions to take.

 

Normally, in real life, not at all. I don't notice seam lines when I play with my dolls, and most of them, they're covered up with clothing anyway. Still, I always wonder why I pick up seams so much easier in photos (magnifying flaws??); and they do bother me in that they pick up dirt so easily.

I won't mind paying extra for sanding services IF the company offers it.

If worse comes to worst, guess I can go out, buy the necessary equipment and learn to sand, or more likely, send my dolls to people who offer finishing services.

 

Seams don't bother me in the least. I also have no objections to visible jointing, etc; I'm a geek for how the mechanics of such things work. Don't quote me on this, but I think a recall a discussion a while back concerning various companies and casting methods. The gist being that some of the Chinese companies are affiliated with larger parent companies with more sophisticated machinery for casting and producing dolls. (This is in no way a knock on Chinese companies or an attempt to call them mass-produced, so be at ease.) The result being that the way the molds are poured is different and allows for them to minimize or eliminate the seams altogether in the fabrication process. Whereas most of your Korean dollmakers are more 'arthouse' arrangements that use more traditional methods with a more 'handmade' looking result. I could be remembering wrong, but it does make sense.

Regardless, sanding seams is a pain in the butt, and I don't blame companies one bit for charging for it. I also agree with Kim that I would prefer it not be done 'automatically' for me.

 

Yes, seamlines bother me, I sand them off, no problems. There is no way I would pay an inflated price for a doll and then wait longer for that doll because a company has decided to make seam sanding mandatory before shipment. I can do it myself in an afternoon.

Many companies do offer it as an option, which i think is fair for those who don't want to do it themselves, but I also don't think companies should be required to offer it as a service.

 

The first body I bought had Sato sanding - smooth as glass and just lovely. Not realizing how important this would be to me, the next two torsos came unsanded. They are Dollstown and the seams are not overly noticeable but I bought the sanding sponges in the extra extra super-duper fine strength to smooth them out. It sounds like much work but I will try it. (Both these girls have grabby twitchy won't-stay-put arms so I need to restring them anyway.) It's mostly the arm seams that I'd like to smooth out. So I paid for sanding for the next four torsos. This is called a learning curve. Ambition fades when one is waiting for a complete doll. Well, I have eyes and I have wigs and I have shoes and socks - and let us not forget the all-important underwear ... but I have no heads at the present time while they are all attending the beauty salon. I can see once the heads arrive that taking a doll apart and sanding her is one wait too many. From now on, I want sanding done before the doll arrives. Then when it isn't right, I'll find a talented person here on DoA who can help me straighten it out. Hmmm ... I think my husband would be very good at sanding and he will feel a closeness to me if he does this "with" me. Now "with" means he can sand and I will bake chocolate chip cookies. This will seem like a loving move on my part and he will get his favorite cookie. For a minute there, I had the mad vision that I would do this myself! What was i thinking???

 

I have dolls that have come with and without seams, and I wouldn't sand the seams of the doll I have with seams for fear of marring the resin texture. It doesn't really bother me either way, seams sometimes add to the doll-like charm along with visible joints for me. If the seams were raised enough to be sharp or catch on things, then I'd probably trim them down, but not remove them altogether.
What I dislike are visibly removed resin channels, I've only noticed them on my tiny but they're noticeable and it annoys me - there's nothing graceful about a random patch of sanded resin lol.

 

I've always wondered when I read a review why some very expensive dolls don't come with their seams sanded. I think they all should, no matter the cost because a finished product should be well finished. You shouldn't have to do the extra work yourself unless you wanted to (in the case of modding).

When I buy something, I don't expect to have to do anything to it for a little while, months, years etc.

I would understand if you were buying a kit that you had to assemble yourself because kits are designed for that sort of thing, you do all the extra finishes yourself and that's why the price is cheaper. But on what is supposed to be a "finished" doll, it seems kind of lazy on the part of the company. Either that or they want to make more money by charging extra for it.

 

I am not bothered with the seams, none of my dolls have their seams sanded. To me it feels like part of the doll. Even when I see them in photos I dont find it ugly. Its just my personal preference.

 

If all dolls came with the seam sanded default and no option to have them not sanded (other than buying a kit), the dolls would be more expensive because of the labor and supplies required to do that--it wouldn't be "free," just included in the price of the whole doll, even if the final price were lower than the current price of a smoothed doll due to streamlining the process and the loss of what I'll call a "luxury fee"

Also, there are people that prefer the look of the seams on a doll. It means that the doll was made with a certain method, by real people, and like the joints and the headcap line, it's part of the doll being a doll.

Don't get me wrong, companies should offer the option (especially when they offer body blushing as well), but it shouldn't be default because it would be more expensive, it would take longer (and most companies already have several months of wait time), and some people wouldn't prefer it.

 

I think you're kind've missing the point. A doll with small seamlines IS finished, it's up to you if you want to remove them entirely and make it silky smooth in the same way that if you bought a computer, it would be up to you if you wanted to change the desktop picture. The point of this hobby has always been customisation, the only dolls really not intended to be worked on in some way are the fullsets, and companies produce them for people like you, that would rather not touch the doll in any way when they buy it. It's a fair exchange when you consider that these are ALL handmade, usually in tiny workshops by a handful of people that can really only be called artisan workers.

If they have gaping great flashing and jaggy seams, then yes, of course they should be sanded at the company but to call companies that don't sand lazy and trying to make more is pretty much just showing that you've not really considered the sheer amount of effort that's already gone into the work of art in your hands.

I'mma guess you've never tried seam sanding, give it a go and then tell me you think it should be free when you've spent whole days getting that smooth finish and your hands are red raw.

 

The only time that it has ever bothered me is when the seams on my old Glati body had picked up dirt and really did give the impression of cracks. I have a mix of dolls, some with seams and some without, doesn't bother me either way, they are usually covered up with clothing if it really is a problem. A passing glance at my pukipuki on my desk, I wouldn't have a clue that he even had any if i didn't look closely for them. I know that sanding of seams is a pain, makes me glad they are no bother to me.

Just to note - the sanding lines on that green skin bobobie are very highly unusual. I have four bobobie/resinsoul dolls (Old NS, New NS, yellowed WS and Blue Skin), and none of them have any discolouration on them at all, even the badly yellowed WS doll (who was badly yellowed when I received him, but he is evenly yellowed, no odd lines)