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DoD "Parting Line" Problem

Jan 3, 2006

    1. You are right about this. These are all small artist workshops, many times staffed by only a handful of people, which includes family members and interns/students who are trying to learn the craft. Despite a few seams here and there, the tremendous artistry, craftsmanship and LOVE these people put into their art honestly has moved me to tears.

      When you think about all the pieces these dolls have, and all the handwork necessary to pour the resin, make sure the pieces are good, put them together...paint the faces... shipping....

      The glass isn't just half full, it's overflowing. We love these artists.:D Thank God for them, for what they do, and how their work makes us feel the love they put into our dolls.

      Catrina
       
    2. You know, a lot of the doll and accessory makers used to include numerous little gifts, as they were starting out. It was a nice thank you for trying out or buying their things.

      I remember when my friends first bought CH Ai. It was not unusual for CH to include a pair of shoes, or an article of clothing, postcards, and t-shirts as gifts with the purchase of one of their Ai. (They used to sand routinely, too, and don't any more.)

      But as these small workshops becomes businesses, they have to pay employees and make a profit, and many stop sending free items.
      It seems to me that DOD's sanding is along these lines. It was nice, when they could afford it - and it didn't slow their production too much.

      Most of my dolls were not sanded when I got them (the exception being the tanned.) I get around to it when I feel comfortable about it. ^_^

      Certainly people can express how they feel, but DOD has said what it's going to do, so now people need to make a choice as to whether it changes their mind about ordering from them. To me, it comes down to whether you like the doll or not...if you do, order it, and either leave the seams (they're not that obvious), sand them (not that hard) or send them off to be given esthetics.
       
    3. The dolls are molded, and the line comes from where the two sides of the mold meets. When the mold is parted, you can see these seam lines.

      Resin is soft - they're fairly easy to sand off. Just be careful - resin dust is poisonous, as is the gas freed. Sanding should be done with a mask, and in fresh air, preferably under water.
       
    4. If DOD continued to sand all their dolls, the wait time might extend to two months. Would THAT be good business? DOD is trying to help us! The Sanding was courteousy, it wasn't paid for, and in all honesty, it was taken for granted. Everyone used to complain about the lines still being visible if you tilted the doll upside-down and sideways, but now that they've retracted the service completely, people KEEP complaining!

      DOD is trying their hardest, please give them a break. They're not a huge company. They can't swing this much right now.
       
    5. I understand that the resin dust is poison and should not be inhaled.

      No thanks!
       
    6. So get a mask, or cover your face with a handkerchief. It's not gonna kill you. o_o
       
    7. I think this is a completely valid thread, and there have been many good points raised on all sides. In the spirit of discussion, I'm re-opening this thread. However, in the hopes of civility, I've removed some of the more accusatory posts. I'm politely asking that they not be reposted. :)

      A few small things to mention regarding a few points brought up.

      First, the issue of the unsanded dolls is really in the hands of the people who actually ordered dolls. On the original order page, it did say that the parting lines would be removed. If people who ordered expecting this service to be included in the price of their doll are disappointed, it's their right. It was their expectation and their money.

      That said, seams do not devalue your doll. On the secondary market, there is little price difference between a doll that has been esthetized and one that has not. It is strictly personal preference. Seams are a natural part of the doll - you can think of them almost like a bellybutton. They're just there because of how it was made. (Sorry, dumb analogy!) Having seams does not make a doll "defective" or less valuable. Some people choose to leave the seams because they're afraid that their doll will yellow more quickly in sanded areas. It takes all kinds.

      If you don't like the seams, they are, as many people have mentioned, very easy to remove. As a safety note, resin is poisonous. The biggest concern is normally the dust - though the dust is not toxic in an arsenic sort of way, more in an asbestos sort of way (in that it probably wouldn't kill you instantly, but doesn't break down so it will stay in your lungs indefinitely). The easiest way to minimize potential risk is to sand in a well-ventilated area, keeping the pieces underwater or at least wet. There are numerous threads and tutorials in the workshop area.

      Happy posting! Please keep it friendly.

      p.s. Please don't refer to us as Big Brother. We don't refer to you as the Proles.
       
    8. The lines are where the mold pops open, so there are usually two, one on the "front" and one on the "back" of a limb. The will be longitudinal lines, usually. They shouldn't be very noticable, even unsanded, because the molds aren't made to be very unlike and off of each other. I only have tiny, tiny Soom Uyoo right now, and she has her seams, but I had to go looking for them for certain. It probably depends on the company and who particular you are, whether you'll notice them or not.

      You can see them a bit if you look at the www.dreamofdoll.com page for Tan Shall. Look at the third and fourth pictures down, and you can see a thin line down the front of Shall's arm. (Tan dolls aren't sanded because the resin may be different colors at different depths.)

      http://img.dreamofdoll.com/co_img006/hsh933/etc/shall02_max copy.jpg
      http://img.dreamofdoll.com/co_img006/hsh933/etc/bs-2 copy.jpg


      Personally, just a IMHO, since these are customizable dolls, on the secondary market I'd rather the doll hadn't had its seams removed, on the chance that whoever has done it has done a patchy job. But then, I am very particular and of the school that to have anything done right, one must do it themselves. ^_^ No offense to anyone else ^_^
       
    9. The seams don't bother me as long as they don't really stick out too much.
       
    10. Only one of my dolls is sanded. I dont really consider it to be a "low-quality" issue. Some people like it sanded, and some don't.

      I do think it would be nice, since so many of these companies allow you to "opt in" or to "opt out" of getting a faceup (ie for a fee of about $35 usually...) it would be nice to be able to opt in or opt out for sanding seams... (for like $30 or $50 extra.)

      considering also, what an affordable price point comparitively that DoDs are... I don't think that they should be "required" to offer sanding for free. It was nice that they did, but no other companies do.
      Since many people don't mind having parting lines (and they often really aren't that noticable) this will make it so that the average buyer will be happeir, but like I said, it would be nice if they (and some other companies too!) would let you choose to pay a little extra (and thus wait more time) to get the seams sanded.
       
    11. Maybe if there's (polite) interest in such a service, more doll artists will offer it...?
      DOD may be eliminating this service now to avoid unwanted price increases as well as further delays.

      Personally, if my dolls were as in demand as DOD's (I don't make dolls - this is theoretical) and I found sanding them slowed production and wasn't up to my standards, I would eliminate it too - to concentrate on doll-making, not hiring.
       
    12. Janne, I think you are right. Another thing to consider culturally-- In the Orient, people were generally hired on and never fired. To be fired, or "let go" is an extreme loss of face and a real dark spot on that person's life. Companies hire with the expectation of having that person hired for life. The same could be the case in Korea, though I am not sure (my working experience was in Japan). In addition, they'd have to hire people with the skill sets necessary, and the chance of making mistakes and ruining a doll which is already behind production demands. If each doll takes 1-4 hours to sand, do the math. How many would they have to hire on, for life??

      I'm sure the DOD company is absolutely mortified by this whole discussion. It would be good if they'd come out with a statement clarifying the sanding status of dolls which have already been ordered. I do think they should have a right to make changes to preserve their own survival-- for whatever reasons we can't understand due to culture or structure. Also, it's not always easy for these companies to communicate effectively with us, and we may not understand even with an explanation. I think Cacau's idea of asking quietly behind the scenes is the best one yet. A blizzard of emails might lead to misunderstandings and making them feel shamed. I am sure if it were possible they'd continue as before, but the volume has made that impossible.

      Catrina
       
    13. Well, if DOD is worried about feeling ashamed--they should have made the announcement as follows: All orders from such and such date will be sent with unsanded seams. That would be the Honorable, face-saving thing to do.

      I am not sypathetic to their woes. Their production problems are theirs to fix, not mine to accept in a lesser product. All of you who say seam are okay are like those admiring the Emperor's New Clothes--when he's naked! Seams are not found on quality products. I used to make porcelain dolls, and I sanded for days, so there would be no seam lines after firing. Boy do I know how to sand, but that's not the issue.

      Yes, they are artists, and so what?? So am I, and I can't send out merchandise less than what I advertise it as. Artists come and go. Good companies with policies they stick to are rare, but they endure. It doesn't matter how great of an artist you are, if you fall down on the business end; say one thing and do another. It's just bad business. I know business, I know production. I've been in buisness for myself for 21 years. I have had production problems and I hired more staff. That's the trick of it all--staying in business and being profitable--quite a juggling act. They need to figure that out and if it's an additional fee for sanding, then so be it, just don't go back on your word. Sometimes in business you just have to eat it, to maintain your reputation.

      They are obligated to fill orders as they were originally taken. If they don't, it's breach of contract, and that's an indisputable fact. If I get my Shall doll without sanded seams, she IS NOT the doll I ordered. Aimee already verified that the original order page stated sanded seams.

      And yes, there are plenty of other places to buy dolls. I am no DOD fanatic.
       
    14. I don't think they would have to hire people for life because of this. Subcontracting exists in the doll business in Japan, and most probably in Korea too.
       
    15. I think there is complete agreement that they should honor agreements with buyers who bought before they changed the sanding policy.

      Are you sure they are not going to honor this? If they are, it seems like no problem. It still could be a case of miscommunication.
       
    16. I think this sort of dissatisfaction comes mainly from people used to collector's dolls, which are finished in every important regard.
      Volks and dolls like them are made to be customized (although a lot of people keep them in a default state.)
      It's a hobby that goes a little beyond just collecting - and how far is up to the owner.
      DOD isn't doing anything the other companies aren't. Most don't offer sanding. Those that do mostly charge a fee.
      Personally, so many people are fanatics of DOD's molds, I don't see this actually hurting their business at all.
       
    17. Anne Marie, you hit it on the head when you mention production. These are made to order items, quite often made by a small business of friends and family, they are not mass produced as as several people have suggested. What applies to porcelain or other collectors dolls do not apply to these dolls which are designed to be customised by the owner.
      I a not going to get into an argument about seams on a doll but you are being rude and showing your lack of knowledge when you suggest that an unsanded doll is not a quality product, that is quite simply rubbish when you are talking about this particular type of doll- i collect other types of dolls and different rules apply to different dolls. They are NOT defective or SUB standard and your choice of manufacturer's to purchase from will be greatly reduced if this is your criteria, as the mods have already said this is between existing customers and DOD but please stop suggesting mine and other people dolls are Cr**P as their seams aren't sanded, thats rude and abnoxious.
      I for one won't be surprised if DOD go the same way as Blue Fairy and withdraw their product, i sure as hell would if i were them
       
    18. If you are so dissatisfied with all of this, then request for a refund. You say you know business as you've been in business for 21 years. Well, do you know how business is conducted in Asia? Have you been to Asia? I have and let me tell you that it is done completely different from the way it is done here in the US. You cannot apply Western business ethics to a small korean company that probably only has a handful of staff members and not very fluent at english at that.

      As Janne has mentioned earlier, the way that larger doll companies do their business here isn't the same as the way a small korean doll company does theirs. If they state that they aren't going to sand the seams anymore, then get a refund. I don't see why ranting on and on about this is going to get anywhere anymore. For all we know, DoD doesn't read DoA and doesn't know how dissatified they made some customers.
       
    19. Janne, this is what I was getting at that if people wanted a completely finished doll, that this may be the wrong doll for them. These dolls are made to be customized, and that does include everything from changing wigs and eyes to more personal choices such as sanding and wiring. To me that's what this hobby is all about- customization. Thank you for bringing up this point.
       
    20. Honestly, it doesn't seem so much of an 'uproar' as 'loud grumbling'.

      People are upset because something they had been getting for free (and possibly taking for granted) was taken away because the company decided it was better, logistically speaking. You aren't required to be happy about it, but at the very least respect the decision itself.

      As Nikita stated, no matter how we feel, western business ethics aren't the same as asian business ethics... there are even differences between Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong... Everyone does things differently, and whether you agree or not, it needs to be respected and understood.

      They are under no obligation, written or implied, to do what their customers want. They really don't. Their decision will be reflected in how their business does-- without sanding seams, the wait-time will be reduced and they may make more sales that way. Or, perhaps, the lack of sanded seams will turn people away and they will lose business-- if that's the case, perhaps they'll start doing seams again.

      Regardless, it seems childish to complain so bitterly over something like sanded seams. Again, I understand it's a disappointment to some people and I'm not saying you have no right to be upset, but the way it's coming across you'd think they no longer strung your dolls together at all.