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Problems With Volks Super Dollfie Cute Kurenai SdCute

Apr 12, 2005

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    1. I don't know if this is the right section to place this in, but I wanted as many members as possible to view it so that I can get some feedback. As soon as my Kurenai arrived and I noticed problems with her, I messaged aimee for some help, and she suggested that I write to Volks as well as post my concerns here.

      Please note before I explain everything, that re-stringing her myself is out of the question due to illness (I have a lot of surgery coming up, and chronic migraines. I had a very harsh one today which dampened Kurenai's arrival a bit - my mom had to watch the door for me, and opening her box was a bit tedious for me since my hands didn't want to work.)

      That being said, I'm just going to copy and paste the email that I just sent to Volks (sans the personal info)

      I have thought of the following things to do:

      - re-stringing her (out of the question)
      - sueding her joints (I think you have to take her apart to do this, which makes it out of the question again)
      - pulling at her stringing (My mother and I have been doing this before trying to get her to stand and sit, and have had a bit of success, though her knee still wants to buckle and she can only stand for a bit after a few minutes of pulling at her limbs.)
      - sending her back to Volks for new body or new stringing (If they suggest this or will allow it)

      I do not want to send her off to someone other than Volks because I have a stress/anxiety disorder. I have surgery coming up, and can't be worrying about her during my recovery.

      Thanks to those that can understand & help.

      ......Mod Note....

      This is old discussion but good for reference to Volks Super Dollfie Cute Kurenai problem (Sdc girls bodies)
       
      #1 Jibrille, Apr 12, 2005
    2. I would have someone (a friend or relative) restring her with new elastic or tighten the existing stringing (this means undoing the knot and reknotting it much tighter...this is easier to do then full restringing. This only works if the knot is in her head though.) You can oversee the whole process. I notice Volks dolls tend to be strung loosely and so they need to be tightened. Unfortunately even if Volks agrees to restring I doubt it'll be free...stringing isn't seen as a defect since it's something that easily fixable. There are some really great customizers on this board who restring dolls all the time. It'll be much cheaper to send her over to one of them. You can always ask us for feedback on a certain customizer. I know you'd prefer if Volks does it but I've honestly never heard of them taking back a doll just to restring her. Did you examine her body? Does anything look off to you?
       
      #2 zalem, Apr 13, 2005
    3. sorry about that. It's definitely a stringing issue, I'm sure she's just too loose. Unfortunately Volks puts knots in the torso (why not at the head?? I duuuunno!) so you'll have to restring her.

      It is definitely-definitely not hard, however, even if you aren't feeling well it's honestly something you can do in bed if you want. You can string her like loose beads and then have a friend yank the elastic and tie the knot, since that takes a little bit of elbow grease. It's also easy enough that you could get a non-SD friend to restring her for you. All they have to do is look at the stringing after they untie the knot.
       
      #3 kiwiflowers, Apr 13, 2005
    4. Oh and if you end up wanting to restring or getting a friend to restring then I recommend getting a stringing tool. They work wonders and make stringing alot easier. ^_^
       
      #4 zalem, Apr 13, 2005
    5. They're kinda expensive for what they are, though. I use twisted floral wire and it works great (and is basically free.)
       
      #5 kiwiflowers, Apr 13, 2005
    6. I used that kind of wire for a long time before I used the stringing tool and I have to say the stringing tool was easier. Though I have heard of people using ribbon or similar things for stringing and that's not something I have tried so maybe I'll try that method. For a newbie I'd still recommend the stringing tool.
       
      #6 zalem, Apr 13, 2005
    7. ive used the volks stringing tool on every one of my dolls. I can now restring a doll in under 5 minutes (even my SD10!)
       
      #7 dechanique, Apr 13, 2005
    8. Those stringing tools are awesome--just plugging 'em a little bit. I've put a gajillion pounds of pressure on mine and usually have to involve my foot somewhere in the stringing process but ... I can't imagine trying to do the crap I've done to my MSD without it. (She was strung by Volks and she also had the kicking leg problem ... and won't sit down or stand or anything, but her strings are WAY too tight ... so much so that I don't try removing her head anymore because I have to wrap the stringing tool around the S-hook to dislodge it. ><; )

      But yeah. Stringing tool = awesome.
       
      #8 monkeycancer, Apr 13, 2005
    9. I use shoe-laces, knitting needles (the round type with a flexible section in the middle), crochet needles and artery-clamps, and it doesn't take me very long to restring a doll. I've never used a stringing tool so I can't speak for it, but it must be pretty good by the sounds of it - I just like using things I have readily available around the house.

      - Therese
       
      #9 twigling, Apr 13, 2005
    10. Hi. Thanks everyone for your input.

      I've had a bit more time to play around with Kurenai and have noticed a few things.

      Her headcap isn't the usual Volks headcap - it's not attached to an S-hook with string. It's magnetic, and the magnet adds quite a bit of weight. So there are certain poses that will make her off-balance due to this weight. It's just a matter of finding the right balance for her to sit and stand.

      I can't tell if her right leg is too tight or too loose, but the string has a hard time maneuvering through the groove and so one leg can do the trademark sitting pose that SDC does, and the other leg just kinda ... well it takes about 5 minutes of pulling the string and fiddling with it to get the string to sit in the groove the right way and stay there.

      I brought her into my mom's room with me to watch a movie. I was able to have her kneel with her hands in her lap without any problems. She sat there for quite awhile without budging - she even sat still while the cats sniffed at her a bit.

      I'm really excited about her headcap. I haven't been able to get my other doll's headcaps off to change their eyes, so now that I have a doll who's eyes that I can change and who's headcap comes off without any problems makes me ecstatic :D My next purchase will definately be a few pairs of eyes in shades I've been wanting to try out.
       
      #10 Jibrille, Apr 13, 2005
    11. I'm really glad this was posted, I would have probably ended up asking this soon. Since I have a SDC on the way.

      Could anyone tell me if the MSD shoes would fit a SDC?
       
      #11 Chianne, May 4, 2005
    12. Yes :)
       
      #12 krambear, May 4, 2005
    13. I am reminded of the line from "Amadeus" where the King says that Mozart's music has "too many notes".....

      I finally got my SDC Kurenai, but she's squirming all over the place!
      Her leg joints I expected....she sits well, but because of the slanted hip joint, she isn't the best at standing. I can live with that.

      But, her double torso joint is driving me bonkers!
      The weight of her head pulls her back, and then she gyrates from side to side with the multi-joints, gaaah!

      Well, I do have a heavy wig on her, but is anyone else frustrated with posing the SDC's?
      :|
      Michelle
       
      #13 celticgeekess, May 11, 2005
    14. I'm new to BJD so I don't really know that much but I recently got a Kurenai too and I can say Mine does exactly the same. She wouldn't stand and just flopped backwards or forwards and her legs seemed to pop out of posing posisition often.
      I took her apparent several times to restring her (Several times because it was all so new to me X.X) and I knotted her up really tightly. She seems to stand well enough now.
       
      #14 Chianne, May 11, 2005
    15. My Kurenai does the same. I emailed Volks about it, and this is the reply that I got from them:

      Sato-geri service is when they sand, suede, and coat the doll. You'd have to pay to send the doll back, pay for the services & wait 4 weeks, and then pay to have the doll sent back.

      You could always try re-stringing her & sueding her yourself, though. I'm leaving my Kurenai as-is for now, though. I realised that some of her positioning problems lies in the weight of the magnet in her head & headcap. You have to find her center of balance, basically.
       
      #15 Jibrille, May 11, 2005
    16. It seems Kaede doesn't have these problems at all, so yeah I think it's just Kurenai and her magnets. I guess Volks will have to rethink whether or not to use the magnets in the future. Personally, I think it's fine the way they used to do it with the good old rubberband but that's just me...

      Does anyone know if Arashi has the magnets and if he has these same issues?
       
      #16 zalem, May 11, 2005
    17. Kurenai has magnets in her skullcap and head that make it easy to take off and put on the cap.
       
      #17 xberryjam, May 11, 2005
    18. Not Kaede; I own a Kurenai.
      From the Detailed measurments of all popular dolls thread:
      http://www.denofangels.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1725

      SDC Kurenai:

      Height: 16.5"
      Eyes: 16 mm
      Bust: 6.75"
      Waist: 5.5"
      Hip: 7.5"
      Bicep: 2.5"
      Elbow: 2.5"
      Elbow flexed: 3"
      Thigh: 4 3/8"
      Knee: 3"
      Knee flexed: 4.5"
      Ankle 2.5"
      Heel: 3.5" (around heel & front of foot with foot pointed)
      Neck: 3.25"
      Front shoulder width: 2 1/8"
      Back shoulder width: 2 3/8"
      Neck to bust point: 1 3/4"
      Bust point to bust point: 1.5"
      Neck to waist: 3.5
      Back neck to floor: 14
      Front neck to floor: 13.75
      Waist to Floor: 11.5
      Hip to Floor: 10
      Inseam: 8.5
      Girth: 13.25
      Shoulder to Elbow: 2.5
      Shoulder to Wrist: 4.75
      Shoulder to Wrist, Bent: 5.375
      Mid-back Neck to Wrist: 7
      Wig: 7



      Ann in CT
       
      #18 Ann in CT, May 29, 2005
    19. His black overall does stain! Mine is stained after two days of wear.
       
      #19 astralprue, Jun 4, 2005
    20. Ah, sounds like Shirou's blue penis effect.

      If it's anyting like that, just wash his legs (Mr. Clean sponges are great, but soap and water were good enough for Shirou owners). It shouldn't happen again.
       
      #20 AmnesticAngel, Jun 4, 2005
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