Should dolls come with sanded seams?

I sanded a brand new doll. You're talking about sanding one that is a few years olde, there is a difference.

 

This is how I sand as well - the way I was taught for stone and metal, where if you don't progress thru grades, the difference is glaringly obvious - also, if you make too wide a 'jump' between finishing grades, the results will be telling.

All part of the reason I dislike sanding, in the first place! It's a pain in the butt to keep track of the grades, and I have a terrible time telling one grade from the next up if there aren't any numbers on the back of the sandpaper.

I suppose I should count myself lucky, though - so many people carve stone in the North, the hardware store always carries the very best wet/dry papers, ranging from 600 to 3200.

 

Lucky!!!

Yeah, it's a real pain. I just get into that stupid perfectionist mode and have to do ever little thing I possibly can. Plus, I really wanted to bond with my new girl through the sanding process. I can't wait until I suede her joints and wire her legs.

 

My only tan doll has been sanded, the company he is from (Angel of Dream) sand all their dolls as standard unless you ask for them not to be. Sanding tan dolls can cause discolouration, it is why I do give a bit of a twitch at my tan doll - not because he is discoloured as he isn't - but that in order to counteract any obvious discolouration he has been sanded all over, to the point where his entire body shines and I had to clean some leftover dust from his face and joints.

I do not mind either way though, even though it is strange that more expensive dolls such as my minifee have these seamlines over them while my bobobie and angel of dream dolls do not and yet they are half the price. If they do have seams on though I do not bother sanding them, most of the time the lines are covered up with clothing and wigs anyway.

 

I have to agree with the opening post. Most of my dolls are not sanded because I didn't have enough money at the time of purchase or I didn't feel like unstringing and sanding it myself.

 

Production/labor costs are much lower in China than in Korea or Japan, and like many others have pointed out, sanding is a long, labor-intensive process. If you're doing it right, that is

 

It doesnt bother me if BJD's are sanded are not.

Sanding takes time, so I dont think there's anything wrong with companies charging them to be sanded. After all, the whole reason BJD's are expensive if the first place is because they are all handmade etc etc.

One thing I was very surprised at however, is that the more expensive of my guys (such as my volks piccolo) didn't have their lines removed, while my B&G Ymir automatically had his done. No extra cost and without telling me. I know the reason now, but at the time I was somewhat confused.

 

So far the seam lines don't bother me at all, they're not really something I notice most of the time. Personally I think it's more logical for the companies not to sand them for the reasons many others have pointed out. While for some the option to pay to have it done would be nice, I just don't think it would be practical business wise at the end of the day.

 

I actually like seamlines if they are fairly even, without being sharp or jagged. So I would not wish to pay extra and have no option not to to have them removed.

 

Both of my Dollzone girls came sanded, but my Soom Super Gem did not. I ordered my big boy with factory faceup and body blush, but I forgot to include sanding in the shopping cart when I checked out. So he came to me with blush over his seams.

It doesn't bother me at all though, and I don't think I would be bothered by seams on future dolls either.

 

I don't mind the seams at all. Most of the time I forget they are even there and they rarely show in my photos. When it comes to adding seam sanding as an ordering option, I'd much rather see something like more companies offering body blushing or customizable faceups because I don't see myself ever paying extra for seam sanding.

 

I actually enjoy sanding my dolls so I don't mind. I do wish all special resin colored dolls would come sanded though...it makes me nervous when they are not. I go through the whole "can I sand it myself or will it ruin it? Should I try? Can I live with seams or not?". Usually, I end up not buying it or I sell it after I get it. I really don't want to stress out this much about dolls!

 

I like the edges! Because my muse-babies know they're in doll bodies and it makes the illusion and stories more real! They know they eat false food by imagining and taking the 'essense' out of it, and play with scale toys and live in a human world! It's much more fun that way for us. XD

If it were sanded it's okay, but I would rather they focus more on evening out the head. XD

 

I disagree with the OP's suggestion that everyone wants sanding. Sanding represents a cost, either personally in labor or in $ from the company for their labor, for smoothness that is not strictly necessary.

It's a bit like saying everyone wants glass eyes--I'm sure a lot of people love and prefer them, but acrylics, silicones and urethanes have their own strong points and can be the preferred variety for others as well.

I appreciate both. The sanded smoothness is nice like a baby's skin. (Or perhaps a woman's leg. ) But unsanded has a nice roughness to it ("tooth", was it?) that quite literally makes them less slippery and feel more solid in my arms.

 

As long as the seams aren't jagged and rough (and hopefully don't show up much in photos), I don't really mind them. I prefer them sanded, but not enough to do it myself and risk fudging them up. Pretty sure Lulu, my Pipos Romi, is my only doll that came sanded.

 

I don't want my dolls to come sanded.

Customization is a huge part of the hobby for me. And, I like the look of matte resin with a fine tooth. I think it's better for faceups and blushing too. So, if I get a doll, I want everything to be up to me regarding whether it's sanded or not.

When I first started, I wanted every doll to be a time consuming project. However, now that I'm older and I have less time, I do prefer dolls that have high quality resin that's fairly matte out of the box. I still enjoy customization and seam sanding, I just have less patience for it.

It's one of the reasons I'm so excited to buy a Narae - French resin is wonderfully matte.

Anyhow, I think if a company DOES offer sanding, it should be optional and for a fee. It's very labor intensive, and some people don't like the finish it gives.

 

Oh, I am fully aware of that. Some Korean dolls though are sanded without extra cost however. (I'm referring to OrientDoll, both of mine arrived with no seams on them).

 

All of my doll bodies came sanded except for my KDF Cherry. The companies that produced the sanded dolls (RS, Fantasy-Doll and FelixDoll) sand them at no extra charge and it's not advertised as an option to choose for them not to come sanded.
I don't really mind either way, and I probably will never sand my KDF's seams - I really like the matte texture her resin has and I don't want to give her shiny seams instead of the barely-noticeable ones she has now. The only thing I don't really like about seams is how dust seems to get trapped in them, but it's an easy enough fix.

 

I would like doll companies to have the option for full body sanding. I would have purchased it for my Petsha if those services were available from DOD.

I'll probably sand the seams myself if they bother me. Going back to the OP, I don't think everyone wants their doll sanded automatically and/or wants to pay the cost of having someone else do it for them.

 

Wait, I don't get it... Why would a doll made entirely out of a coloured resin cause discolouration if it was sanded.. That makes no sense to me. If the whole resin is that colour, then the whole thing would -stay- that colour.
I also don't get sanded areas fading at a different rate than non sanded areas. Can someone explain this concept to me?