SD FAQ

Super Dollfie FAQ - Basic Customization Questions

Customization includes changing the wig, or eyes, removing the seams (or parting lines) by sanding, coating the parts with a protective spray (such as Mr. Super Clear), repainting the face, restringing and suedeing the joints for greater stability, exchanging standard parts for optional ones, or any combination of these things. There is also a form of customizing where the head and body are delicately shaded to give the SD a more pleasing, realistic look. It appears to bring the body to life. It can be done by hand with pastel dust, or make-up, or with an airbrush.

For details, I recommend you visit Links section for the addresses of many of our talented members' websites, (many of whom have kindly posted tutorials) or search the Group Messages for the topics that most interest you.

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Esthetic is the term used by Japanese SD owners to refer collectively to all forms of customization.

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Super Dollfie, SD13, and Mini-SD can be customized, or left just as they are from the box if you prefer. Many people are particularly happy with the delicate natural style paint that comes with the SD13. Others make an artistic effort on every SD they own. The choice is entirely up to you!

Mini-SD kits, or Standard SD created from parts have to be assembled. The kits come with eyes and a wig. When buying SD by the parts, you have to supply these yourself. Volks can assemble and paint the Mini-SD kits for you for an extra fee. Volks will also sand and coat your SD for you for a fee. You can request to have this done when you order your doll, or you can mail your doll to them to have it done. There are also many talented members of Den of Angels who can sand and coat your doll, blush their body, and/or paint their face for you for a fee as well.

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Many people fix stick-on Velcro to the top of their SD's head to keep wigs on. It works very well. (Volks recommends this.) Wig Velcro - a picture of how to apply velcro to your dolls head and a wig to aid in wig slipping

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Different dolls have different headcaps, so this is an easy task with some dolls and a difficult one with others.

Standard SDs have their S-hook directly attached to their headcap, so you will need some strong fingers (and possibly a levering tool) to pull the headcap up and allow you to either flip it backwards, or else unhook the S-hook so that you can remove the headcap completely.
If you have a standard SD and wish you could open their headcap without breaking your fingers, you can try Marta's tutorial on putting a bottlecap in the head to allow easier access. Laura also has a tutorial (with pictures) for putting a washer in the head instead, for the same sort of results.

SD13s are much easier to deal with; the headcap is merely fitted to the head, and held in place with a rubber band that is attached to the S-hook. Simply lift the headcap enough to fit your fingers inside, and unattach the rubber band.

Mini-SDs headcaps do not attach to the S-hook, nor do they have a rubber band; instead they have small poles that stick into holes in the head and in the cap, allowing it to hold on that way. Simple slip your fingers between the headcap and the head, and prise the cap off.

You can check out Nat's page to get an idea of how to remove your U-Noss' head cap and also the eye switch inside.

Sam has a tutorial (with pictures) explaining how to remove the headcap of Cerberus Project dolls, and also how to string them.

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Earlier released SDs had their eyes fixed in place with a very hard grey putty. If this is the case with your SD, you will have some work ahead of you; you're going to have to chisel the putty out before you can get the eyes free.

Thankfully, most SD these days come with their eyes hot-glued in. Hot glue can be removed by picking at it (either with your fingers or a small, blunt instrument such as a butter knife or a flathead screwdriver), by pushing against the eyes from the outside (this has worked for some owners, but not others), or by aiming a hairdryer set on low heat at the glue for a short time to soften it enough that it peels off. (Just make sure it's a low heat setting!) Once the glue is removed, the eyes are free to be taken out.

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First consider if you want the placement to be temporary or permanent. If you plan to change eyes occasionally, you probably won't want to use a putty that hardens.

Various soft putties and eye-setting waxes are available commercially. Even Volks has one. Check the Den of Angels Links section for Doll Supply companies for more information.

Some customizers use Super Sculpey or kneaded rubber eraser to keep eyes in. Handy if you have art supplies around. Others have also suggested fun-tak or blu-tak to be a great substitute to putty.

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To make them more steady (and cure the naturally wobbly SD legs) SD can have their joints lined with suede ("sueded") and strings tightened. You can do this yourself (Volks sells a self-standing kit) or Volks will do it for you for an extra fee. Please contact your buyer for further information.

If you would like to try and suede your doll yourself without buying the self-standing kit, you can buy your own suede and use this sueding pattern to cut out the pieces and glue them to the corresponding parts of your SD.

Another very popular standing and posing aid is to insert rubber or vinyl coated wire into the arms and legs. Jiyuujizai (vinyl coated aluminum wire) from Japan or any rubber coated wire thin enough to insert through the limbs will do.

There are many Den of Angels members with customizing experience who will be able to help you with these methods, or who can do the job for you, for a small fee.

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The best way to learn is to give it a go yourself! However, for starters you can try reading Marta's stringing guide or looking at Seph's stringing tutorial (with pictures). Sam also has a stringing guide (with pictures) for Cerberus Project dolls. Many people find the idea of unstringing their doll daunting, but in reality it is quite easy, and by the time you've done it once or twice, you'll be an old hand at it.

Please be aware that although the general practice of stringing is the same, the exactitudes differ for different types of ball-jointed dolls. If your doll is not Volks or Cerberus Project (as shown in the tutorials above) and you're feeling unsure about unstringing or restringing them, please ask on Den of Angels.

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Most SDs (and SD-like dolls) come "unfinished" in the sense that their seamlines are still visible. For many people, this does not detract from their beauty in the slightest. However, others prefer to remove the seamlines as a final touch. Many people have said they find this a very bonding experience with their doll. As always, the final decision is up to you.
If you decide to remove the seamlines, try reading Aimee's Sanding and Coating page to give you a good idea of what to do.
Many people suggest using wet sandpaper as they find this makes the job easier. You should buy it in several grades, from coarse up to fine.
Also please be sure to sand your doll in a well-ventilated area, preferably outside, and please wear a mask over your mouth and nose! Resin dust is poisonous and can damage your lungs.

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Coating is recommended to protect your doll from stains and from yellowing caused by aging and sunlight. Volks recommends a product called Mr Super Clear. This is a spray-on coat that comes in a can. It cannot be bought locally in the States; please ask your shopping service when ordering your doll. Most shopping services keep Mr Super Clear in stock and can send it with your doll. In general, you will need 1-2 cans to coat a whole doll.
Mr Super Clear comes in both Matte and Gloss; make sure that you get Matte, as the Gloss coat will give your doll a very shiny, unrealistic look.
For more information on how to coat your doll, please read Aimee's Sanding and Coating page.
As with sanding, please be sure to coat your doll in a well-ventilated area, preferably outside, and please wear a mask over your mouth and nose! Mr Super Clear fumes are toxic and damaging to your health.

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Unfortunately, the final answer on this is: we don't know. It is said that the polyresin material that SDs are made of may slowly turn yellow over time, and that coating helps prevent this from happening. However, SDs are still a fairly new product; they have only been on the market since 1998. We can't really know what will happen in the long term.
There have been reports from owners of uncoated dolls that their dolls have yellowed slightly over time. However, there have also been reports from owners of coated dolls that their dolls have yellowed slightly. And there have been reports from owners of uncoated dolls that their dolls have remained unchanged. As such, the results are inconclusive. All we can suggest is that if the thought of your SD yellowing really does worry you, it may be a good idea to coat your doll. This will also help protect them from staining.

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Using a Bottle Cap in the Head - a method of attaching the string in the head to make it removing your doll's skullcap more convenient by Marta.

back to top Using a Bottle Cap in the Head - a method of attaching the string in the head to make it removing your doll's skullcap more convenient by Marta.

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Volks says: "The new material, "UV Protection" helps the pure skin look fresh and youthful for a long time. UV protective effect is added to the existing pure skin (Approx. 3 times more in our ratio.) "UV Protection" is was applied to only Toppi first. We will apply it to more dollfies from now on."

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