BJD questions

[Dakashy]

I'm considering purchasing a BJD, but I wanted to ask some questions before I make a purchase.

How durable are they? I like to style and pose my MH dolls daily, will a BJD be able to do that as well?

[PandaBerryInSpace]

Well, they are very posable, but in a VERY different way from Monster High. They don't have the same kind of swivel joints, but rather, ball joints. They click when you pose them, and they generally stay in place afterwards. I have to admit, it took some getting used to for me.

Compared to Monster High, BJDs are VERY fragile. Resin is a lot more like porcelain than Monster High plastic, and should be treated with care. Fingers tend to be the most fragile part, I've heard a lot of stories about BJDs being dropped and having their fingers break off. I think that how durable a particular doll is depends a lot on the type of resin used... But, don't quote me on that, because I'm not really sure.

And regarding styling, they aren't as easy to style as Monster High in the sense that they are much more pricey. Unless you buy a full set, you'll have to purchase a wig, eyes, and clothes. (And BJD clothes are much more expensive than MH clothes... Sometimes, they can cost as much as their human equivalent!)

[Dakashy]

I'm trying to avoid making a mistake again. The last custom I got was so fragile that touching her damaged her:

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And when I stored her to keep her from getting more damaged the eyes collected all the dust and lint.

[ZennaBug]

Well, BJDs aren't as porous as MH, so I would think their faceups would be more sturdy (certainly, I've never ruined a face by touching it).  As far as durability, they're fragile.  But they're also made to be styled, customized, and posed.  They're higher quality than MH, material-wise, so will last longer as long as you don't drop one.

If you can find a BJD group in your area, I'd suggest going to a dolly meet and seeing other peoples' dolls so you can decide if they're for you or not.  It would be pretty heartbreaking to pay all that money on a doll and not fall in love.

I never thought I would own any BJDs because of the price, but I bought my first a couple years ago - a little anthro otter.  I loved her, but thought that one would be ok.  Then, I bought my Amber because she has a little unicorn horn and I thought she was just too cute for words.  She was $100, still cheap in BJD land (though I'm paying $45 for her faceup, which is in progress, $20 or so for her wig, $9 on eyes).  Once I got her, I was so in love that I just NEEDED more.  I found my grail dolly, who is costing me $550 second-hand and I'm making the last payment on her layaway as soon as the money pops into my PayPal.

The money seems daunting at first (especially if you make as little as I do), but what I've noticed from my own dolls and from other dolls I've seen in meets is that you get what you pay for.  I was going to buy a $150 doll, but when the chance to buy my grail appeared, I knew that I had to jump.  I'd rather have one amazing doll than 2 or 3 ones that I like, but don't adore.

[Taxel]

It sounds like your MH custom used a bad sealant or something. Her eyes should not have collected dust and lint like that if she was sealed properly. Have you said anything to the person who made her?

[Dakashy]

It sounds like your MH custom used a bad sealant or something. Her eyes should not have collected dust and lint like that if she was sealed properly. Have you said anything to the person who made her?

I did, and all she did was blame me for touching her. 

[wystearya]

It sounds like your MH custom used a bad sealant or something. Her eyes should not have collected dust and lint like that if she was sealed properly. Have you said anything to the person who made her?

This is exactly what I thought.  Unfortunately a lot of sealants don't dry correctly.  Getting a good quality sealant is an important part of the face-up.   

Honestly, the person blaming you sounds shady to me.  I think if you got someone who knew what they were doing that you wouldn't have had problems with the face-up or eyes.  The sealant shouldn't be sticky at all once fully dried.

[PandaBerryInSpace]

I think I know what she might have sealed with... I don't remember the brand (I think it was Krylon?), but it's one of those acrylic sealants that have acetone in them as the main ingredient. I used that on a pony once, and the results were not at all pretty.

[wystearya]

I think I know what she might have sealed with... I don't remember the brand (I think it was Krylon?), but it's one of those acrylic sealants that have acetone in them as the main ingredient. I used that on a pony once, and the results were not at all pretty.

It wasn't the 'Make it Last" sealer was it?  http://www.krylon.com/products/make_it_last_clear_sealer/

This is supposed to be waterproof and from the reviews I thought it would be a good one.   I have this and plan to use it soon, so I am concerned. 

[Dakashy]

"I'm very sorry to hear that's happened! I've never had a customer complain about the quality of a face up or have it deteriorate so quickly, and I've been painting dolls since 2006. I use Mr. Super Clear and Tamiya gloss, both of which are common and highly recommended for painting vinyl dolls.

I've read about MSC cracking, and it cracks if the head was squished or bent? If it's a problem with the sealant being bad it will flake off or turn white immediately after applying. Gloss can also become sticky if the doll is subjected to heat or foreign contaminants (finger oils, hair products getting on the face, etc), was she stored in a cool place?

When storing the dolls it's best not to have anything touching the face, especially in areas where there is gloss. When I ship dolls I always put a paper cup over the face to protect it, so I've found that's a good way to store them as well."

I sent her the pictures above. She then replied:

"Thank you for the photos. I can't see in them where you said there was cracking in the sealant.

I can see where the gloss has dirt stuck to it. I can recommend trying a piece of a Magic Eraser sponge (they have off brand or Mr. Clean brand), just get it wet with water and gently rub at the lips. Try not to rub at other parts of the face as the sponge is a mild abrasive and may remove other parts of the paint that are not covered with gloss.

If that doesn't work, try a q-tip very lightly damp with a low percentage of rubbing alcohol. Just swipe it over the gloss once, being careful not to touch the rest of the face, let it dry for a moment, then swipe again if it didn't help. It may dull the gloss, but it should help it be less sticky too.

You had not mentioned the 'black in her nose' before now, but I add black inside the nostrils to add definition, it is the same on all of my customs.

I'm sorry this has happened, but as I said before I have never heard of any of this happening with any of my customs before now. If it were closer to the date of the finished custom I would be able to help more, but it's been almost four months since the doll left my hands."

[Vertefae]

I've had several BJDs. Both with factory and custom face ups. And I've dropped plenty of them on the floor. (EEK!) They've never broken or rubbed their face ups off. They're not say as sturdy as a barbie, but they're not as fragile as you'd be led to believe.

[SuniMoon]

I've never had a break or a chipped part on my resin boys...
Compared to my track record of breaking the pegs on MH hands, well...
There ya go.

The worst damage I ever had was a Dollzone boy I purchased from Junkyspot, who, upon being removed from his box and posed, had his S hook pop out of his head, smash into his neck, and leave a nasty dent. I later found the inside of his head was not properly molded to hold the S-hook in place. O.O


But this is a very odd experience... One of my BJDs chills on my bed at might, the side against the wall, where he can't fall off, and he hasn't been damaged.

They are more delicate, but resin is a stronger material than porcelain for sure. And it's very nice to the touch.
I would not recommend touching the face, but the worst that happens is that the oils and dirt on your hands hand kinda gather on the sealant, deteriorating it over time. It's not a fast process... Face-ups can get chipped, but I dropped one of my tinies once, and, surprisingly, his face-up took no damage.

If you want to look into BJDs...

ResinSoul has inexpensive dolls. They're awkward to pose, and the sculpts aren't for everyone, but they're an inexpensive option.

Doll Leaves has mini dolls (45cm range) that are under 200, too, not much more than a ResinSoul doll.
They pose much better.

Hujoo has a few mini girls and boys, however, they are made of ABS plastic and not resin. These dolls look like most other BJDs, though, and run around 120 dollars. That's the cheapest you're going to go. They aren't resin, but they are strung like resin dolls.

Magical Angel is a new company... They're received a mixed welcome, with some confusion over whether or not they're legit, but they're allowed on DoA, and people have bought dolls from them before. They're very cheap, but a bit riskier, since theres just so little feedback for them at this point. Still, they're worth mentioning.

If you're interesting, you may want to try joining DoA, and, after getting to a high enough post count, check out the market. Buying used is a good way to go to find an inexpensive, but nice doll.

Also, there are a lot of face-up artists starting out on such forums, who are willing to do low price, or even free face-ups, to fill their portfolio.

[Dakashy]

Thank you all for your help and advice. I am looking into saving my money and getting a Soom Faery when one comes out that I actually like.

[Like A Tea Spoon]

Some advice... avoid touching the faceups. MH dolls have "squishy" soft heads and the flexing in the head could corrupt the sealant and faceup. With BJD's, I'd say the same thing. Oil and dirt from fingers can make the doll dirty.

How clean the head was before starting, Humidity and the type of sealant can play a big part in how durable the faceup can be.

Resin dolls can chip and break. I've never broken a resin bjd or had one with damage like chips, cracks and breaks. While I wouldn't say they are glass fragile, still treat them with respect.

[Tiella]

I touch my BJD's faces all the time and have no issues, a couple have factory face ups and a couple have ones I have done myself. I would just recommend making sure your hands are clean before doing so.