Best Method For Rehairing?

[Icecrystalline]

Ok, I'm currently rehairing my first ever full head doll, I learnt my lesson with Clawdeena whom was a 2 pack sister Clawdeen with green & black bangs which I rehaired in blue, I used a WHOPPING great sewing needle, and split every plug, so I decided, take my time, use a TINY needle, but it's taking FOREVER, and my needles keep breaking. So, I'm wondering, what cheap & cheerful, reliable tools are available? Please can I have links to them, I plan on only rehairing dolls and not CAMS, I'm not skillful and talented enough to do scalp transplants, no way, no how.
Thank you!

[zannid]

Are you using the needle and thread method? If so, what type of needles are you using?

You can purchase "doll needles" which are used for soft sculpture dolls and rerooting. I got my current one in a little kit from dollyhair but you can get a pack of them in different sizes for pretty cheap. Seems they are purposefully long but thin enough to fit in the plug holes.

As for things taking time, practice makes perfect! It took me about 4 times longer to do my first reroot then my second.

[mermaid_splash]

Ok get some wooden dowels (sticks) that are about 1/2 inch circumference.  Get a multipack of embroidery needles.  All for less than $3 at a craft store.

Next shove the sharp point of the needle into the dowel, you may need to start a hole with a small nail head.  Clip the eye of the needle at an angle to hold hair and voila instant rehair tool.  I just bought my first real tool from our own Pop-girl here, but I haven't used it yet. 

I have been using my frankenstein tool since 2007 and never had a problem with splitting heads or hair coming out.  Granted this was ponies.  But now I have rerooted 6 MH dolls this way and have only split one plug and it was my fault putting it to close to another.

[rayedelsol]

I like the tool method. I ripped plugs on Phoebe, but that wasn't from the tool, it was from the de-hairing when she was Cupid However, my first ever reroot, Kappi [a hard-capped Sea Monster] I didn't rip any plugs. The process goes by pretty quickly. It is relaxing for me. I can't wait to do my next one!!

[Kalavista]

I use the pop-girl reroot tool, and it works wonders!

[Wrenn_Rosencrantz]

OKay, so I know Ravie uses the knot method, but most people seem to use the rehair tool and glue method.  When you use the rehair tool, and then glue after, does the hair come out or is it pretty sturdy?  I like to style my doll's hair, and comb it every once in a while.  I'd hate to do all that work just to have the plugs come out.

[Dakashy]

I use the knot method myself. You can get the long doll needles at Joanne Fabrics.

[NoDivision]

well considering that the majority of pony customizers user the tool and glue method, I'd say it's pretty sturdy. I haven't finished a MH head yet but I've always used the tool for my ponies and I wash and brush and style and pull and twist and boil and braid and do all sorts of things to my customs and the hair stays put.

[madeleinemai]

I've used the reroot tool and glue method once with mohair and once with synthetic hair. It seems pretty sturdy on both, though you can still pull out some hair if you try really hard. Normal brushing and styling shouldn't effect it, as long as you use the right glue and push the plugs into the head pretty deep. Make sure the glue you use on the inside of the head is waterproof, most brands of white/ tacky glue are only water resistant and can go sticky/soft. Any glue made for fabric should work.

You also want the consistency to be right, too thick and it might not reach all the hair, too thin and it will leak through the scalp. Some people recommend Fabri-Tac, but I've found it hard to work with. I've got some Fabric Mod Podge and it has a thin consistency but it doesn't run!

Btw, I started out with simply a embroidery needle stuck into the eraser side of a pencil, it worked, but a couple of times the wood broke and the sharp end of the needle stabbed me in the finger! I've since switched to using a pin vise to hold the needle and it feels a lot sturdier. I hope this helps! 

[Summer-blade]

I use what I call the knot and floss method with my ponies I'm getting ready to try it on my first doll custom. It's time consuming but it's worked well so far.

I have a small corchet hook that goes through the plug hole then I pull a floss loop through with the hook part and put the tied off plug in the loop and pull it through by the ends. I use a number 9 or number 10 hook and it works well. The only problem is sometimes I end up breaking parts of the plastic and the plug hole ends up being bigger than it should. But a little glue fixes that and I've had no problem with plugs coming out when I play with/ style/ wash/ do whatever with the hair

[Wrenn_Rosencrantz]

Thanks guys. 

[Ravie]

It's no secret that I use the knot method. It gives me more control over how much hair I'm putting in, and let's me judge lengths and how much hair I need better. I use the 5" needles from Restore Doll. I probably will end up ordering some from DollyHair (they have 5" needles as well) but when I had my minor needle crisis, I went straight to RD