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How to remove Doll heads

PostPosted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 10:03 pm
by DeadlyVixen
Hello everyone,

I'll be getting a Takara Jenny doll soon, she'll be my first non-dollfie/obitsu doll and I'm thinking of swapping her body for a dollfie body. The problem is I've been searching on how to safely remove doll heads but I cant find a good guide. Could someone please tell me how to go about removing a doll's head without damaging it? Pictures would be great!
Any help is appreciated!

Re: How to remove Doll heads

PostPosted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 10:21 pm
by maywong
I put a measuring cup of water (I use a 2 cup) in the microwave for about 2 min. (this time depends on your microwave. You want the water hot but not boiling) Then I put the dolls head in the water for a few sec. until head gets soft. You can then pull the head off without any damage. I hope this helps.

Re: How to remove Doll heads

PostPosted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 11:01 pm
by DeadlyVixen
So I have to soften the head? Is there a hook on most fashion dolls neck piece? How do you remove the head once it's off?

Sorry for all the questions :oops:

Re: How to remove Doll heads

PostPosted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 11:52 pm
by Glace Leau
I can't speak for Jenny in particular, but for pretty much every fashion doll, it's a vinyl head with a hole at the neck. Not a lot to it.

Attached to the neck is the knob that holds the head on, kind of like this:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/elizabethplaid/5109112472/
Although a lot of modern dolls will have some prongs to make pulling the head off harder. (This is a Barbie body in the picture, the prongs have been cut off.)

You can heat the head to soften and slightly expand the vinyl so that it's easier to yank off the knob, though I often don't because I don't feel like messing with hairstyles and Barbie heads (mostly what I'm bodyswapping) are pretty soft.

Once the head's off you really don't need to do anything to it, there is no hook in the head or anything like that. Just shove it onto your body of choice.

Re: How to remove Doll heads

PostPosted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 1:52 am
by DeadlyVixen
Glace Leau wrote:I can't speak for Jenny in particular, but for pretty much every fashion doll, it's a vinyl head with a hole at the neck. Not a lot to it.

Attached to the neck is the knob that holds the head on, kind of like this:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/elizabethplaid/5109112472/
Although a lot of modern dolls will have some prongs to make pulling the head off harder. (This is a Barbie body in the picture, the prongs have been cut off.)

You can heat the head to soften and slightly expand the vinyl so that it's easier to yank off the knob, though I often don't because I don't feel like messing with hairstyles and Barbie heads (mostly what I'm bodyswapping) are pretty soft.

Once the head's off you really don't need to do anything to it, there is no hook in the head or anything like that. Just shove it onto your body of choice.


That's really helpful, thank you so much!

I'll probably go buy a doll and try it out before my Jenny arrives hopefully it turns out okay lol.

Re: How to remove Doll heads

PostPosted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 2:14 am
by Greyhaunt
Give me some time to find one, and I'll photograph the neck piece of a Jenny body. It's just a post, really easy to remove the head from so dont' worry. I dont' even heat mine up much - it's that easy :)

If I may, let me recommend obitsu bodies! I have several Jenbitsu and I just love them!

Re: How to remove Doll heads

PostPosted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 8:29 am
by maywong

Re: How to remove Doll heads

PostPosted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 7:12 pm
by delbelcoure
Here's a tutorial with pictures
http://www.dramaticdolls.com/Behead-tips.htm
Click on the tiny pictures to see slightly bigger pictures.
Susan

Re: How to remove Doll heads

PostPosted: Thu Dec 16, 2010 1:43 am
by DeadlyVixen
Thanks for the links!

Well I went and bought one of those Fashionista barbies as a test subject today. I used the hairdryer to soften the vinyl and pull her head off with my hand.
A few questions, I stretched some of the plastic on the tab as it turned light pink is this alright?
Also I used a hairdryer instead of hot water, If I were to use hot water would I have to dunk the whole head in it?

Greyhaunt that would be awesome if you could take a pic for me!

Thanks everyone!

Re: How to remove Doll heads

PostPosted: Thu Dec 16, 2010 6:24 pm
by maywong
DeadlyVixen wrote: If I were to use hot water would I have to dunk the whole head in it?


Yes, you would have to dunk the whole head in.