The Visuadoll version has an odd head to neck connection involving a leather cup and a larger than normal hole in the base of the head rather than the conventional rounded hollow in the bottom of the head like all other 1/3 scale Obitsus.
This arrangement allows Takeshi’s head to sit lower on the neck, while the stock body and head have more of a “watermelon on a fence post” look. The stock head doesn’t look properly grounded on the neck.
To remedy this, we are going to shorten the stock version’s neck. The tools required are:
1) A hobby size back saw. A simple hack saw blade can be substituted but the thinner blade of the back saw is better.
2) A sharp xacto or similar hobby knife.
3) A soft pencil for marking plastic and vinyl.
4) A measuring device, tape or ruler.
5) A small piece of fine sand paper or small file.
6) A hair dryer (optional)
First, grasp the head from the back, just below the ears and squeeze. With a slight back and forth twisting motion, pull gently upward to remove the head and neck piece.
With the head off, measure down from the top of the neck vinyl about 1.2cm. Make 6-8 such marks around the neck.
With the Xacto, remove the top of the neck vinyl by cutting slowly from one mark to the next. If you are more comfortable you can connect the marks with your pencil before cutting.
Next we need to shorten the neck piece so it will fit farther down into the neck opening. Measure up from the bottom of the neck piece 1cm and with the back saw remove the lower portion of the neck piece, cutting below the 1 cm mark.
You can rest the neck piece for cutting on a table edge as shown but place a piece of thick cardboard like the back of a pad of paper or scrap of plywood underneath so you don’t cut into the table top. If your head already has a face-up, you can use a clean piece of cloth or a paper towel to place over the head while cutting the neck piece. If you are more comfortable (and don’t mind braving reinstalling the neck piece) you can remove the neck piece before cutting. Use the hair dryer to warm the area around the neck piece for easier removal and re-insertion.
With the sand paper or file, de-bur your cut on the neck piece.
If you removed the neck piece, reassemble the head and neck piece and put the head/neck piece assembly back on the body, making sure to tuck the top of the neck vinyl into the cup/recess in the bottom of the head.
And you’re done. Now the stock head sits more comfortably on the neck.
