Accessories Jewelery: what metal is safe for resin?

I used to work in jewelry stores, and found out the reason those metals have those changes is due to the interaction with human sweat and oils on our skin. Each person's chemical makeup is different, which is why some people have harder time with them, but for dolls, who don't sweat or anything, any metal should be fine!
Silver will still oxidize, since that's caused by a chemical interaction with the air, rather like resin yellowing, but it still shouldn't cause any to rub off on your dolls. If you have silver jewelry for them that oxidizes, you can remove it easily with toothpaste and a soft cloth or old soft toothbrush (and then rinse it well after), or you can line a pot or flat frying pan with aluminum foil, add a little baking soda and salt and enough water to cover the pieces, and heat the pieces until they're shiny again. Doing the latter option will remove any intentional oxidation on a piece though.

 

As a jewelry maker, I was about to reply, but I see that Quilleth said exactly what I was about to say. They're exactly right. Green/oxidation on humans is due to sweat and oils on the skin, which dolls don't have. Personally, I've made a ton of doll jewelry, and I use base metals for them without a single issue. I've never used gold or stainless steel for any of them. It's been years, and other than oxidation due to the air (on the jewelry, nothing got on my dolls), everything is just fine.

 

I'm not a jeweler and myself rarely if ever wear any jewelry of any kind, because I'm a clutz and also find jewelry uncomfortable. Having said that, all non precious metals rust, oxidized and change due to their exposure to air and moisture, not just human contact.

I had a few micro beads on an OT head sculpt for piercings, glued on with pva, which is generally considered non-active. However, the beads got oxidized and rusty and left stains on my OT head sculpt. I was able to remove the stains, but my point is some metals (if not most), will still oxidized or rust. I didn't leave those on for a long time either, it just happened rather fast. My solution is to cover the part that will be touching the doll, like the underside of a charm or the inside of a ring, with acrylic gloss. I had someone advise me to do so with human fashion jewelry, that would leave a stain on my own finger, when I could still be tolerant of having rings on my fingers centuries ago. They suggested clear nail polish, but I went with the acrylic gloss, because that's what I already owned.

It's probably not necessary, but just a small step in helping to not get any long-term staining. Hope that helps, and good luck. (:

 

PVA is water based so I'd assume it was the moisture from the glue corroding the beads. I remember gluing some copper wire with PVA and the wire oxidized really fast, water is not a friend to many mystery craft metals or metallic components in beads and such I guess. It's a very good idea to check doll piercing materials ahead of gluing them in, though, so thank you for the heads up!


I had a pair of earrings leave dark marks inside of the drilled piercing holes in a doll's ears. The wire used looked coppery but since I didn't make the jewellery I don't really know what it was exactly. Of course the piercing holes are very small and tight and it looked to be mostly from the metal rubbing against the resin but it's very hard to get the stains off from such small nooks, even if they do come off easily.

On another hand, a positive experience - the doll that wears a necklace 99% of time has had no staining whatsoever. I used the same chain to make a necklace for myself that I wear very rarely and mine has already tarnished. Dolls not sweating are a blessing

In short, as long as you know what materials are used, it's usually fine! Mystery metals might be best tested out first, especially if there will be some gluing or friction involved, though.

 

If it helps - Some of my dolls have been wearing the same jewellery for nearly 20 years without any of uit leaving marks on the resin - and there's a complete mix of metals involved as it was all bought based on how it looked, not what it was made of.

Teddy

 

Indeed PVA glue is water based and as I mentioned, most non-precious metals will rust with exposure to air and moisture (water), I specifically use tacky glue which literally dries in minutes, due to low water content. So, I was baffled, because I had never experienced PVA rusting/oxidizing any other metal craft beads. Sadly, not all craft materials list what they are made out of, due to them not being intended to be used by humans as jewels (or ingested). Too bad us humans want to use them as jewelry for our dolls (some of us at least!). I prefer stainless still ball bearings myself, for piercings, but unfortunately, they don't make micro-ones (who knew 1mm ones would be too huge for 1:6 female action figure head sculpts! Lol!). A good coat of gloss though, and that covers a world of hurt (not literally, but at least prevents stains left behind by questionable materials). I only glue all my piercings because I am too chicken to drill holes in my dolls (yet don't mind modifying the dickens out of them, with epoxy clays!). I can only say for sure, a thin coat of gloss helps prevents stains, when you don't know what types of metal you're working with. (:

 

I had a negative experience with silver wire. Several years ago, I bought an Iplehouse Ashanti doll second-hand. She has pierced ears, and the piercings were black due to silver oxidation. Inquiries with the previous owner revealed that earrings made of silver wire had been displayed there for a long time. This oxide residue adheres to the rough surfaces of the drilled holes. An attempt to clean it by washing/polishing was unsuccessful. There was only one solution: to remove the black oxide by enlarging the hole.
Therefore, my advice is: If you use silver wire from a hobby store, don't leave it in your pierced ears for too long. Professionally made earrings should not cause any problems.