Restringing stories: how do you feel about the process?

I just did my first restring. It feels so good to know I can now fix any of my crew that get too loose.

 

I literally just finished my first ever re-stringing fifteen minutes ago. It took forever and I did end up crying. My unfortunate victim was Lily, who is/was the floppiest and one that I'm the least bonded to. I figured that I'd be sort of okay if I hurt her because of our weak bond. I was totally wrong about that and I think that's where I'll start. I messed up her S-Hook pretty badly and I'm devastated. I think that it'll still work, but I'd like to replace it just in case. She's not really any less floppy, except for her arms and she still can't stand. I also scratched up her inside really horribly and am upset about that too, even if it can't be seen because I know that it's there. But, at least she can pose her arms now. I think I'm definitely more bonded to her too, and I know that I'll have to re-string her again soon. I feel less afraid about the whole thing and that feels good. Re-stringing was one of the last doll frontiers for me to conquer. (I already got over the sunlight fear, the breakage fear, and have some experience with tattooing/face-ups/stuff like that. Now, I just have to learn how to mod. *gasp*) I had figured that since I have had my first doll for almost two years, that it was time to learn. I learned a few things from this, and I have the feeling that maybe next time I re-string a doll, I won't feel like a fish out of water. Next time, however, I will do a little more research, have new elastic (because hers is like a very old and stretched out bra), get some better supplies (I used binder clips and wire), and will maybe have a friend help me too. I regretted it a few minutes ago, but now I don't think I do. My first time was probably going to be hard and a bit miserable, no matter how hard I researched, how prepared I was, or how much longer I waited. I'm so glad that the god-awful first time is over now.

 

I got my very first BJD about five months ago and he was so floppy and loose that it was IMPOSSIBLE to do ANYTHING with him. So literally within that first hour of opening the box I was already googling what to do. I was so scared to take him apart but by tackling the restringing first I think it definitely bonded me with my doll, Holland, but it also made me less afraid. It was the first thing that I had done with my first BJD so I definitely wasn't afraid to restring my next three dolls. Though I am still guilty of getting left and right mixed up.... XD I've had one heck of a time with that! I've never done any hot glue sueding because I don't have a low temp glue gun but I'm getting really close to doing it. Does it really make a difference? I used the Dr. Scholls mole skin in some of the joints on Holland but it attracts dirt like no other.

 

Recently I restrung a doll, and it took 2+ hours. Blood and sweat all the way through, and even with my very supportive friend it was terrifying. The dolly had such a narrow inner channel, that I had to stretch the elastic before able to string it. LOL fun time~~~ OH and of course the elastic was cut too short, making it all the more fun. I broke 3 strips of yarn and 2 strips of jewelry wire before finally settling onto some memory wire. heh

 

What was the jewelry wire for???

 

Everytime I try to restring anything I somehow always end up beyond frustrated and almost in tears.

 

^^; To be honest, I love restringing. I don't have difficulty and all and have never been hurt by it. I'm a slow and deliberate kind of worker, using twine or some form of ribbon to help the elastic along its way. I've never found dolls to require crazy amounts of strength either, but well..I do work out. XD;;;;

I like that any elastic issues I have will be eliminated with a restringing. They tend to lose taughtness over time, so it's just something to do as maintenance and part of annual cleanings, etc... :> I've gotten pretty fast at it over the years, I can probably restring a doll to my desired tension within 15 minutes. It's really fun to me!

 

I don't mind restringing so much. Like most people, it scared me the first time I did it. It's can be really scary to see your doll in pieces. It's even worse when you don't have a clear idea of what you are doing. I think it becomes a panic situation when you realize you might not be able to get your doll back together on your own. I restrung my first doll about a week after I received her. She was really floppy but I knew what to expect because I did all the proper research beforehand. I was pretty confident in knowing what to do. It helped that the company had sent a restringing guide..it didn't help that the guide was for the old style body. Luckily, I had no major issues and my boyfriend helped me attach her feet at the end. Upon receiving a new doll, I immediately take them apart, clean them, hot glue suede their joints and restring them. It makes my life easier because I don't want to have to worry about floppiness from the start. They are strung to my preference and I know that they will hold their poses. I also see it as a bonding process and I get to see how my newest doll is engineered. Plus, it forces me to inspect each piece for damage. In the new doll blitz of excitement we tend to overlook these things and before we know it we can't get a replacement part because we noticed too late.

I use ribbon and chopsticks to help me restring a doll. Chopsticks are also great when I want to switch out hands or feet.

 

While I was in Japan, my Hotaru fell from a shelf during an earthquake. She wasn't damaged but her strings ended up all twisted so I decided to restring her.
I took her to the Volks Store first, to see if they could restring her for me. Since she is a Luts they said they weren't allowed to, but showed me the string and looked her over and told me how long to make the string. They assured me that restringing wasn't difficult.
With their advice I took her home and confidently took her apart. I didn't have any trouble personally. Took me about an hour. Shes fine now and I wouldn't be afraid to string her again

 

I restrung one of my dolls for the first time ever yesterday (an Iplehouse YID body), and it's not as difficult as I thought it would be. I've heard some horror stories about people injuring themselves trying to restring their dolls. I managed to restring my doll injury free. I was prepared though, I recommend a string puller and those forceps things they sell on ebay (and Volks' website). Also I used a long piece of yarn and a crochet hook (keeps the elastic from snapping back inside the joints) made it much easier. I totally took it apart and put it back together again in about 1 hour. I did so because I thought the strings were too tight, unfortunately I couldn't make it looser, but I'm glad I got some practice in and I realized that I need to buy longer strings (I think I'll look on Mint-on-Card). Now I wouldn't hesitate to try it again either.

 

I just restrung my Migidoll Jina for the first time, as I was sanding his seams, and it was so satisfying! He stands on his own now!

 

Terrified at the thought I would mess him up!
Learning to live with him a bit floppy at the present! LOL!

 

I will shamefully admit that in the four years I've owned my MSD I have never restrung her (Her elastic is still so tight I'm afraid I won't be able to get her back together). I did attempt to remove her head at one point but managed to cut myself with the s hook and gave up.

But I will say that is absolutely bonded me closer to my MW girl.
She came unstrung so off the bat I had to string her, It was a kind of neat experience until I tried to pose her and found that the elastic was just not right for the job
She was so floppy and the elastic I think was just too thin to support her weight.
I swapped it out for some spare elastic I bought for my MSD and it actually made a tremendous difference. I've re-strung her once again recently when I did her face up. I have managed to injured myself twice restringing her.

 

Honestly I'm terrified to restring Ivy. I've taken her apart so I can spray her and add blushing but the weather's been so rainy that I haven't gotten a chance. The more time passes the more panicky I'm getting ;-;
I really need to put her back together but I'm so afraid to break her.

 

I was forced into taking apart my doll’s chest and waist when his strings accidentally slid down into his neckhole upon my opening. The first time was frustrating and while I can’t say I feel completely confident about the experience I do feel a little relief to have looked ‘into the abyss’ so to speak and he didn’t break and the world didn’t end.
I am disappointed that I chipped the resin around his neck hole accidentally but otherwise he came out unscathed. I do feel a lot closer to this BJD now that I’ve formed some memories I guess? Or maybe because I’ve put some extra effort into him? He is my cheapest BJD as of current but I am starting to like him the most.

 

It was intentional. I took her apart to spray her with MSC and to blush her. When I was done with all that, I then had to put her back together. I nearly cried the first (and only) time I restrung my KD Ani. It took me an hour to do it and I was so terrified of breaking her. It's been a year since then, and I'm still scared of having to unstring her. x.x

 

I tried to restring her and I really can't. I think her strings are way too short. The string only reaches into one arm and barely out of the other side D: ... The reason I took her apart was because she was really snappy and now I see why.
I don't think I can restring her myself.. I've been under a lot of stress and this stressed me out a bit more so I think I'll take a break from that for a while. Maybe my next doll will be properly strung when I buy her and I won't have to take her apart too lol

 

I just restrung my angell studio girl and won't be doing it again in a hurry. I probably need better tools but she came out more kicky than she started.

 

My KD Luts girl came in strung SO tightly that she had 2 poses...straight arm/legged, or arms and legs kicked tight. I was so absolutely terrified to restring her. She strings a bit differently than the tutorials I looked over though, which was a pleasant surprise. I put ribbon around the looped elastic, then got upholstery thread and put that through the end of the ribbon....dropped the thread through the channel, pulled that through so I could grab the ribbon to grab the elastic...and voila! A lot easier than I had planned for.

 

When my Norman Light first came he was really tight and would often slap/kick me in the face lol. I]One scary thing that happened to me once was when my figure got caught in between the S hook and the head, it hurt really bad and took awhile to get unstuck. Luckily I found a restringing tool online and it helps so much. I also use multiple S hooks now in replacement of the hands and feet during the process.