Silicon Vs TPE

[Dreamin]

I've had my TPE for over a year and a half and that time has been spent mainly dealing with staining, falling and maintenance.  I bought my doll mainly for photography and I rarely shoot her.  I've made some mistakes with her then lost confidence in what I could do with her and lost interest.  My RealDoll will be delivered tomorrow and I don't want to make the same mistakes but at the same time I want to have fun with her.  I don't want to damage her but I also don't want to be overly conservative.

Staining
First thing I did with my TPE was oil her and I think I over oiled her.  She stained so easy just holding an item up to her could leave a stain.  I know the silicon dolls don't stain as easy but they can be stained.  How safe are they?  If she is clean and dry is it relatively safe to put a cheap Halloween outfit on her for a shoot without worrying about staining?

Standing Option
Is the lack of standing option for RD more about weight or balance?  I think the RD feet are reinforced so is it ok to have them stand for a shoot as long as they have something to lean against or is it bad for the doll to have the full weight on the feet for periods of time?  I bought a stand so she'll be stored on the stand but for shoots I prefer to have her off the stand leaning against something.

Movable Parts
Are the RD fingers just wire like TPE's?  and if they are do they at least attach the wire to the hand plate?  I want to be able to do a lot of different poses which means moving the arms, hands and fingers frequently. Can that be done without the joints becoming loose and the finger wire poking out?  And the eyes, can the eyes be adjusted frequently without stretching the eye sockets?  My TPE's hands are terrible with oxidized fingertip and holes in the fingers and hands from the wire poking out and I don't even try to pose her hands anymore.  One eye socket is stretched more that the other so now I try top avoid moving the eyes too much.

Face and Makeup
I want to be able to have a variety of looks.  I bought two faces and want to swap them out frequently.  Are the magnets durable enough for frequent changes without having issues with how it fits?  I know the faces can be changed but don't know if they can be changed frequently.  Same thing with makeup, eyelashes and fingernails.  Can they be changed frequently for different looks without adding excess wear?   My camera is designed for frequent lens changes.  The bulbs in my lighting can be changed but aren't meant to be changed frequently.  Trying to understand how my doll was designed.

TL/DR:  I know RD is higher quality and more durable than TPE but what is the design philosophy?  Am I getting a Camaro to throw around an the track or am I getting a Mercedes that gets put in the garage at the slightest hint of rain.

[Euchre]

Congrats on your purchase...

Staining.  Silicone does stain but not as easy as TPE.  I would still put any new clothing (especially cheap clothing or anything with dark colors) in the wash before putting it on her but I've never really have heard of a silicone doll getting stained from holding something, though i guess it could happen.

Standing.  I think its more the way the joints are that prevents them from standing.  TPE dolls have the plate in the foot plus the nubs.  Also, their joints are tightened big time if you specify that.  I would HIGHLY NOT recommend standing her on her own even leaning against something.  Use a stand or many rig hanging systems into the ceiling.  A free standing option is something that customers have asked for but I've yet to see any of the US based companies even mention looking into it.

Finger and eyes.  Fingers can be bent, carefully.  The new RDs seem to not have as many pokes as they did in the past, but still be careful.  Eyes can be posed but its best to put a drop of whatever lube you may use into the socket.  The trick there is working around the lashes but done carefully enough it can be easily done.  I've never seen any RD eyes stretch out due to movement but in the long, long run it could(?) be possible.  You worry more about messing up the lashes more than anything.

Face swapping.  My Wicked Stormy and male doll both have the full head mask so I don't have experience with the Faces and magnets.  I haven't heard any issue with makeup or other damage with swapping alot but have heard of the velcro (older faces) or magnets coming loose so you might want to be aware of that.

I would go ahead and be conservative with how you handle her at first.  She doesn't need to be treated like porcelain but handled with care nonetheless.  Like any doll, learn how she moves and be careful how you transport her around.  With time you'll understand and be able to move/pose her within her limits with no worries.   

Enjoy.

[Ceej]

Euchre explained everything quite well...

I'd like to add that, although pretty good, Silicone dolls don't have the same range of motion as TPE dolls. This is mainly for two reasons. 

Some of the joints in Realdolls have end stops built in to prevent over extending the joint....example, the legs can only be spread so much. These were designed to prevent over stretching in the crotch and possible tearing. So if you feel that the part you're moving won't move any further, don't push it.

The other difference is that silicone dolls have hard foam cores incorporated in them, usually in the chest, pelvis and thighs. These weigh less than silicone so their use reduces the overall weight of the doll. The cores also limit the amount of movement, because they are hard, and there is less silicone between them to flex when they are moved.

As Euchre mentioned, take your time with your RD and get to know her.

[Dreamin]

Thanks for the responses.  II'll take i slow with her.  Guess that dragon warrior outfit will have to wait.

[Brick_Dollbanger]

Couple of things I wan to add:

Staining, if a stain occur, leave it alone and it will come out on its own. It will simply dissapear over time and NORMAL cleaning. Rubbing our doll will take off the sealer and that is bad. Always use a very soft towel when cleaning your doll.

Do not use her standing very often, the  plates in her feet will cut through the silicone. She is designed to be posed and fucked off her feet. She is very durable and all Rd's have dura-cast hands and feet know. Thats makes it harder to get finger pokes or feet tears. But it can still happen.

Eyelashes, its not recomended to change out lashes. the lashes are permanent and only should be changed if damaged.
 Dont force the limbs past the point of resistance. When you get to a point you cant move the limb, just stop..

Using make-up on your doll is fine for different looks. Again, dont rub it to hard to take it off. If you go to clubrealdoll.com  and contact Selobl, he can put you on to some excellent make-up products for your doll. Also go to the thread "Ask Brick" for info. If I  cant answer your question one of the members will. We are a helpful bunch over there.........Brick

[Dreamin]

My Olivia arrived today and first thing I notice when I see her is her eyes are two different shapes.



Then I see cracks in the head cushion.



The crack in the head is probably no big deal but the eyes!  I got Olivia mainly for photography and I focus on the eyes in most of my shots.  I do a lot of close ups and this is just 




I know the dolls aren't designed primarily for photography and I can see Olivia will be harder to dress and pose than Alexa.  I'll see how it goes but so far not what I was expecting.

[Ceej]

She is absolutely gorgeous! 

[Euchre]

Well if you wanted perfect symmetry then most of the high end US based silicone companies are out.  Just like real people, the slight imperfections, which are done on purpose, make their dolls look that much more realistic.  She's gorgeous IMO.

[Dreamin]

She is definitely gorgeous and I'll have my fun with her, starting tonight...

[Halleheals]

She’s beautiful! Love the braid and Red hair!   

[Z-Dr]

Well if you wanted perfect symmetry then most of the high end US based silicone companies are out.

I disagree.  Abyss is all about perfect symmetry, it is their trademark.  Regardless, I agree that those eyes look out of whack. 

If you are not happy with the face, I would contact them and send it back.