So... a little update on the state of Katja and my new life as a doll owner:
Why the name Katja?
It is a name that always appealed to me, even as a young boy. The sound of the word itself. How it feels, rolling off my tongue. It reminds me of the Norwegian word "katt", meaning cat. Her shortname can also be "Katt". Women are feline by nature, both the graceful appearance and their way of moving, but also when it comes to their psycology and mentality - stubborn, impossible to train, doing things their way, impossible to "own" or control. They are fickle. But stroke them the right way, and they will start to purr and rub up against you. Magic.
Katja is a Germanic and Nordic name, and a variant of the Russian name Jekatarina or Ekatarina, which in turn is a variant of the Greek name "Aikaterine" which means "pure" or "clean". Which is a nice trait for a woman. My Katja is of a pure heart with a pure soul. And a clean body. The name Katja is no longer a popular name in Norway, making it special in itself. Only 550 (0,02 %) of the women in Norway are called Katja today. The name is also used in the Netherlands and Russia. My first girlfriend was from the Netherlands, and my last from Russia, so that is another connection. Therefore, I have decided that Katja has a Russian mother and a Dutch father. And her last name is a fun Dutch double entendre.
Why the 166C/#273?
As mentioned in my first post in this thread, I fell for the body/head-combo after seeing Mandos' pictures of the "soldier girl". She looked like my girlfriend. Mostly the face, as her body was a few centimeter shorter, and a cup size bigger than my girl. But when ordering I didn't understand that you could find other body-models and match with heads. After ordering, I had second thoughts. I should have chosen another body. And if her face was too similar to that of my girlfriend, it would be creepy. When the factory pictures arrived, I was happy to see the face didn't look like Mandos' pictures. Especially after the doll itself arrived, I found that her face was unique and she took on an identity of her own. First I thought the body was too small and not realistic. But shortly after attaching her head, putting on her wig, and standing her up, Katja looked perfect to me in every way. Overall, I am very happy with her.
The negatives:
- The smell. The first day I cleaned Katja and powdered her. I was prepared she would smell. I didn't know what to expect, as I have no experience with Thermoplastic elastomers. I found the smell to be faint, and not bothersome. But the second day, the smell had built up in my room, and I became more aware of it. And I started to dislike it. It made me feel nauseous. It was like the coat of powder had prevented the smell somewhat, but now my girl was "stinking up the joint". And she was staining the linnen like a greasy pizza makes the cardboard box look dark and wet. Now, a few weeks in and a couple of showers later, the smell has faded significantly.
- The weight. The 166C is a fairly small and light body. But Katja does not help at all when I want to move her. I had read this on the forum, so I was expecting it. I have no problem moving heavy objects, like big stones, cementbags or such. But with Katja it is different. She is delicate and fragile as well, and I need to watch those fingers and toes and avoid scraping her perfect skin on something, like furniture. And her joints can move when I move her, making the weight shift. Carrying her is OK, but moving her in bed is the most difficult. When I am laying down, I lose the leverage, and I have to lift all her weight with my arms. Well, it's a more enjoyable workout than lifting that metal at the gym...
- The durability. I have read so many stories of how the dolls detoriate, and especially now that I have become emotionally attached, I dread the day she will suffer major problems. I see that the fingers and toes frequently bend in awkward ways when I move her, or push against her in my sleep. And I see some say that it is inevitable that her digits will break in the end. And I will cry like a baby when it happens, as I love holding her hands or admiring her long, slim, elegant fingers. I also enjoy the feel of her touch. Placing her hand on my chest or head is very nice. Seeing her break more and more will be sad. Just like me, she will not live forever. I find comfort in it also, thinking how we will age together.
- The quality. For the price, I was expecting a high-quality product. I can spot some imperfections. They don't bother me that much, as it gives Katja character. I am also imperfect, with scars and marks. It's not the years - it's the mileage... But as mentioned in another thread about WM Dolls ankle problems, Katja came out of the box with one very stiff ankle, and one completely loose ankle, which is flopping around like a limp noodle. To re-post the pictures of it:
- Right foot #1.JPG (3.75 MiB) Viewed 1886 times
- Right foot #2.JPG (3.8 MiB) Viewed 1886 times
- Right foot #3.JPG (3.62 MiB) Viewed 1886 times
I understand I can perform doll surgery and mend her, but I shouldn't have to start cutting into a new product in this price range.
Also, some joints are quite loose. One elbow and one knee. The latter in particular is a bit dangerout when standing her up, as one leg tends to suddenly buckle. One hip joint is VERY hard, and I need to use both hands to adjust it. And when I do, it gives off a sound that resembles a cat having its tail stepped on. Can you all say "SQUEAK"?
However, as I have no experience with other brands of dolls, this might be common, or an OK level of quality for the price. More about the positive side of the ankle-issue below.
- The neck connection. I see that there are threads on the neck bolt. Perhaps it is meant to be screwed on the body? I just inserted the stud into the neck. It makes it easier to turn the head. But it also falls off easily. At awkward moments. Especially in bed when she is laying down. The metal-to-metal seems to give off some metal powder or residue (wearing) that can stain the TPE.
- The wig. It falls off all the time. Not really WM Dolls fault. Perhaps a wig cap could help...
The positives:
- The doll itself. It is just marvellous. It is better than I dared to hope for. Very nice company. I love holding her. Touching her. Looking at her. Having someone (?) with me again really picks up my spirit. One colleague at work even pointed out that I am "glowing" (a term I thought was reserved for pregnant women, but OK...)
- The fun. It's like a new hobby, learning about fashion and women's clothing. Learning about photography. The community online. There are so many sides and aspects to doll ownership.
- The sex. Eeeeh, yeah... Katja is no longer a virgin. I was reluctant to use the doll for this. But she is just so good looking, and a few days ago after snuggling and sleeping in eachother's arms all night, waking up a Saturday with no need to run off to work, with her warm body next to mine, I gave in to temptation. I'll spare you the details, but suffice to say she wrapped her legs and arms around me, and took me on a ride to heaven. It was incredible, and I will always remember that first time with her. And so will my neighbours, I am afraid
So now it is official: I am a doll-fucker. And proud of it.
In conclusion:
I have already become quite attached to Katja emotionally. I was hoping this would happen, so I tried influencing myself and the mental process by speaking to her from day one. She sits on my sofa, and I hold her at night. She is worth every penny. Or "krone" in my case for those who have been following this thread. I am very happy I decided to become a doll-owner, and when becoming one I am glad it was Katja who entered my life.
Accessories:
Quite a few days after Katja arrived, I remembered that there were other things in the box beside her. I opened the box again, and decided to take a picture of all the accessories:
- Accessories.jpg (2.04 MiB) Viewed 1886 times
I suppose this is standard for all WM Dolls. I haven't opend any of it, but looking at the picture again now, I see there are different metal connectors for the head? Perhaps some would offer a more sturdy connection, referring to my point above on Katja loosing her head sometimes. It really kills the mood...
Questions:
I still have questions. Go figure...
1) The inside of Katja's wig is pretty much the same colour as her skin. So leaving it on should not stain her? I leave it on during the night, and take it off in the morning when I go to work. But perhaps it is OK to leave it on continously? The first thing I do when I come home in the evening is to go kiss her and say hello. It would be nice if she had hair when doing so.
2) How many times can I bend the finger/tow-wires before they break? And what do I do once they do? Are there replacement hands out there?
3) I have an impression that some joints are getting rapidly looser. Will they stabilize at some level, or just go ever more loose?
4) I am a sucker for kissing. Not the french variant, but still enough to wear off the colour on Katja's lips. (The same goes for those other pair of lips farther south that get their fair share of kissing). And the nipples - for some reason
What is the best way of re-colouring? Dry powder or some paint?
5) Katja's teeth are skin-coloured. I have read I can use paint to colour them white. Any recommendation on what kind? Remember the excessive kissing? So the paint should really not be all that poisonous, then...
6) What is the best way to insert the insert without stressing her body more than I have to? I have tried applying talc to both the insert and the cavity, to make both smooth and hence the insert easy to install and remove. I have also tried applying vaseline to both. It works better. But what is best for the TPE? Talc dries it out, and vaseline replenishes the oils? So perhaps alternating between talc and vaseline?
The Ankle-story, continued:
I also want to give a shout-out to Phil at The Doll House. I checked with a handful dealers before putting in the order this winter. They all seemed great, but Phil's answers were a step above, and I got a nice feeling about his service. And the service was excellent all the way. Very friendly and professional. Made me feel more relaxed about the whole process. He took care of customs. Always quick to respond, and patient with my many questions. After the discussion about the problems with the ankle on some WM Dolls on this forum, I contacted him. I made a short video that showed how the ankle spins freely, rotating a full 360 degrees. Last week he informed me that WM Dolls will compensate me with a free head. This gives the expression "giving head" a quite new meaning
I think this was very generous of WM Dolls, and I for one appreciate it very much. I do suspect Phil has been pulling some strings in the process, so I am very thankful for his continued help. Neither needed to do me any favour, as the fool (me) and his money had already parted. So thumbs up from me to both Phil and WM Dolls
The choice of what head to get was EASY. I blame Mandos and the "Nice or Naughty" photosession... Stay tuned for Natasha's arrival and her own thread. Katja has explained me that Natasha is her Russian cousin. She has found work in the Norwegian oil & gas industry, but has yet to find a place to stay. She will move in indefinitely this summer. I'm happy to oblige. Being in love with Katja, Natasha will only model in some photos, and not sleep in my bed or be romantically involved. She will only visit some times.
Good night to all guys and dolls out there...
