My Blue-eyed Brunette, Claire (DS 145- Evo w/Tong Head)

Jonathan- · Post by **Jonathan-** » Thu Jan 13, 2022 5:54 pm

Here is the latest addition to my family of DS sisters, Claire. She is the Tong head, and is paired here with the DS 145- Evo body (loose jointed). Enjoy!

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Brunch · Post by **Brunch** » Fri Jan 14, 2022 5:00 am

Nice photos!

Could you (or anyone else) explain a bit about the loose joints. How does that affect the doll in positive and negative ways? I'm asking because my next go-to will be loose joints because I'm sick and tired of stiff joints and the whole workout that comes with it. Thanks!

Jonathan- · Post by **Jonathan-** » Fri Jan 14, 2022 1:20 pm

Brunch wrote:Nice photos!

Could you (or anyone else) explain a bit about the loose joints. How does that affect the doll in positive and negative ways? I'm asking because my next go-to will be loose joints because I'm sick and tired of stiff joints and the whole workout that comes with it. Thanks!

Thanks, Brunch!

With loose-jointed dolls, the actual looseness of the joints is going to vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, but I can speak to DS's loose joint tuning more specifically. I have two loose-jointed 145 dolls, and their joints are tuned so that their limbs are very easy to move (but they're not floppy), and the joints in the torso (waist, neck, and shoulder shrugging joints) are firmer. What this means for posing is that they can sit up straight, but can't really hold up their limbs. Limited posing ability is really the only negative for me, though.

The positives are that my DS girls are great for cuddling and for playtime because it's so easy and natural to move her into different positions. And, even though they can't hold complicated poses, I still like working with them during photo shoots because they're so easy to pose; I can experiment with different poses for an hour or two without breaking a sweat like I do when I work with my tight-jointed doll.

Here's a pic of my my loose-jointed Claire and my tight-jointed Elsa Babe, Cheryl. Claire's arm joints are firm enough that she can hold her hands out on her knee, but she wouldn't be able to hold her hand up to her chest and reliably keep it there like Cheryl can:

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Also, I ordered my DS girls without finger wires, since I didn't want to worry about finger pokes. Again, not great for posing, but great for worry-free cuddling and playtime. Overall, I really recommend going with a loose-jointed lady.

Brunch · Post by **Brunch** » Fri Jan 14, 2022 3:25 pm

Okay, thank you for the description.
So, I guess your loose-jointed dolls don't have standing feet bolts (can't see it on your photos)? Which means that having a doll like that stored in standing position is not possible. That would need to be take into consideration.
Well, maybe it's all pretty obvious, but it's good (for me at least) to get thoughts cleared on this matter. Pros and cons.
How do you store you dolls then? Always sitting, lying, hanging or?

Jonathan- · Post by **Jonathan-** » Fri Jan 14, 2022 11:36 pm

DS actually don't offer foot bolts (which I'm OK with, since I don't like the way bolted feet look), but you can still stand them up for short periods of time without damaging the feet, if you're careful:

But I would never store my girls standing up. They all either lie in bed with me or sit on that little bench in my bedroom. If they're sitting for a long time (weeks or more), then I just adjust their position every couple of weeks so that their weight is shifted from one leg or one side of the butt to the other. If a doll stays in bed for a long while, then I change her position every few days from lying on her back to lying on her side to lying on her other side. When I have to hide my dolls, I store them under my bed lying on their backs with a layer of foam under them.

Silicone dolls are pretty resilient, so you don't really need to worry about them deforming from staying in one position for too long. The longest I ever had doll lying on her back under my bed was probably about 3 or 4 months, and even after all that time, her butt, legs, and back were all perfectly fine and in the same shape as they were when she was new. So, you should be fine if you keep your next doll sitting or lying. As a bonus, she'll also look more natural and life-like if she's in a comfortable sitting position rather than an awkward standing position, haha.

Up2myneck · Post by **Up2myneck** » Sat Jan 15, 2022 8:07 am

Claire is a lovely addition!

I had no idea how gorgeous, and quite mature looking, that Tong head really is!

On the subject of loose/tight joints. My DS Evo167 has the tight jointed body option, is over 2 years old and I'm currently standing her in storage for a trial period. Several days of standing in suitable lined footwear, yet no feet damage or distortion of the silicone whatsoever.

Brunch · Post by **Brunch** » Sat Jan 15, 2022 2:33 pm

Thanks for the input. Then it can be added that it's also a question about available space for "doll parking". I only have that free space in my short wardrobe closet, and it requires vertical standing (or hanging).

Jonathan- · Post by **Jonathan-** » Sun Jan 16, 2022 12:43 am

Up2myneck wrote:Claire is a lovely addition!
I had no idea how gorgeous, and quite mature looking, that Tong head really is!

On the subject of loose/tight joints. My DS Evo167 has the tight jointed body option, is over 2 years old and I'm currently standing her in storage for a trial period. Several days of standing in suitable lined footwear, yet no feet damage or distortion of the silicone whatsoever.

Thanks, Up2myneck! Yes, the Tong head is a very pretty one, I think, and I'm glad to have her with me.

I'm surprised that your 167's feet are doing fine after standing her up for days, but that's really good to hear!

Hopefully the supportive footwear keeps her feet nice and safe for the rest of the time that she's stored.

Brunch wrote:Thanks for the input. Then it can be added that it's also a question about available space for "doll parking". I only have that free space in my short wardrobe closet, and it requires vertical standing (or hanging).

If you go with a DS doll and choose to hang her, you'll want to order a hanging kit, as well. It's just a rod that screws into the neck bolt and fits into a hole that runs through the vertical axis of the head. It pokes out of the top of the head just enough so that you can place a hook into the eye at the tip of the rod:

Brunch · Post by **Brunch** » Sun Jan 16, 2022 4:56 am

Jonathan- wrote: It's just a rod that screws into the neck bolt and fits into a hole that runs through the vertical axis of the head. It pokes out of the top of the head just enough so that you can place a hook into the eye at the tip of the rod:

That's pretty smart. I've never heard about such a solution before. Thanks!

Wight · Post by **Wight** » Sun Jan 16, 2022 5:34 am

Great poses and light. I have always liked DS dolls and their distinctive style. They are innovative too. That bed photo 5961 is particularly nice.

Jonathan- · Post by **Jonathan-** » Sun Jan 16, 2022 10:53 pm

Brunch wrote: That's pretty smart. I've never heard about such a solution before. Thanks!

Sure! Hope your storage solution works out, whatever you choose to do.

Wight wrote:Great poses and light. I have always liked DS dolls and their distinctive style. They are innovative too. That bed photo 5961 is particularly nice.

Hey, good to see you here, Wight! Glad you like these pictures

Claire's hair is the longest of any of my girls, and it can be difficult to manage, but it's great for photos like 5961 where it helps to create a playful pose.

MoneyMike · Post by **MoneyMike** » Tue Feb 15, 2022 8:37 pm

Claire is a beauty

I've been a fan of DS's Tong head for a long time. Didn't know she was still available for purchased since DS had removed her from their website.
Looking forward to more photos of Claire.

Jonathan- · Post by **Jonathan-** » Tue Feb 15, 2022 10:02 pm

MoneyMike wrote:Claire is a beauty

I've been a fan of DS's Tong head for a long time. Didn't know she was still available for purchased since DS had removed her from their website.
Looking forward to more photos of Claire.

Thanks, Mike!
I actually picked up this head used from another member, but I think you can still order a new Tong head if you email DS directly. Their Chinese site (EX Doll) still has pages for their 145 models, so they do still make them.
I have a new doll lady arriving tomorrow, so she'll have my attention for the near future, but I'll try not to let too much time pass before my next shoot with Claire

MoneyMike · Post by **MoneyMike** » Mon Feb 28, 2022 11:49 pm

Jonathan- wrote:Thanks, Mike!
I actually picked up this head used from another member, but I think you can still order a new Tong head if you email DS directly. Their Chinese site (EX Doll) still has pages for their 145 models, so they do still make them.
I have a new doll lady arriving tomorrow, so she'll have my attention for the near future, but I'll try not to let too much time pass before my next shoot with Claire

Thanks for the info!
I'm going to add the 145+ back to my list. Looking forward to more photos of your beauty.

Taeyeon · Post by **Taeyeon** » Thu Mar 03, 2022 1:56 am

Hello Jonathan,

Claire is so nice!
Her blue eyes are very interesting, she has pretty hair and cute dress^^
I like bracelet on her leg, necklace and hair clips!
I also like her picture on bed with sunshine on face.
You have so many pretty dolls now^^
Does Claire have own body or share?

TaeYeon