Mad Doll Doctor

After I have undressed the doll, I carefully clip apart the old stringing elastic, then I pack bubble wrap around her bisque head then put it, and all her clothing items and body parts into a small box. I mark the box with the name of the owner, that way I don’t get any parts confused. Since the knee joints will have to be glued and dry thoroughly, I begin with them first. I begin by taking knee and leg apart, not difficult, usually they come right apart as soon as I cut apart the old stringing.

Once the knee is apart I cut a pace of elastic stringing, attach a cotter pin, then tie a knot. Next I curl up the edges of the cotter pin with my needle nose pliers (see implements of torture) . In the old days the original dollmakers simply drove a small nail through the ends of the elastic to keep it from pulling back through the knee ball, however, I do it this way because I don’t want someone calling me in another hundred years complaining that the knee has come apart and wanting a free repair. You can also use a small wooden bead, or about anything, just as long as it’s bigger than the hole of the knee ball.

Now I thread the looped end of the elastic through the bottom of the knee ball hole and I’m ready to glue knee ball to the bottom part of the leg. I use a good quality wood glue. Spread it around base of knee ball, I like to get a little on my knot too, so it doesn’t think about coming loose until long after I’m worm food. Use a good amount of glue, but not a huge amount. You want it to dry before it softens up the compo leg bottom. Now you can put the knee and the leg back together. Try and put it back in exactly the same place as it came apart, you should be able to tell, it won’t fit well any other way. See the little groove in back of knee ball? That should be facing the back of the leg. Now set the legs aside for awhile, they need a few days to dry thoroughly. More later, I’m beat, going to hit the hay! Say goodnight to Floradora!