Hi, everyone!
We often get questions here at Volks USA regarding how to use the Super Dollfie one-touch system, AKA the mechanism that is used to swap out SD hands and feet. We realize that changing body parts can often be intimidating, especially for first-time SD owners, so we’re hoping that this tutorial will answer a lot of those questions, as well as lay some worries to rest.
Some tips before we get started:
- The one-touch system does not require the use of any tools.
- Before purchasing any optional hands or feet for your SD, please be careful to check (a quick comparison can be done using the pictures in this tutorial) whether your SD has the one-touch system or not. Please be aware that Volks USA cannot perform any refunds or exchanges for one-touch optional parts purchased by mistake for non-one-touch SDs.
- When purchasing optional hands and feet for your SD, please be careful to purchase parts that are in the same skin tone as your SD! Also, please be aware that due to factors such as aging or lot difference, purchased optional parts may not match your SD’s skin tone exactly.
- Please note that this one-touch system tutorial only applies for the following body types: Yo-SD girls and boys, pureskin MSD girls and boys, SDC girls and boys, pureskin SD girls and boys, pureskin SD13 girls and boys, and SDGr boys.
- Please note that this tutorial does not apply for old skin MSD girls and boys, old skin SD girls and boys, and old skin SD13 girls and boys.
- SD16 girls, SD16 boys, and SD17 boys are also equipped with the one-touch system, but the mechanism differs slightly from that shown in this tutorial; if you own an SD16 or SD17, please refer to the instructions that were included with your doll for exact details on the SD16/SD17 one-touch system.
That said, let’s get started! Follow below for a step-by-step photo tutorial. (Please note that the tutorial utilizes an SD body in the photos, but changing parts on the Yo-SD, MSD, SDC, SD13, and SDGr bodies works exactly the same way.)
Using the one-touch system is very simple, and can be done whether your SD is clothed or not -- however, when you're doing it for the first time, it's easiest to start without any clothing obstructions.
Grasp the wrist ball joint firmly with one of your hands, and hold the SD hand you will be removing in your other hand.
Still grasping the wrist ball joint, pull the SD hand straight out. Don't be afraid to pull firmly; the elastic will resist, so you will need to use some strength.
Turn the SD hand 90 degrees. Now look into the wrist ball joint; do you see the grooves that are notched into each side of the channel?
Slowly lessen the elastic tension until the S-hook is resting in the grooves inside the wrist ball joint. At this point, the hand can easily be unhooked and removed.
Take a good look; this is the essence of the one-touch system. The grooves in the ball joint will hold the S-hook in place until you are ready to put on the new hand, which can be hooked on the same way that the old hand was unhooked.
Once you've hooked the new hand on, firmly grasp the wrist ball joint once again. Grasp your SD's new hand with your other hand, and use it to pull the elastic straight out. Again, don't be afraid to put a little strength into it! Turn the hand 90 degrees, and slowly lessen the elastic tension as you let the new hand come to rest on the wrist ball joint; the S-hook will fit neatly down the channel that runs through the center of the ball joint.
Make sure that the S-hook is completely inserted -- you'll know that the hand is fully seated when neither the hand nor the wrist ball joint is loose or wiggly, and you can feel the elastic tension when you give the hand a gentle tug. You'll also be able to see the curve of the S-hook through the slot in the wrist ball joint. Once everything is properly set, you're all done -- enjoy posing your SD's new hands!
What do you think? Easy, right? The one-touch system makes swapping hands the height of simplicity.
Which is great, you might be thinking, but what about feet? Glad you asked! Feet are slightly more tricky, but still very simple.
Much like hands, feet can be changed whether your SD is clothed or not -- but also like hands, if you're doing it for the first time, it's probably easiest to start without any clothes to get in the way. At the very least, if your SD is wearing pants, you may want to push them high up on the calf, like I've done here.
Grasp the ankle ball joint firmly with one of your hands, and hold the SD foot you will be removing in your other hand. Still grasping the ankle ball joint, pull the SD foot straight out. As with the hands, the elastic will resist, so pull firmly; the feet will usually require more strength than the hands.
Turn the SD foot 90 degrees. If you look into the ankle ball joint, you will see grooves notched into each side of the channel, just like with the wrist ball joint.
Slowly lessen the elastic tension until the S-hook is resting in the grooves, then unhook and remove the foot. Up until this point, the procedure has been essentially identical as that for the hand, but there is one crucial difference for feet. Can you see it in this picture? That's right! The ankle ball joint has a tab that protrudes off the bottom; this tab and its positioning need to be taken into account when attaching the new foot.
Here is a picture of the foot to be attached -- do you see the slot at the back of the ankle? That is where the tab on the ankle ball joint is meant to go. This design keeps your SD's feet and ankle ball joints locked together, and contributes to your SD's standing stability.
When you hook on the new foot, make sure to orient it so that when it is turned 90 degrees, the tab on the ankle ball joint will match up with the slot in the foot.
Just like with the hand, once you've hooked on the new foot (in the correct orientation!), firmly grasp the ankle ball joint once again. Grasp your SD's new foot with your other hand, and use it to pull the elastic straight out. As always, put some strength into it! Turn the foot 90 degrees, making sure that the tab and slot match up, and slowly lessen the elastic tension as you let the new foot come to rest on the ankle ball joint. The tab on the ankle ball joint should fit neatly into the slot in the back of the foot, and the S-hook will fit into the channel that runs through the center of the ball joint.
This is an example of a common error; although the parts are properly aligned, the tab has not been inserted into the slot in the back of the foot. Your SD's feet should NOT look like this.
And voilà! This is what your SD's feet should look like when properly attached. As with the hands, make sure that S-hook is completely inserted, that neither the foot nor the ankle ball joint is loose or wiggly, and that the tension in the elastic can be felt if you lightly pull on the foot. Once everything is properly set and aligned, you're finished -- please enjoy standing your SD on their new feet!
And that’s all for now! I hope you enjoyed this introduction to the Super Dollfie one-touch system, and that you found this tutorial helpful — there are more tutorials to come for the Sumika Times blog, so please keep checking back!
~Jane
