Out, OUT, Dang Chip!

The world of Blythe customization is not one to be entered, well, blithely. It actually takes skill, patience and steady hands.

I have none of these.

Unsolicited information => Blythe was reissued by Takara in Japan (who has acquired a license from Hasbro, heir of Kenner). The Takara Blythes are pretty and expensive and so full of accessories.

Blythe in the U.S. was reissued by Ashton Drake Galleries, home of the Princess Diana commemorative plate. You get the idea. These are referred to as "ADG Blythes."

Because they are American, they are assembled in China in a factory separate from the Takaras. These ADGs are made with special space age polymers and secret herbs and spices. They are built to last. And they do not come apart.

There are methods for disassembling a Takara Blythe to customize it. None of these apply to the ADG. For example, to remove eyechips to change the color of the eyes, you soak the eye in water and then wiggle it out with something sticky. This will not work with an ADG, on account of the space age polymers.

Tania here is an ADG. She refused to give up her eyechips. I begged. I pleaded. I offered candy. No go. I soaked, I boiled, I froze, I drilled, I threatened. Nothing. One needs to be very delicate with these dolls because they are not cheap. One must carefully approach any modifications lest the dolly scratch or stain.

But I am not patient. Also, I have a lot of money. Not really, but I act like I do, like Morris Day in "Under the Graffitti Bridge."

Anyway, after many many tearful days, I did what is probably the unthinkable to a Blythe collector. All I can say is that I didn't know any better. Also, I may have been drunk. OK, that's a lie too.

I done cut her eye out.

First I drilled holes. I tried the gluestick method but that again failed.

So I hitched up Mr. Wizard with a cutting wheel. I put on safety goggles and heavy duty gloves.

Then I sawed crossways across the eye, trying to get deep but being careful to not cut the white part.

Then I took a flathead screwdriver (a solid one, not one with interchangeable bits) and jammed it in and twisted it clockwise until I heard a crack and felt it loosen. Lo and behold.

And with some careful poking with embroidery scissors:

I must stress the importance of pre-drilling. If you don't, you just get a chippy mess, like the other orange eye.

Which results in this. This is how strong the glue is.

And when you're done, you're left with a wee dish of eyechip chips.