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Reroot tool review
Wednesday, July 3rd, 2019 02:57 pm This post is not sponsored by Doll Planet, I just like their stuff.
So I recently splurged on myself and got a new reroot tool and proper needles for rerooting. Previously I'd been using a sewing needle I'd sawed off at an angle (you want a y shape at the end that goes into the doll), and jammed into a pencil eraser as the handle. It was functional and made with supplies I already owned, but to be honest, it was pretty janky looking and really sort of depressing to have as my only tool.
Enter The Doll Planet on Etsy. They sell all sorts of supplies, and I always prefer to get my hair from them, since it's gorgeous and silky and responds well to heat styling. They have reroot tools for sale, and I got myself one. It's essentially a pin vice, and after getting it I learned that Boyfriend has several of those and would have been happy to give me one, but at least this has pride of ownership. The method by which you assemble the tool is to fit a needle (they come in sizes, 7 is for hairlines and 5 is for the main head) into the pin vice at the center of the x shaped cuts, extend it out an inch past the end of the vice, and tighten that down as hard as you can. I can't tighten it as hard as I need to, but I fortunately have several menfolk in my life who enjoy showing off finger strength, if you know what I mean.
The tool also came with super detailed instructions, a ton of warnings about common beginner mistakes and how to avoid them, and reassurances that breaking needles happens. Considering I've already snapped one #5 needle and my #7 is not slightly bent, I have to say they were not far from the mark. I also don't heat the doll head as often as is recommended, so that's not shoddy materials, that's just a thing that does happen when you stab a split needle of metal into plastic that isn't soft enough. I'm impressed with the #7's though, for being as thin as it is, it's remarkably sturdy, bending aside. I was anticipating losing one of the forks on it, but the y shape is holding steady.
In all, I think I will rebuy my needles from them, but if I need another tool, I'll just hit up my local hardware places (or hardware owning friends/family) for a pin vice.
So I recently splurged on myself and got a new reroot tool and proper needles for rerooting. Previously I'd been using a sewing needle I'd sawed off at an angle (you want a y shape at the end that goes into the doll), and jammed into a pencil eraser as the handle. It was functional and made with supplies I already owned, but to be honest, it was pretty janky looking and really sort of depressing to have as my only tool.
Enter The Doll Planet on Etsy. They sell all sorts of supplies, and I always prefer to get my hair from them, since it's gorgeous and silky and responds well to heat styling. They have reroot tools for sale, and I got myself one. It's essentially a pin vice, and after getting it I learned that Boyfriend has several of those and would have been happy to give me one, but at least this has pride of ownership. The method by which you assemble the tool is to fit a needle (they come in sizes, 7 is for hairlines and 5 is for the main head) into the pin vice at the center of the x shaped cuts, extend it out an inch past the end of the vice, and tighten that down as hard as you can. I can't tighten it as hard as I need to, but I fortunately have several menfolk in my life who enjoy showing off finger strength, if you know what I mean.
The tool also came with super detailed instructions, a ton of warnings about common beginner mistakes and how to avoid them, and reassurances that breaking needles happens. Considering I've already snapped one #5 needle and my #7 is not slightly bent, I have to say they were not far from the mark. I also don't heat the doll head as often as is recommended, so that's not shoddy materials, that's just a thing that does happen when you stab a split needle of metal into plastic that isn't soft enough. I'm impressed with the #7's though, for being as thin as it is, it's remarkably sturdy, bending aside. I was anticipating losing one of the forks on it, but the y shape is holding steady.
In all, I think I will rebuy my needles from them, but if I need another tool, I'll just hit up my local hardware places (or hardware owning friends/family) for a pin vice.
