There are several issues that require glue when restoring Kenner Blythe dolls. Being in Australia it can be hard to track down the brands/products mentioned on forums so I have compiled a list of glues that I have used and had success with. I am not an expert so please use at your own risk.

Cracks in the Body

Gluing cracks in Kenner bodies is pretty difficult and doesn’t often hold for long. Many friends of mine have tried and failed to do this. I’ve had success gluing a big torso crack together using Selleys All Plastic Fix. I found it at my local Bunnings store. It’s held together for about 6 months so far.

This glue has two parts, the first one you use to prime the plastic by covering  the edges that you want to join, it is like a marker pen. Then you apply the glue. You will need clamps of some kind to hold the parts in place while it dries. Make sure the edges you are going to join are a bit rough before trying to glue them.

Attaching a Scalp

Gluing on a scalp can be quite hard on your own. You need something that holds firmly but doesn’t dry instantly so you can adjust the scalp into the correct position. For this reason I recommend E-6000 as a Blythe scalp glue. This glue is a silicon based glue. Be careful not to get it on your hands, or breathe in the fumes when working. You will also need toothpicks to spread it. Very gooey consistency, like thicker honey. Over the Rainbow sells it within Australia. I use rubberbands to hold the scalp down while it dries. Be careful if you pull them down between the legs that you do not crack the neck.

Securing Hair Plugs

For this I use PVA wood glue. It dries clear and is water soluble.

Eyelashes

If you have to re-attach eyelashes you need something that dries on contact so they keep their position when you take your hand away. I used regular super glue for this, just a tiny dot on the end of the replacement eyelash. Use a pair of tweezers to put them into place. I am a makeup artist so I do this on people when applying individual fake lashes.

If you have any recommendations please comment on this post.