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safety eyes installation - metal washer

We are happy to share these tips which we picked up along the journey of doll making, and hope you would find them beneficial and helpful.

Safety Eyes Installation - metal washer

Tools required:
Tools: cutter plier; round nose plier; flat head plier
Demonstrated eyes: 9mm clear safety eyes, with metal washer
(also see 'safety eyes installation - plastic washer')

Prepare to install the eyes before the opening of the rounds becomes too small for your fingers to work into.

+ Use the round head plier (or equivalent) to insert through the hole where you plan to insert the eyes

+ Enlarge the hole till it’s big enough for the safety eyes shank to go through

+ Insert the safety eyes (work on one eye at a time)

+ Ensure that the eye is at the right position

+ Slightly turn the work inside-out, enough to expose the shank and for you to work on

+ Insert the metal washer (the teeth of the washer facing outwards)

+ Optional: you may drop a droplet of craft glue around the shank before installing the washer

+ Push the washer right to the farthest end of the shank

+ Use a cutter plier to trim the shank (Do not trim it too short)

+ This is about the usual length I am comfortable with (you may leave it slightly longer if you wish)

+ To further secure the grip of the teeth of the washer, use a flat head plier, press the teeth against the shank tightly

+ Always keep you thumb on the eye (front portion) while working on the shank part of the eye

+ Using the flat head plier, twist a small portion of the washer and turn it upwards (my thumb is not under the eye because I need that hand to take the pictures, but always keep your thumb on the eye while working on this)

+ ‘Curl’ the washer around
(this is to narrow down the diameter of the washer, so that your small dolls will have protruding edges due to larger diameter of the washer)

+ Now you can work on the other eye using the same method

+ ALWAYS conduct a quality and safety check: try pulling out the eyes to confirm that it’s properly and securely installed.

+ Look at the image on the left, you will notice that for small dolls, it will mean that the head is small too, therefore, if you have large washer, the edge of the washer may protrude and be visible from the outside.

+ After the eyes are installed, you may continue to work on the doll as per the pattern.

Some safety eyes are complete with plastic washer, and usually the plastic washer is smaller, therefore it is not too much of a problem. Installation of eyes for those with plastic washer works the same as illustrated here, you may still trim the shank shorter if desired.

Be prepared to waste a few washers for the first few trials.

Special note: Although most of the safety eyes, when properly installed are very securely fixed to the toy, however, toys with small parts are not suitable for very young children who put anything or everywhere into their mouths.