Restoration questions

Question: A friend gave me a very old figure, small and in rough shape. I want to restore him. The face is cracking and peeling, but underneath is a very strong shell of something like wood dough. I'm trying to decide how to redo the face. A thin layer of Magic sculpt? Or perhaps spackling?

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From Mr. D: The composition material these older dolls were made from can be repaired quite successfully. Just don't let water soak into the cracks as the material swells and breaks down. Spackling works well to fill the smaller cracks. I use plastic wood dough to fill larger cracks, replace missing larger chips, and even close the wide gaps alongside the mouth. (Magic Sculpt would work also, I believe.) Fill, sand, and repeat as often as necessary to get a smooth finish. I then spray the head with clear shellac (at least two coats) before painting with acrylic paints. Take your time - patience is rewarded on jobs such as this.