Demolding

What is Demolding?

The careful process of removing a finished, cured silicone toy from its production mold without damaging either the toy or the mold.

When Does Demolding Happen?

Demolding takes place after the curing process has progressed far enough for the silicone to hold its shape under its own weight — typically 4 to 6 hours at room temperature, or as little as 30 to 60 minutes if the mold was placed in a heated oven. The silicone must be firm enough to extract without tearing or permanently deforming, but it is not yet fully cured at this stage. Full cross-linking continues for another 24 to 72 hours after demolding. Timing the extraction correctly is critical: demold too early and the soft silicone distorts; wait too long and the silicone bonds more tightly to the mold surface, making extraction harder and increasing the risk of damage.

How Does the Extraction Process Work?

For most fantasy toy molds, demolding begins by opening the mold halves along the parting line. Block molds split into two or more pieces held together by clamps, straps, or registration keys. Once the mold halves are separated, the maker carefully peels or lifts the cured toy away from the mold surface. The tip of the toy — buried deepest in the cavity — is usually the most difficult section to release. Makers work slowly, peeling from the base upward, allowing air to enter the gap between silicone and mold gradually. Forcing or yanking the toy out risks creating a pinched tip, tearing delicate texture details, or permanently stretching the silicone before it has fully cured.

What Role Does Release Agent Play?

Release agent is applied to the mold interior before each pour specifically to make demolding easier. It creates a microscopic barrier between the mold surface and the poured silicone, preventing chemical bonding between the two. Without release agent, platinum-cure silicone can bond permanently to certain mold materials, making extraction impossible without destroying either the toy or the mold. Even with proper release agent application, some mold geometries — deep undercuts, narrow channels, intricate surface textures — make demolding inherently challenging. These are the areas where flash is most likely to form and where the most finishing work is needed afterward.

What Are Common Demolding Problems?

The three most common demolding issues are pinched tips, surface tears, and stretched bases. Pinched tips happen when the narrow apex of the toy is compressed during extraction. Surface tears occur when delicate texture elements — like thin barbs or fine scales — snag on the mold and rip. Stretched bases result from pulling the toy out too quickly before the silicone has enough structural integrity to resist deformation. All three problems are more common with extra soft firmness because the low-durometer silicone has less resistance to mechanical stress. Experienced makers develop an intuitive feel for each mold's extraction characteristics over hundreds of pours. Browse the LustMonster catalog to see what careful, skilled demolding looks like in the finished product.