My first attempt at harlequinn dreads

Critical observations about your technique for installations, wear or use.
Forum rules
1. Stay on topic. Be specific and to the point.
2. Be polite. Flaming and personal attacks may result in a ban.
Post Reply
User avatar
BambooPanda13
Posts: 32
Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2011 5:19 am
Location: Arizona
Contact:

My first attempt at harlequinn dreads

Post by BambooPanda13 » Sat Apr 16, 2011 4:30 pm

These are really thin because I didn't want to use up a ton of hair for a first crappy attempt.

Also, I'm always having trouble with the ends of my dreads, it takes a lot to get them to seal correctly, I've started using pliers to hold the ends twisted as they seal but I'm still not getting that perfect tiny end so many others can achieve. I use a flat iron, which works fine for the entire rest of the dread. Is there a better method I should use just for the ends?

Image

User avatar
Librarynerd
Posts: 754
Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 9:22 am
Location: Olympia, WA

Re: My first attempt at harlequinn dreads

Post by Librarynerd » Sat Apr 16, 2011 6:04 pm

Are you holding the dread tight and twisted when you flat iron the ends and waiting til it is cool to release the tension?

I do mine with a flat iron and a damp thin cotton cloth. Pull and twist it nice and tight and go up an down the last 4 inch section over and over. You have to be a bit careful not to melt clean through the kk. I seal my ends to a very tiny end and then trim the shorter making sure only to trim in a place were the dread is VERY solidly melted/sealed.

Hope this helps:)

Could you add a pic of a close up of the harli joint? Looks like you blended the joint? I don't blend mine, I just leave them so the look like 2 SE's connected with a small loop, works for me and looks fine installed and is a lot less work then blending in the joint
http://www.etsy.com/shop/jeanween23

XXXX I used to be disgusted. Now I try to be amused. XXXX

User avatar
NirvanaMarie
Posts: 798
Joined: Thu Aug 20, 2009 8:48 pm
Location: Spokane, Wa
Contact:

Re: My first attempt at harlequinn dreads

Post by NirvanaMarie » Fri Apr 22, 2011 4:51 am

I feel flat iron works the best for ends.

http://www.doctoredlocks.com/catalog/Ends.html

User avatar
lisapie
Posts: 31
Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2010 11:30 am

Re: My first attempt at harlequinn dreads

Post by lisapie » Fri Apr 22, 2011 1:26 pm

From the looks of it you're not getting the thin whippy ends because they aren't backcombed enough. For my dreads I make sure to get a good even backcomb all the way along so I end up with a thin tapered end. I backcomb the end of the dread down to really thin then twist it back and forth between my fingers while backcombing to get it really well matted together. That way your dreads will have a more tapered end when your start steaming, which allows you to twist right down to almost nothing, hold it with the pliers and still seal the end to a point where you can cut it.

My first ends looked very similar, but you'll pick it up with practice! Hope this helps. :)

Post Reply

Return to “Hair Critique”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 20 guests