Hair sticks or hair forks? For very thick hair.

[Corvana]

This is for my best friend, as I bought a couple hair forks and a hair stick and don't know which would be better to give her. Which is better for a quick bun? She just had a baby a little bit ago, and doesn't have a ton of time, and could certainly use something easy to hold her hair up. She's got iii hair, that's (last I remember, at least) BSL or MBL and probably a 1b? And it's quite Houdini most of the time. I've had some success doing her hair up for her with some bobby pins, but I think her hair was maybe day 2 by then anyway.

I have asked her to join the forum (eheheheh), and I'm sure she will once she gets a moment, but I'd like to hopefully have it sorted which I'll be giving her the next time I see her.

I know that it really just depends on her hair, but I was just wondering if any of you had any tips or advice about your own experiences with hair sticks or forks!

[lapushka]

There is no stick out there that can compensate for the lack of length. At BSL/MBL I was unable to do a bun at that point. I am slightly over iii and I need hip length hair to be able to do the simplest of buns (LWB).

So there's that.

I think more length is needed. Otherwise let her see tutorials on a log roll / aka peacock twist turned under. That is a style that you can wear with a big claw clip.

I wore claw clips all the way to hip with a peacock twist / log roll style.

Buns came at a much later stage for me.

As far as particular sticks or forks for thick hair. I just use regular sticks and forks, but... I did wait for my length to come in.

[meteor]

Another vote for claw-clips at that length. They have many teeth, which helps them be grippy enough to pick up and hold short lengths.

I think these half-moon Goody claw-clips (9 teeth) are pretty effective when you use them around the perimeter of the bun or try a "frame" bun (start with half-up bun and twist/braid and wrap the remaining hair around that base).

I find that hair sticks require more length for effective and strong hold. Generally speaking, the more prongs (on a fork), the shorter the hair can be to be bunnable. As it gets longer, it should get easier to bun with more diverse tools.

For thick hair at that length, I'd recommend trying peacock twists, folded braids, sectioned or multiple buns and multiple braids pinned up.

[Cherriezzzzz]

How discouraging those claw clips can't hold my thick hair up! APL... 4.5cm ponytail... I was hoping there would be something to hold my hair besides soft hair ties. Oh well.

[Ophidian]

I can't fit my hair in those claw clips either if I try to get it around a peacock twist/log roll, but lately I've been doing one of two things: a) doing a single french braid (which contains shoulder-length layers), folding it straight up the back and then securing on the side with a medium-sized claw clip (I like octopus clips), or b) using a single hair stick with a large hair tie as a slide to hold a bun or twist. Spin pins are also nice for holding up tucked french braids or faux crown braids where the tails are crossed over each other and tucked in the back.

[hayheadsbird]

Seconding the claw clip option. Or a flexi 8.
I'm just into iii and have been able to bun with a stick since between APL and BSL, but for solid hold it needed a spin pin or two. Coming up for waist I'm still loosing ends by the end of the day with a 3 prong fork.
I'd say sticks have a steeper learning curve at shorter lengths than waist, and a bit of patience to find what works best for you.
Flexi 8 or a stick based barrette would use similar skills but let her have a stronger hold as the stick part is held in place. If her hair is thick I'd say def get an xl flexi, I outgrew large months ago and can only really use for a half up now.

[pailin]

Octopus clips are great for holding up more hair. I recently found a sort of mutant-extra-large version of an octopus clip and had to buy it, since it can actually hold all of my hair at BCL.
If you have the money for a more expensive clip, there are the Ficcare clips- they are very strong clips, but also pretty expensive.

[Corvana]

I can't fit my hair in those claw clips either if I try to get it around a peacock twist/log roll, but lately I've been doing one of two things: a) doing a single french braid (which contains shoulder-length layers), folding it straight up the back and then securing on the side with a medium-sized claw clip (I like octopus clips), or b) using a single hair stick with a large hair tie as a slide to hold a bun or twist. Spin pins are also nice for holding up tucked french braids or faux crown braids where the tails are crossed over each other and tucked in the back.

Like a faux flexi 8? I may have used a twisted hair tie and a paintbrush in a similar manner (twisted it in half) before lol.

I'm thinking she's gonna need to learn to braid, tbh. I can't french or dutch braid on myself, but can do an english braid just fine.

We don't really have much money, the forks and stick I got were off of the wish app and cost $20 for the three of them. Wouldn't be able to spend anything more than that on anything else, and not for at least another month or two.

She might already have claw clips, though! I honestly have no idea what's in her hair arsenal besides regular hair ties (no metal bits) But maybe seeing this post (eventually, she's busy and forgetful, but I'm gonna pester her lol) she'll see that she needs to grow her hair more! MUAHAHA. If her beautiful hair is one of the main reasons I'm here, then I'm gonna make her suffer and grow her hair more too.

[akurah]

How discouraging those claw clips can't hold my thick hair up! APL... 4.5cm ponytail... I was hoping there would be something to hold my hair besides soft hair ties. Oh well.

Have you tried multiple slightly smaller claw clips? My hair when it was shorter and thicker, I needed to use more than one. I would make a bun as if trying to make a cinnabun and would either use 2 or 3 clips depending on how ornery my hair was being.

Eta: clip goes around outermost coil if you have more than one that doesn't taper enough to require tucking.

[Cherriezzzzz]

Have you tried multiple slightly smaller claw clips? My hair when it was shorter and thicker, I needed to use more than one. I would make a bun as if trying to make a cinnabun and would either use 2 or 3 clips depending on how ornery my hair was being.

Eta: clip goes around outermost coil if you have more than one that doesn't taper enough to require tucking.

I can't say I have. It never occurred to me to try more then one haha