Lowering Tension in a Clip?

[MINAKO]

Long story short, i have a few concorde clips and some of them are closing sooo tight i could clip myself to the ceiling with these. Not really gentle i suppose. Is there a way to make them snap a bit more losely? Do i need to pinch the spring, or heat it and then freeze it (just an example, i dont think that would actually work sinceyou can only get it hot enough to not entirely ruin the clip). Anyone else gotthis problem and maybe found a solution? :confused:

[Nightshade]

A lot of the things that would alter the temper of metal enough might also not make it strong enough or would ruin the clip in the process.

Your best bet might be bending the spring a bit. If the ends of the spring prongs are stacked almost on top of one another, you could try taking pliers and bending them out. It might be hard with that shape of clip, though.

The reality is that beak clips have tight springs no matter what you do. You could also try wrapping the ends in a soft cloth to protect them (or leather, it grips better) and keeping it squeezed open in a vice for a few days to loosen it up. But I think that your options are pretty limited otherwise.

[brickworld13]

Unless you have the ability to switch out the springs, I don't know what to suggest that Nightshade didn't already mention.

[MINAKO]

Thank you Nightshade! I think overbending might be my best bet, looking at these clips. I'm gonna try. No way i can reach in there with pliers, i attempted that after writing this post and the spring is just to hard to get grip of. I also like the idea of attaching something to keep it slightly open, as i use these clips for centerheld buns mostly it would be just enough. first thing coming to my mind would be these tiny metal balls that shake up nail polish, or beads, but i dont think i have any around i could use at the moment.
I will leave the clips all the way open with something in between for a few days and see what happens. I really love this type of clip, too bad some manufacturers seem to know nothing about hair, i mean sturdy is great, but some of them would cause breakage i guess.
Thanks for all your suggestions! :flower:

[MINAKO]

Unless you have the ability to switch out the springs, I don't know what to suggest that Nightshade didn't already mention.

The screw type thing is fixed, once i get that off i cant reattach it. Trying them in a store would indeed be easier, but sme of these i bought online, so i dont expect the seller to pay attention. Well i wish they did. The spacer thing sounds great tho, kts also easy for me to do.
Thank you too brickworld! :flower:

[meteor]

Great topic, MINAKO! I'm really sorry I know nothing about how to modify clips :oops: , but I have a related question:

How can we even figure out if the clip is too tight? Is there a test?
I mean, all clips work by squeezing/crimping action, so I do have to wonder if the very popular ficcares, fakkares, beak clips, concorde clips, etc are all 100% hair-safe. Aren't tight clips admired specifically for their hold? But then, isn't that tight hold potentially a problem due to crimping, kind of how a ponytail holder can be damaging?

I saw once a video where a YouTuber clipped different clips on her fingers and some left more visible marks than others so she decided that they were "too tight", but I wonder how reliable that test would be, especially if one clips the same bun in the same spot every day... :hmm:

[MINAKO]

Hmm, i think its different for each clip and also depends on if the i side is more flat, or has a bit of an edge like the concorde ones. they are well made but i totally se a problem with pressure per square inch. I test on my hand too, In general if it hurts my finger immediately i dont like to put it in my hair. The clips i have, well some of them, leave quite a bit of a dent in my skin.
I think with ficcares its the same thing on the teeth part, did not feel super gently to me, i would much prefer a silicone cushion like i have seen in knock off that costed a fraction of the price.
If used often and in the same hairstyle i do see a great potential for breakage. Icant even fir a large ficcare to make it hold my cinnabun where the pressure would be very high, but even the smaller section for the center held will be affected by a concorde clip. :/

[mz_butterfly]

I seem to have the opposite problem. The Concorde style clips I have found in most stores are very weak.

What brands did you get? Do you have a link for the ones you purchased? I have bought some that were in a package and some online and you can't tell the strength before purchasing but they are all weak and unusable for me.

I would love to find some of these clips that actually hold. :)

[MINAKO]

I dont have tho original named concorde clips, but nice ones from a department store called Kaufhof in Germany. I keep forgetting the brand name, but its not something super common. The tight ones are from this store http://www.bijou-brigitte.com/epages/BijouBrigitte.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/BijouBrigitte/Categories/Accessoires/Haarschmuck . They dont have the clips on the website it seems, but they randomly pop up in their stores in different designs, ranging from 3-12 euros in price i think.
Clip too lose is not a problem in a centerheld bun, so at least you could wear them this way.

[mz_butterfly]

I dont have tho original named concorde clips, but nice ones from a department store called Kaufhof in Germany. I keep forgetting the brand name, but its not something super common. The tight ones are from this store http://www.bijou-brigitte.com/epages/BijouBrigitte.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/BijouBrigitte/Categories/Accessoires/Haarschmuck . They dont have the clips on the website it seems, but they randomly pop up in their stores in different designs, ranging from 3-12 euros in price i think.
Clip too lose is not a problem in a centerheld bun, so at least you could wear them this way.


Thank you, I will look around for that brand. :)

[MINAKO]

Hah, i got it! You can level the end of the spring out of the top part and pull it to the side with a spoon (Hi Reese! :lol: )
Then when it is hanging over the side bend it some more with a plier to a u shape and then pinch through the middle. The shorter end puts less force on the clip, its much "softer" now. Be careful not to scratch the matal when you föick it back in tho. For a center jeöd its just enough.

[Nightshade]

Yay! That's awesome! And good idea with the spoon to protect from scratching :)

[MINAKO]

Oops, excuse my weird typing in the last post, i was clearly in for some sleep, hehe.
Yes i think the length of the "leftover" from the spiral has to do with the overall strength and it was fairly long. I would be verrry careful when doing this to a more expensive toy and myabe pinch off bit by bit to not end up with a clip that doesnt hold at all.