Home Depot and hair toys

[cjk]

https://i.imgur.com/Khw8xTS.jpg

[Beckstar]

You nailed that style.

[nycelle]

You nailed that style.

:lol:

Home Depot has them lying loose in various sizes. I may try one the next time I'm there. Just to figure out right size I'd need in a stick..

[JennGalt]

Those look awesome! I might have to go buy a pair too lol. What's going to happen with the wood? Hair forks, perhaps? Or is that for some unrelated project?

[cjk]

Solid flooring samples are great for crafts.

I made my first hair fork the other night from solid bamboo flooring. I still need to finish it properly, round off the ends and that sort of thing, but it came out beautifully.

No reason I can't use solid oak this time.

[cjk]

Actually I do have a sincere question. The nails have a galvanized finish. Which means they're a little bit rough. Shouldn't be too hard on the hair but if I was able to polish them or finish them some way it might be better.

I've seen mention of using nails before, but how are they typically finished? Left virgin, polished, varnished, or what?

[nycelle]

Actually I do have a sincere question. The nails have a galvanized finish. Which means they're a little bit rough. Shouldn't be too hard on the hair but if I was able to polish them or finish them some way it might be better.

I've seen mention of using nails before, but how are they typically finished? Left virgin, polished, varnished, or what?

I can't answer your questions, but wanted to point out that the tip is a bit sharp as well. Depending on where it lays in your hair, you might wanna be extra careful. I wouldn't want to accidentally nip my neck with it.

[JennGalt]

Solid flooring samples are great for crafts.

I made my first hair fork the other night from solid bamboo flooring. I still need to finish it properly, round off the ends and that sort of thing, but it came out beautifully.

No reason I can't use solid oak this time.

Sounds amazing! Definitely post pics when they're done :D We'll want to see!

Hopefully someone else has an answer to the nail question. I'd like to know that too.

[neko_kawaii]

I’d polish them up. It has been ages since I used them, galvanized is a coating, yes? Might be tricky to sand them down and not remove that coating in places, but since it is metal, it really shouldn’t matter.

[cjk]

https://i.imgur.com/BwsUt9H_d.jpg?maxwidth=640&shape=thumb&fidelity=medium

https://i.imgur.com/vU6O396_d.jpg?maxwidth=640&shape=thumb&fidelity=medium

[trolleypup]

All of my hardware store sticks are non-ferrous, let alone not galvanized. Not out of any particular conviction, but because a 7" steel spike is heavy. My usuals are aluminum gutter spikes...somewhere there are some brass/copper tubing ones with (silver) soldered ends.

The gutter spikes come textured and painted, so they have to be stripped (paint stripper), shaped (filed) to reduce their sharpness while retaining their "nailness", and finally smoothed with very fine sandpaper. I joke that they are US$5 for a dozen, but I spend at least a half hour per spike to make them wearable.

If I was working with galvanized nails, I'd probably go through the same stages, with the knowledge that some of the galvanization would be lost. It would be interesting to see how they would age, considering the competing factors of salty sweat, oil in hair, wear and usage. The aluminum is wearing shinier. If there was a lot of steel exposed, I would be aware of the possibility of iron oxide staining of light colored hair.

You could always clear coat the nails, but I drop mine often enough that I have to file off burrs from hitting sidewalks (less of a concern for a steel nail, for sure!)

[cjk]

Steel finished by extended exposure to oil is a very pretty thing. No idea if the galvanization will impact that.

I might just knock off the sharp edges and wear them as is. I rather like the matte surface. They're not sharp, other than the point, so I'm forced to ask if the matte surface (microscopically rough) is likely to be damaging?

Might rub them with a light oil to get it started. Got a friend who is a jeweler so he might have an idea, though knowing him they'll be rhodium plated before it's over. Galvanization is a zinc coating and that's fairly good as a base for plating.

I didn't find the weight uncomfortable, though mine aren't the 7" spike. They're closer to 6". But I only wore them, relatively, briefly.

One of these days the spirit will move me to wear them all day and I'll find out for myself.

[Jas]

They look really cool in your hair actually! Might be a bit heavy to wear too long but they do look good

[lapushka]

You nailed that style.

Hahaha, that had me LOL so bad! :spitting:

[ursaV]

The nails look badass!
There's been lots of windstorms where I live lately, I've definitely been tempted to grab some downed branches and try my hand at some DIY sticks myself....

[trolleypup]

Steel finished by extended exposure to oil is a very pretty thing. No idea if the galvanization will impact that.

I might just knock off the sharp edges and wear them as is. I rather like the matte surface. They're not sharp, other than the point, so I'm forced to ask if the matte surface (microscopically rough) is likely to be damaging?

Might rub them with a light oil to get it started. Got a friend who is a jeweler so he might have an idea, though knowing him they'll be rhodium plated before it's over. Galvanization is a zinc coating and that's fairly good as a base for plating.

I didn't find the weight uncomfortable, though mine aren't the 7" spike. They're closer to 6". But I only wore them, relatively, briefly.

One of these days the spirit will move me to wear them all day and I'll find out for myself.
I'm thinking old heavily used handrails, with the mottling of oiled/worn patina with blotches/patches of silver and grey polished galvanization!

Rough matte...does it catch when you put them in? If not, probably not damaging. Rhodium plating would be damned awesome...also would tend to smooth them out on the micro level.

The nails look badass!
There's been lots of windstorms where I live lately, I've definitely been tempted to grab some downed branches and try my hand at some DIY sticks myself....
Old-style pencil sharpener on the ends!

[cjk]

I'm thinking old heavily used handrails, with the mottling of oiled/worn patina with blotches/patches of silver and grey polished galvanization!

Same as what I was thinking. It's beautiful. But I have NO idea how to accelerate that finish.


Rough matte...does it catch when you put them in? If not, probably not damaging. Rhodium plating would be damned awesome...also would tend to smooth them out on the micro level.

Not remotely. It provides a little drag, for want of a better term, but does not catch at all. And the spiral surface causes it to twist into the hair.

But the drag is friction and, over time, friction can be problematic. Hence my question.


Old-style pencil sharpener on the ends!

You just told me how to finish my wooden forks tips. Thank you!

[ursaV]

Old-style pencil sharpener on the ends!

Ha, I have a bunch of those, hoarding art supplies comes in handy sometimes! Thanks!

[trolleypup]

A woman came up to me in a store today, "What is that you're using to hold up your hair?!" I pull it out and show her "An aluminum gutter spike." "Where do you get them?" "At Ace Hardware on 3rd and Clement" (about 3 blocks away). "My hair's this long!" (gestures at calf) "Thanks!"

Pretty sure her next stop was going to be the hardware store!

[Sarahlabyrinth]

A woman came up to me in a store today, "What is that you're using to hold up your hair?!" I pull it out and show her "An aluminum gutter spike." "Where do you get them?" "At Ace Hardware on 3rd and Clement" (about 3 blocks away). "My hair's this long!" (gestures at calf) "Thanks!"

Pretty sure her next stop was going to be the hardware store!

That's so cool! :p :laugh:

[Groovy Granny]

A woman came up to me in a store today, "What is that you're using to hold up your hair?!" I pull it out and show her "An aluminum gutter spike." "Where do you get them?" "At Ace Hardware on 3rd and Clement" (about 3 blocks away). "My hair's this long!" (gestures at calf) "Thanks!"

Pretty sure her next stop was going to be the hardware store!

That is awesome :)

[embee]

cjk, the nails look great!

Trolleypup, what a good story! :)

[browneyedsusan]

They look great! I've always liked the idea of nails as masculine hairtoys. :) ( I've only used hardwood from the hardware. The square ones are neat! :) )