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SwanFeathers
April 16th, 2019, 11:24 AM
Ok. So I am trying to buy a hair fork for my sister who has slipery Hip-Length hair, but I have WL grippy hair so I am not sure exactly what she would need as far as length/prong number. This will be her first fork (she doesnt even have any sticks) I want her to have room to grow a bit, and I am probably going to buy from Jeterforks, possibly a custom order.
So I need your help and suggeations!

Tinyponies
April 16th, 2019, 11:29 AM
Hiya, I’m sure others can advise you in number of tines and length better than I can, but I thought to mention;

I have two Jeters, made of different woods. This makes a huge difference aside from just the colour. One is strong and heavier, and the tines would never flex at all, while the other is super light and more easily bendy.

I love them both and they each have their place, but was not something I considered before purchasing. So think on what properties you (she) will require from the wood.

SwanFeathers
April 16th, 2019, 11:33 AM
Leaning towards the sturdy kind since this is her first fork.
Can you say which was which?

Tinyponies
April 16th, 2019, 01:29 PM
Strong and sturdy is purpleheart (a hardwood) and the light one is myrtle. Though next time I buy I will be enquiring with the seller as to how they feel (found a uk importer) as there are many types of wood used... I’ve got my eye on one that is pear wood, for instance.

At (almost) waist length and mid ii thickness my ideal next fork would have 4, 4.5 inch long tines and I reckon that would last me well to maybe classic.

Nini
April 16th, 2019, 01:35 PM
I prefer curved forks with two or three prongs for my slippery hair. I also need firm buns. Love the look of messy buns, but there's no way it'll stay in my hair.

I'd lean towards some flex as well as I find they're easier to work with.

I've not tried Jeterforks, but I have several Mamacats from back in the day, and Blondiesturn too I think.

ETA: I prefer my forks on the shorter side so the tines hardly show but I can't remember my ideal measurement anylonger. I'd have to measure my forks.

lapushka
April 16th, 2019, 01:44 PM
I'd say 5 inches functional (so only the tine length, not total length) is a good starter length. 5 to 6 inches if she wants room to grow but 6 inches is going to be quite big.

It all depends. When she does a bun, does it compact a lot or expand? Or is she new to bunning?

I am classic, my hair is iii, my buns compact quite a bit due to layering, and I still wear 5 inches with room to grow. When I was FTL+ my 5 inchers were OK still.

SwanFeathers
April 16th, 2019, 01:56 PM
...It all depends. When she does a bun, does it compact a lot or expand? Or is she new to bunning? ...

She is totally new to bunning. She was a ponytail everyday girl until i challnged her to wear braids to prove it was less damaging.
Now she is a believer and wants to protect her ends but she has no tools. My sister is also not in a life-situation to acquire these things for herself so its up to me. I have started sending her basic bun videos, and she is practicing with a pencil.

Cg
April 16th, 2019, 02:30 PM
When my ultraslick hair was hip length, I used 4.5-5" prongs in my Jeters w 4 or 5 prongs except for one ebony (a dense wood) which has 3. Someone else mentioned, and I can't stress enough, denser woods hold slippery hair a lot better than lighter weight ones. In general, the lighter weight the wood, the more and longer prongs needed. I would forego all really light woods. Here's a chart of wood densities (https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/wood-density-d_40.html) by species.

lapushka
April 16th, 2019, 02:32 PM
She is totally new to bunning. She was a ponytail everyday girl until i challnged her to wear braids to prove it was less damaging.
Now she is a believer and wants to protect her ends but she has no tools. My sister is also not in a life-situation to acquire these things for herself so its up to me. I have started sending her basic bun videos, and she is practicing with a pencil.

You could ask her to measure the pencil to where she feels the accessory needs to be. Rule of thumb is, one inch left an one inch right + the length of the pencil that's in the bun. That way you guys have a measurement to go on!

Lady Stardust
April 16th, 2019, 02:42 PM
The Long Haired Jewels website (UK importer) has a handy chart for fork sizing depending on hair length and thickness.

http://longhairedjewels.com/hair-fork-guide.html

MusicalSpoons
April 16th, 2019, 02:48 PM
I'd say 5 inches functional (so only the tine length, not total length) is a good starter length. 5 to 6 inches if she wants room to grow but 6 inches is going to be quite big.

Oh goodness, those would be huge! I think slippery hair is more likely to compact more than grippy hair too.

My biggest fork that I use is a 4-prong Jeter, 4.5" prong length and at knee I don't think I'll ever outgrow it. Right now 4" in 4-prong is my perfect length; I have some 3-prongers with 4.5" FPL and those too will last me - the only bun I could use an extra half inch or so would be a Spock bun. Usually more prongs mean less required length, as the width makes the bun fatter and therefore shorter (in terms of length needed to hold them).

Oh also, hair thickness will affect it too - my hair is a middle ii so someone with iii or upper end of ii would probably need an extra half inch to an inch (I'm guessing at hip being able to bun that's she's not in the 5"+ range for ponytail circumference, which is when people tend to start needing very long FPL).

Edit: actually after reading Cg​'s response I don't think my measurements or experience are all that helpful :doh: Her experience contradicts what I'd have thought for length/thickness/slipperiness so yeah, take my reasoning with a very large helping of scepticism!

Cg
April 16th, 2019, 03:34 PM
.... I think slippery hair is more likely to compact more than grippy hair too...

This is true, but slippery hair undoes itself somewhat between completing the bun and getting the fork all the way through. It's that Houdini hair thing. That's why slippery hair needs longer prongs than more cooperative hair.

MusicalSpoons
April 16th, 2019, 04:43 PM
This is true, but slippery hair undoes itself somewhat between completing the bun and getting the fork all the way through. It's that Houdini hair thing. That's why slippery hair needs longer prongs than more cooperative hair.

Oh that's so true - and you've just pinpointed a major reason why I prefer certain buns that I hadn't really realised before! Ones that I can still keep firmly held whilst inserting the fork, and I also start all buns off really tightly wrapped then loosen them a little to fit the fork through (but in a controlled way, keeping a good grip on it as mentioned). My hair is not as Houdini as if it were 1a though either; there is some benefit to having tons of frizz after all :lol:

SwanFeathers
April 23rd, 2019, 12:10 PM
Well, she took a shy to a 4.5 four-prong bubinga, and here are the results...

https://i.postimg.cc/nrWw4wTV/il-570x-N-1485031716-dx6t.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

https://i.postimg.cc/cHHKpDMN/received-276868146364858.jpg (https://postimg.cc/nsyc7GPd)

https://i.postimg.cc/Y0Lv9hsn/received-390736318443172.jpg (https://postimg.cc/8fDpXPDM)

https://i.postimg.cc/DZMWnqB4/received-427802164713956.jpg (https://postimg.cc/8JLkbr8T)

And here is what she texted me- "Yesterday... I cleaned the house, ran with the dog to the thrift store, tried on a bunch of clothes, and it's still stayed in my hair nice and secure so thank you very much for the hair comb!"
For her that is an extremely enthusiastic endorsement. Thank you to everyone who chimed in on this present, we both really appreciate it.

Tinyponies
April 23rd, 2019, 12:31 PM
Well, she took a shy to a 4.5 four-prong bubinga, and here are the results...

https://i.postimg.cc/nrWw4wTV/il-570x-N-1485031716-dx6t.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

https://i.postimg.cc/cHHKpDMN/received-276868146364858.jpg (https://postimg.cc/nsyc7GPd)

https://i.postimg.cc/Y0Lv9hsn/received-390736318443172.jpg (https://postimg.cc/8fDpXPDM)

https://i.postimg.cc/DZMWnqB4/received-427802164713956.jpg (https://postimg.cc/8JLkbr8T)

And here is what she texted me- "Yesterday... I cleaned the house, ran with the dog to the thrift store, tried on a bunch of clothes, and it's still stayed in my hair nice and secure so thank you very much for the hair comb!"
For her that is an extremely enthusiastic endorsement. Thank you to everyone who chimed in on this present, we both really appreciate it.
Great news, beautiful hair and love the fork too. Great rich colours.