What a difference one inch makes!

[Kerynna]

I'm still pretty new here; I joined in December and my hair was 23"; long (by the LHC official hair measuring method ;) ). I became discouraged early on because my hair is relatively thick and I could not do a cinnabun or keep my hair up in any way other than a ponytail or braid.

Now, two months later, my hair measures at 24"; and, on a whim yesterday, I whipped out my cheapo Target-brand hairstick and twirled my hair, wrapped it and stuck the stick in and it turned out great! It was soooooooo comfortable! And it looked good, too; I got compliments on it, and I hadn't even tried very hard. :cheese:

So now I have a question. I want to buy some good hairsticks. Does the thickness of the stick determine how well it holds your hair? For example, I like the metal hairsticks but they seem so thin and not tapered to a wider width on one end - do they still hold well? Do metal sticks cause hair breakage or snagging?

What hairsticks do you recommend for a hairstick newbie?

[LittleLlama]

Funny, I was just about to come and complain that my hair "should" be long enough to do something pretty but it's just too darn thick to work around itself. I can get it in a bun but the ends all come out and it's not pretty.

If a metal stick is not smooth at the end, it WILL damage your hair. I don't think the metal itself is a problem though. A lot of people need thicker sticks just because their hair is so heavy. Even with mine, I couldn't use this enameled chopstick because it was just too light... actually, it snapped in half IN my hair the other day! Talk about rough edges, LOL!

[LittleOrca]

I don't think that there is a specific Newbie stick out there on the market. If there is, I am missing it! Most of my sticks are plastic and they work well. I'd like more wooden ones, which you have to make sure you keep out of wet hair, but I don't think there is really a stick for those who are just getting into them. No training bra sticks :)

[Akiko]

Congratulations, Kerynna. It is nice to be able to hold a bun with a single stick. It is so quick.

As for hairsticks, I personally don't feel the thickness of the stick matters much in terms of holding power. I have a simple single metal stick as well as several two-prong sticks (or should I call them forks?). I can hold a bun very well with either one of them.

My metal sticks are very smooth on the surface and would not snag or cause breakage.

If there is a dangle attached to it, it might get caught in your hair, especially for 2a. That might be something to think about. These dangles in the pic don't bother me, though.

http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq15/kurupika/200902123.jpg
The only complaint I have about a single prong metal stick (top in the pic) is that it tends to slip out of my bun easily. So I need to make my bun a little tighter for it to stay.Two-pronged ones, especially the one at the bottom feels more secure because the prongs are shaped in zigzag in the middle.

It's not metal. But ketylo sticks work great... Might take a look at his site (http://www.ketylo.com/servlet/StoreFront).

[lora410]

Any fork or stick should have a smooth tip or tips Anything jagged, or with sharp ends will hurt and you will hear hair snapping :)

[suicides_eve]

i have a few of both and thickness and what it's made of don't really matter for me. Actually if it's thick like a pencil i have a harder time with it. i like my cheapo Claire's stick.

[Avalonna]

I also have thick hair, and just a bit shorter than yours. The thickness really makes it harder to make a bun -- I have been watching instructional videos that have been posted here, and getting the hair into a nice long coil just isn't happening. Until my hair is a bit longer, anyway! I'm glad to here that an inch made a big difference for you!

After some experiments with pencils, I bought a pair of Ketylos. They are wonderful. I got the medium (6") ones, but if I get another pair I will go with the shorties.

[neon-dream]

Congratulations on your growth :D!

[edensapples]

Yes, congrats!

[Johanna64]

Congratulations Kerynna!!:)

[MadPirateBippy]

In my experience, the thickness of the stick does not matter but length does.

(I am just hoping that my husband never, ever reads that sentence- he will NEVER let me forget it)

[Peter]

I'm at 25" measured LHC-style and I still can't manage to do a bun. :D

Congratulations to you!

[AmyJorgensen]

Hairsticks are my new obsession and I agree that it is length more than thickness. My own hair is 32" and 3 1/2 " in circumfrence and I find that a good length for me is a 7" stick. 9" is about as long as I can do without it looking silly(to me). Since your hair is shorter and less thick than mine....maybe between a 5 and 7" would be safe. Most good hairstick sites will tell give you a guide on length based on your hair. I started using chopsticks because they are much more affordable, but most of them are 9". If you want to go that route, maybe look at children's chopsticks which I think are shorter. To warn you, I have heard that some Asian people are offended to see people wearing what they consider only utensils in their hair...but I haven't had any negative results. I ordered my chopsticks at Mrs. Lin's Kitchen online.

[Anje]

Thickness does make a difference, but it has more to do with how tight the bun is than anything else. Thin metal sticks can go into tight buns where flimsy plastic ones or bulky wooden ones won't fit or might snap. Metal also has the advantage of working in wet hair (don't make it really tight, though, for the hair's sake), but it tends to slip out. VK Designs makes inexpensive metal sticks, but they tend to have a rough end that either gets sanded or a drop of nailpolish on it. Ron Quattro makes more expensive, high-quality metal sticks. There are lots of others, but those are the two I can think of off the top of my head.

ETA: Doh! I forgot the Etsy seller Nightblooming (she's an LHCer), who often has metal sticks. Very nice and smooth, too!

[DragonLady]

To warn you, I have heard that some Asian people are offended to see people wearing what they consider only utensils in their hair...but I haven't had any negative results. I ordered my chopsticks at Mrs. Lin's Kitchen online

Is it really any different for them than to see an American using a butter knife or spoon? A little unusual maybe, but offensive? Unless they're afraid we plan to eat with the same chopstick?

[joyfulmom4]

Woohoo! Congrats on the hair growth, the compliments and all the fun you're going to have with your new hairsticks. I like Ketylos myself. For thick hair, they can't be beat.

[Kerynna]

Thanks everyone! I've purchased 2 wood hairsticks with simple decorative tops (there's a photo in my album and in another thread I started). They are 6 " long and I think that is just the right length for my hair right now.

Next on my wish list are some metal sticks, maybe from Lover's Knot, and I definitely want to get some Ketylos, too. I am trying to pace myself, lol.

[SweetPea88]

Congratulations! I'll have to go check out the album later. :)

[JamieLeigh]

Congratulations, Kerynna! :D New growth is awesome!!!

I'm afraid I can't offer much advice on the original topic, however. I had never even heard of hair sticks until last summer, when I started lurking on this site and reading up on stuff...and I've had butt-length+ hair for most of my life! The only ones I have right now are plastic and wooden...but then again, my hair is fine/medium, and not super-thick, so lighter sticks hold well, even when all of my length is involved! :rolleyes:

[ktani]

I saw a great Catherine Deneuve movie a while back. In it, while she was stittng at a bar, she took a plastic swizzle stick (a long, thin stick used to mix drinks), wrapped her hair up (it was not that long) and used the swizzle stick to hold it up.

I though that it was very cool!

[ktani]

In my experience, the thickness of the stick does not matter but length does.

(I am just hoping that my husband never, ever reads that sentence- he will NEVER let me forget it)

LOL, love it!