Convince me to buy something.

[Runzel]

Any enablers want to help me out? :lol:

I know that I need hair tools that will put up my hair comfortably without damaging it. My problem is that I have difficulty buying something unless I can absolutely convince myself that it's necessary. My other problem is that I'd rather purchase something more expensive that is almost guaranteed to work than buy something cheap and take my chances. My other other problem is that I don't do well with nickel, plastic, or wood, so amish hair pins, bobby pins, or homemade sticks aren't an option. The knitting needles I have on hand are too thick and heavy to be comfortable, and the crochet hooks I have on hand have raised lettering in the center that tears my hair. :(

So, after some research, I have decided on Quattro as the best option to match all my wacky little qualifications. If anyone has another suggestion I'd love to hear it. If not, I'm looking at the bronze anchor pins and a pair of 5 inch plain sticks.

Question: What are the differences between the FlexStix, StarLites, and Titanium sticks? I've never used anchor pins or amish pins before; are they fairly easy to learn? I'm wanting the pins because the ends of sticks sticking out of my hair annoy me, yet I know if I don't also get a pair of sticks as well I'll probably grab the crochet hook during the times I want the convenience of putting my hair up in less than 2 seconds. :rolleyes: Finally, I'm a little concerned about the "microgrooves"....wouldn't that create friction for the hair? Is it something you can sand off if you wish?

Okay, have at it...I need to buy these or something similar both for the sake of my hair and so that I'll stop stressing over it, so don't let me off the hook until I do! :D

[Aer]

A sock, for a sock bun, there is a whole thread with a video that shows you how to do it, and I have found it to be comfortable and it seems to be gentle on my hair. I wish I could tell you the differences in the sticks, but I can't because I need to find out too.
Goody's No Damage elastics are really good on my hair, and seem to do as they say, no damage, although I wouldn't twist them in too tight.

Chopsticks from Chinese restaurants are great hair sticks, but be sure to smooth them out with sandpaper, then you can have fun decorating them if you want, or left plain, they look good too. I think you can also find them at craft stores.

I think all these are good investments, and have discovered that they have become necessary and beneficial to my hairs health since I've started using them. But sometimes stuff doesn't work for all folks. I wish you good luck, and know you will find your own little hair product/tool/toy niche.

Oh, horn combs and smooth wooden combs are great purchase's too, they REALLY helped my hair, along with good quality shampoo bars that don't have SLS.

[Flaxen]

A Bronze Jewelers Bronze Scroll Barrette (http://www.bronzejewelers.com/clip-bac.htm) (size large) would be perfect. :eyebrows:

[Cinnamon Hair]

Quattro is a good choice. It would be quite difficult to sand off the microgrooves because they are "micro" to the point that you are unable to see or really feel them even.

You may want to ask Quattro about the different types, or just go for it. The best I know is that flexstix are slightly bendable, starlites are supposed to be extra light weight, and titanium is for people who have trouble with breaking sticks. All three are similar enough that I can't tell which sticks I own are which type. :shrug: I think it's mostly hype.

[KnightsLady]

Titanium would be a good option if your issues are to do with allergies.

[Rae~]

Firstly, just in case you haven't seen it, here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=4106) is a-whole-nother thread on Ron Quattro's items. :)

There are a few people's opinions on the differences between Flexstix, Starlites, etc. in that thread, but in 30 words or less: The differences are not *that* great. Titanium and Flexstix are *slightly* heavier than Starlites. Starlites and Titanium (both 3mm), are slightly thicker than Flexstix (2mm). Helix items don't have microgrooves.

And I can't imagine trying to polish out the microgrooves, either! They really are fine (as in, very small).

Also, if the price of Quattro stuff puts you off, you could try VK Designs (http://www.vkdesignsandfindings.com/) sticks first. They are definitely not as well made as Quattro items, but are still very reasonably priced, and are stainless steel. No microgrooves, either. At least then you can work out of these really thin sticks work for you...?

Hope this helps, and if you do go the Quattro route, please post pics in the Quattro thread. :flower:

ETA1: OK, just read your post again and saw that you want pins over sticks... VK Designs only do sticks. And I don't believe Ron makes pins/forks in titanium any more - he said it damaged his equipment too much. So for pins/forks, you'll have a choice of Starlites or Flexstix. But then you say you'll try a set of plain sticks? In which case, Titanium will be an option as well.

ETA2: Oh, blah. *sigh* OK, so I also hadn't noticed you mentioned bronze. I only have his silver-toned items, but I assume his bronze items have similar properties to his "silver-bronze" items... and I would say that the silver-bronze sticks are a fair bit more flexible than any of the others.

I will also note that I thought amish pins were stainless steel too? But I could be wrong there.

[Masara]

I have the bronze anchor pins and some short (4 inch, I think) silver bronze flex stix. They are amongst the hair toys I use the most.
The pins are almost more like small forks than true hair/bun/Amish pins. They are thicker, although no way as thick as a a knitting needle or a crochet hook. I can hold a bun with one or two anchor pins, which I could never do with normal pins and the ends don't stick out of the other side (something I try to avoid too) The silver bronze flex stix came as a pair but I generally only need to use one. The spiral means that they hold really well. I would have said they didn't have micro grooves because I certainly can't feel them, but in the description on etsy he mentions a "textured surface" so they must do.

[rhubarbarin]

I have both the Quattro bronze anchor pins and the silver-bronze spiral sticks.

The are smooth to the touch, slide into my hair without catching (I twist the spiral sticks in)- which is always something I have had trouble with, some toys would break a few hairs every time- and hold very well. Both have quite a bit of 'bend' to them (I don't have thick or 'strong' hair), if that's not good for you the Starlites are supposed to be rigid.

I love them and would recommend both.

I also have Ficcares, aquired at a lower price from the swap board here, and they are great as well (if you need a clip).

Totally worth the high price for the quality.

[motormuffin]

I just got my first two quattro items. I got the alum anchor pins and the sticks. My immediate reaction was to how the anchor pins felt in my hair. I have slippery layered bsl hair and they went in so easy and hold really well. I can shake my head and they aren't falling out. If I had to choose again...I would get the anchors and a foo foo fancy one instead of the plain sticks. The grooves feel as if you took a brillo pad to an alum can and scruffed it up...not catchy at all.

[Runzel]

Thanks for your responses, everyone! I have just now purchased the bronze anchor pins. :happydance:I want to see for myself what kind of "microgrooves" we're talking about before I get more.

Okay, so from what I've read so far concerning Quattro it seems like anything I get is going to be an upgrade from what I have now. Do the silver-bronze spiral sticks actually look bronze-ish in color? This is a bit of an ignorant question, but do you need to screw the spiral sticks out when you remove them?

Rae, I looked up VK Designs and the website said they were made out of stainless steel, is that correct? Since I don't do well with nickel, stainless steel is a no-go for me, which is also why I can't do amish pins. :)

Flaxen, that site has such beautiful things! Thanks for the link.

Aer, I have had my eye on horn combs ever sinse I heard about them! But since I comb in the shower and drop it an average of two times per use, I'm concerned that I'll break it within the first week of purchase. :(

[Rae~]

Thanks for your responses, everyone! I have just now purchased the bronze anchor pins. :happydance:I want to see for myself what kind of "microgrooves" we're talking about before I get more.

Okay, so from what I've read so far concerning Quattro it seems like anything I get is going to be an upgrade from what I have now. Do the silver-bronze spiral sticks actually look bronze-ish in color? This is a bit of an ignorant question, but do you need to screw the spiral sticks out when you remove them?

Rae, I looked up VK Designs and the website said they were made out of stainless steel, is that correct? Since I don't do well with nickel, stainless steel is a no-go for me, which is also why I can't do amish pins. :)

You are right, of course - I had a brain fade, duh - most stainless steel alloys do usually contain some nickel. I was just thinking, "Well, it's not nickel-silver, so yay." Of course, there's always the off-chance that Ron uses a SS alloy that doesn't have nickel... might be worth asking? It would certainly open up a world of options to you... :eyebrows: (OK, so I'm grasping at straws....)

If nickel is a definite no-no, even in tiny amounts, then you might want to just double check what alloy he uses for the "silver-bronze" items, since my (very cursory) google check didn't reveal a definitive ingredients list.

My silver-bronze sticks are completely silver-toned, except when they are tarnished, when they look a little more orangey/bronzey. Mine are half polished silver, half oxidised silver (ie black), but I have seen him list completely polished versions as well.

And I don't necessarily screw mine in or out... sometimes they naturally turn a little as I insert/remove them, but they also go in just fine without any rotation. Of course, I don't tend to do my hairstyles very tight, usually... when I have done a slightly tighter updo than normal, I do consciously rotate them a little, as I feel it makes them move through the hair a little easier.

:flower:

[motormuffin]

Thanks for your responses, everyone! I have just now purchased the bronze anchor pins. :happydance:I want to see for myself what kind of "microgrooves" we're talking about before I get more.

Okay, so from what I've read so far concerning Quattro it seems like anything I get is going to be an upgrade from what I have now. Do the silver-bronze spiral sticks actually look bronze-ish in color? This is a bit of an ignorant question, but do you need to screw the spiral sticks out when you remove them?

Rae, I looked up VK Designs and the website said they were made out of stainless steel, is that correct? Since I don't do well with nickel, stainless steel is a no-go for me, which is also why I can't do amish pins. :)

Flaxen, that site has such beautiful things! Thanks for the link.

Aer, I have had my eye on horn combs ever sinse I heard about them! But since I comb in the shower and drop it an average of two times per use, I'm concerned that I'll break it within the first week of purchase. :(

I just want you to know you are horrible...:D
You have influenced me badly and I went back and bought two more foo foo quattros. And here I though I was influencing you...

[Runzel]

You are right, of course - I had a brain fade, duh - most stainless steel alloys do usually contain some nickel. I was just thinking, "Well, it's not nickel-silver, so yay." Of course, there's always the off-chance that Ron uses a SS alloy that doesn't have nickel... might be worth asking? It would certainly open up a world of options to you... :eyebrows: (OK, so I'm grasping at straws....)

If nickel is a definite no-no, even in tiny amounts, then you might want to just double check what alloy he uses for the "silver-bronze" items, since my (very cursory) google check didn't reveal a definitive ingredients list.

Yes! Back when I first joined I asked about nickel in Quattros (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=14353&highlight=nickel&page=2) and since i didn't have an Ebay account at the time annie09 kindly asked Ron for me. He said that there wasn't any nickel in the pins. (Yes, I have ben considering buying these things for 5 months now...told you I needed help being convinced to buy things!) But you raise a good point...I should ask him about nickel in his other products, just to make sure they're all nickel-free, but from what it sounds like, they probably are. At least the titanium one. Definitely a world of possibilities! :bounce:

Edit: I was just reading in his page that the FlexStix are stainless steel, so those are off, but the StarLites are aluminum and of of there's the titanium as well.


My silver-bronze sticks are completely silver-toned, except when they are tarnished, when they look a little more orangey/bronzey. Mine are half polished silver, half oxidised silver (ie black), but I have seen him list completely polished versions as well.

And I don't necessarily screw mine in or out... sometimes they naturally turn a little as I insert/remove them, but they also go in just fine without any rotation. Of course, I don't tend to do my hairstyles very tight, usually... when I have done a slightly tighter updo than normal, I do consciously rotate them a little, as I feel it makes them move through the hair a little easier.

:flower:

Thanks, that's helpful to know!


I just want you to know you are horrible...:D
You have influenced me badly and I went back and bought two more foo foo quattros. And here I though I was influencing you...

Lol... :wigtongue

[Runzel]

I contacted the Bronze Jewelers to see if they might be interested in making me some plain bronze sticks, since that would over all my bases and turns out would be cheaper than Quattros too! They said they would use "3/32 rod" which is what the prongs on their hairsticks are made out of. Can anyone tell me how thick 3/32 is compared to Ron's items?

[Cinnamon Hair]

Can anyone tell me how thick 3/32 is compared to Ron's items?


Starlites and Titanium (both 3mm), are slightly thicker than Flexstix (2mm).

According to :google: 3/32 = 0.0938 as a decimal or 2.3813 mm.

[lora410]

I have a quattro sterling silver flexi stick. Although I love the felixibleness, it doesn't work well for me :shrug: How about a copper hairfork? mairzydozy (http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7116060&&ga_search_query=copper+hair&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=&order=date_desc&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title) <---- clickable makes wonderful, super smooth, flexible and light hair forks. You don't have to spend a ton of money for a quality handmade hair item :)

[Runzel]

Thanks cinnamon! I tried to google it but couldn't quite figure out how that worked.

I'll difinitely check that out, lora, thanks!