Chopsticks Anyone?

[Kaya]

This is probably such a newbie question, but I was curious as to whether anyone uses real chopsticks in their hair. The reason I ask is because I found a beautiful set in our kitchen drawer the other day and it seems a shame to keep them tucked away, especially since neither me nor my DH eats with chopsticks ever.

Now, I know you shouldn't use them for twisted styles, where they might break, but what about to accent buns, or make a Chinese bun with them?. I found a site where they sell so many gorgeous sets, and I wanted to make sure it wouldn't be totally weird to use real chopsticks in hair before I plunked down some money. (Not that they are expensive, usually few bucks a set.) And a lot of the sets I looked at are the lacquered type of chopstcicks, so they have a smooth finish.

[CrisDee]

Oh, LOADS of us use actual chopsticks! Some use the already-decorated kind, others take the ones out of our dinner, sand them down and paint them pretty colors. There are photos of the latter kind in my photo album, but you don't have enough posts to view them yet. Keep asking questions, you'll get to your 25 in no time - and welcome to LHC! :flower:

[Jemoiselle]

Well sure! I use anything I can in my hair if it works and looks good! I like to take chopsticks such as those you mentioned and have my Hubby dremal them down to different sizes for different styles or even more fun, take a pair of plain choppies as I like to call them, and paint them with nail polish or something, glue stuff to them, make them your own! Oh yes, anything goes!

[Vani1902]

I use chopsticks too. I have 10 sets at my disposal for hair duties. Just be careful with the plastic ones since they can snap easier. They also tend to be a bit longer than normal hair sticks. My favorite chopstick is 10 inches. That's quite long. lol

[Arya]

My decorative chopsticks are Japanese lacquered ones which sneak out of my hair with their extra slippery powers or Korean stainless steel ones, which fall out because they're so heavy. Our lime green plastic everyday eating chopsticks would look hi-larious in my hair.

[Ishje]

just like we have etiquette with our forks and knives there is quite an etiquette with chopsticks as well :)
therefore I prefer not to use them in my hair myself.

also, I think they usually are too big XD

what Chrisdee does with them sounds good to me though :)

[myria]

I have 2 sets of decorated, children's chopsticks bought from an asian supermarket. They're a bit shorter than normal ones - about 6 or 7 inches. They're pretty good - cheap and strong but the patterns rub off after a few months. :( maybe you could seal them with varnish though since they're 50p a set so I usually just replace them.

[cindy58]

I have a pair that I bought at the Japan part of Epcot a few years ago. They're not too long, so I could use them as is. They're a pretty lavender/blue floral design. I like them!

[Anje]

I have a few hairsticks made from cut-down chopsticks (the reusable kind, not the disposable ones). They're nice, but I have issues with the bamboo splitting along the length occasionally, creating a nearly-invisible hair-snagger.

[Kome]

I use them... I got the cheap, free ones from when you eat Chinese and I used a pencil sharpener to cut them down. Then I painted them with nail polish. They hold REALLY well actually and they look really cute. :)

[SheaLynne]

I also use real chopsticks. I have three disposable type that I shortened with a pencil sharpener and then cut the very sharp tip off with a knife. I then used nail polish or other wood coloring to make one brown and one wood-grained red and left one light with clear coating.

And I have a nice set of 5 different colors of re-usable and decorated chopsticks. They are a bit long, but work well with a Chinese bun and other wider buns (and as my hair gets longer, I figure they'll work more and more!). I bought them at a Chinese store, and use them exclusively for my hair!

[dawnandxavier]

what a great idea, I didn't think of using them for this

[nytquill]

I bought 2 sets of bamboo chopsticks, one plain black, one red with a dragon motif on the ends, to try out using hairsticks. Since I am the type to spend a lot of money on stuff I end up never using, I wanted to be sure I actually liked using hairsticks before I bought fancy ones on etsy.

The only thing is I found they were a bit too long. Gave me the "arrow through the head" look, haha. So I cut them down, sharpened the cut ends with a pencil sharpener and "painted" the cut ends with nail polish. Not very chic maybe but worked quite well! In fact I still use them when I just want to "bun and run" and not fuss about which hairstick to use.

[DuckyDot]

Ohh! Good Tip about the pencil sharpener to cut them down! I have 8 Chopsticks for hair :)

[rosek]

I have lots of the sealed kind, they have like a coating on the outside and pretty patterns. I just use them as is, and I've never had one break or splinter.

[sanfen]

I was looking thru one of my kitchen cabinets the other day and came across a box of 8 sets of bamboo chopsticks - all different colors & sealed.

Being that they've been there for several years and we haven't used them, I see no reason why they can't join my other hair toys. :p I am sure hubby wouldn't mind . . .

[luxepiggy]

When I was in high school all of my hairsticks were chopsticks - the short kiddie ones from the Japanese market (^(oo)^)

[Lielananna]

Most of my hairsticks are actually chopsticks. I get cheap ones from an online wholesale seller. I generally use the children's chopsticks as well since they are much shorter and I'm not wounding nearly as many people when I try to give hugs. I just can't get myself to spend a lot of money on what goes in my hair, so I like that chopsticks are nice and cheap and work rather well.

[skaempfer]

I have to second (third, fourth, whatever) the vote for children's chopsticks. I think I may even have a picture of one on my album.

[DreadfulWoman]

Wow, I thought I was the only one to go for the children's chopsticks. I use regular ones now, because my hair kind of outgrew the kiddie size. :o I miss them, though. I just can't seem to find pink sailor moon chopsticks in the adult size...

[pepperminttea]

I used chopsticks and pencils when I was first learning how to use hairsticks. I've since invested in hairsticks and forks designed for the purpose, but they were a great way to get used to them. :) I wish I'd known they also came in a childrens size, I would've bought some of those!

[kyraninse]

There's etiquette regarding chopsticks? Is this Japanese or Korean or?

I'm Chinese and I'm drawing a blank regarding that... my mother only complains when I steal the chopsticks out of the silverware drawer because she's anal retentive and obsessive compulsive and thinks it's gross even when I promise to send them through the dishwasher first.

We use the metal, long, chopsticks, btw :D And no one except my mother has ever commented on it before, so I think you're good.

[GRU]

I find that the kid sizes are perfect as-is: http://asianideas.com/chforkibura.html

Like others here, I cut and sand down adult-sized ones (which are also dirt-cheap at the same website) and paint them with nail polish.

I have no problem using them for "twisted" buns -- I just watch how much torque I put on them. They don't have to just be decorative, as long as you're conscious of how much pressure you're putting on them as you create the bun.

[Sinisiew]

just like we have etiquette with our forks and knives there is quite an etiquette with chopsticks as well :)
therefore I prefer not to use them in my hair myself.


[quote=kyraninse;1404130]There's etiquette regarding chopsticks? Is this Japanese or Korean or?

I'm Chinese and I'm drawing a blank regarding that... my mother only complains when I steal the chopsticks out of the silverware drawer because she's anal retentive and obsessive compulsive and thinks it's gross even when I promise to send them through the dishwasher first.

We use the metal, long, chopsticks, btw :D And no one except my mother has ever commented on it before, so I think you're good.


Drawing a blank regarding etiquette for chop sticks here too and I've lived in several countries in South East Asia...

[Khiwanean]

I use lacquered chopsticks as hairsticks. They work just fine. The only problem I have with using actual chopsticks is that they're usually so long. I don't want to deal with possible snagginess/breaking that might come from trying to cut them down to a more reasonable size, so I just have to live with them smacking into things and stabbing people when I'm not careful. I have also used them for twisted styles with no problem, but YMMV.

[meishkamooshka]

That's a really good idea with the pencil sharpener!

[Mírien]

I use chopsticks as well. :D My sister got two pairs as a present but we never use them in the kitchen so she lent me a pair for my hair. However, they proved to be too long and I had to cut them a bit shorter (about the children's size chopsticks). I love having my hair in a Chinese bun as the weigh is distributed, it never pulls, ends are hidden - and it looks nice. :cheese:

[Ishje]

There's etiquette regarding chopsticks? Is this Japanese or Korean or?

I'm Chinese and I'm drawing a blank regarding that... my mother only complains when I steal the chopsticks out of the silverware drawer because she's anal retentive and obsessive compulsive and thinks it's gross even when I promise to send them through the dishwasher first.

We use the metal, long, chopsticks, btw :D And no one except my mother has ever commented on it before, so I think you're good.


there is, here you can read more about it:

http://www.justhungry.com/your-guide-better-chopstick-etiquette-mostly-japanese


maybe some people take it lightly ( I mean, I don't alway's take to etiquette when I try to shovel my food from the plate into my mouth with a spoon XD or when I try to cut my meat with my fork)

it does not matter to me if people do wear chopsticks in their hair.
but I personally prefer not to myself :)

[joiekimochi]

Just don't wear them out...it's considered rude to use chopsticks in the hair. At least, that's how it is around here, where it is mainly Chinese. I use a cheap plastic kid's bento set chopstick around the house but never wear it out. There is a lot of ettiquette rules regarding chopsticks and wearing them in your hair is one of them, along with sticking them in your rice, using it to stab food, using it to point at things etc.

[freckles]

several of my hairsticks are actually chopsticks. I have two silver ones, that are all we have left of what was once a full dinner set, so I sometimes use those in my hair. They are pretty short. Also, I bought a pack of cute (decorated with hearts) 'child size' chopsticks which I use.

I didn't realise that it was a bad move ettiquette-wise. But I'm not really sure that anyone would realise I'm wearing chopsticks rather than hairsticks in my hair?

[Akiko]

I don't use chopsticks for updos. They are too long to start with. Because I use chopsticks to eat on daily basis, real chopsticks in hair look really odd to me.

However, I did once saw off a simple black chopstick to make my own hairstick. Well, I did not use it too much and ended up throwing away. It felt strange to have a utensil in my hair.

[HairColoredHair]

I use chopsticks on occasion, but always metal ones.

They tend to be too long, however, so not often. :)

[sparkle'n'bling]

Hairsticks are impossible to get here, so all my hairsticks are homemade from chopsticks. I cut and sand them to the right length, then paint them with nail polish. They look quite nice, not as though I'm wearing a chopstick in my hair.

[Blandine]

Etiquette? Hm.

Yes I have several hair sticks that originally were meant to be chopsticks.
I also own a pair of hair sticks that are actually small wooden spoons (I bought them on a market in Poland, pencil-sharpened and sanded the tip and gave them a wax coating).

[CaityBear]

Yup! But they are longer so you have to be extra careful not to stab people in the eye. :P

I actually bought a whole bunch of just plain chopsticks, cut them down and then painted them. I still have a whole bunch to decorate. :)

[indiana]

ABSOLUTELY! Some chopsticks are squared on the ends, you would want sticks that taper to more of a point. (I do, anyway :)) There are some pretty ones out there!

[skaempfer]

I find that the kid sizes are perfect as-is: http://asianideas.com/chforkibura.html

Like others here, I cut and sand down adult-sized ones (which are also dirt-cheap at the same website) and paint them with nail polish.

I have no problem using them for "twisted" buns -- I just watch how much torque I put on them. They don't have to just be decorative, as long as you're conscious of how much pressure you're putting on them as you create the bun.

Oh, great. I'm toast. You really are the consummate enabler, you know that, right GRU? :rolleyes: :D

Anyway, I wear chopsticks in my hair a lot and don't worry about etiquette, but don't have Asians around so I don't worry about offending anyone.

When I was at university I knew a *lot* of Asians from all different Asian countries, and the prevailing attitude was that they might wear chopsticks around the dorm for studying, but not to go out. To them, it was a utensil. Perhaps about like some westerners would feel about getting all dressed up to go out and then using a beautiful pencil to make a bun (and there are some highly decorated pencils out there); at the end of the day, it's still a pencil.

[GRU]

Oh, great. I'm toast. You really are the consummate enabler, you know that, right GRU? :rolleyes: :D


Looks like my "Enablinator" title is doing its magic, eh? :lol:

Hey, at least I tend to only enable on relatively affordable stuff (or stuff on a deep discount)! I'm too cheap, uh, er, frugal, yeah, that's the word I meant to use! I'm too frugal to spend too much on any one item... which just means I can have EVEN MORE STUFF!!!
:cheese::cheese::cheese::cheese::cheese:

[christine1989]

I have used chopsticks for updos and have had a few close calls with people's eyes. I think they would work well for very thick or long hair but most of us better stick with hairsticks for safety reasons ;).

[nowxisxforever]

I prefer not to use chopsticks, since they're toooo long, but I have been known to use children's chopsticks.

[Kaya]

Wow! :blushing: I'm overwhelmed with the responses to this post. I never thought that it would get so many. Thank you guys! Ya'll are so amazing! :grouphug:

Anyways, this makes me feel a lot better about delving into the world of chopsticks. I'm quite excited. I have my eye on a set with an elegant cherry blossom design.

skaempfer (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/member.php?u=31693), I hate to become another enabler, but there is a really great site...:gabigrin:

http://everythingchopsticks.com. They have a wonderful selection, including several sets cute of Maneki Neko chopsticks, for both children and adults, for those who are looking for such designs...;)

[skaempfer]

Kaya (and GRU), you have no idea how much I'd like to oblige you by throwing large wads of money at the companies in exchange for pointy things to stick in my head, but Asianideas wants literally as much for the postage to Europe as for the pretty, pretty sticks, and Everythingchopsticks does not appear to do international business at all.

I was all set to order a bulk bag of children's chopsticks from Asianideas and a couple of other things... :(


:wail:

[ancilla]

I like unfinished chopsticks, because they are rougher and hold my hair really well. I love those beautiful glossy and detailed chopsticks but they are too smooth and fall out of my hair.