I've continued to replace and use rubber bands on the bases of most of my locks. It helps keep the looser parts together, and makes it easier to grab one for clockwise rubbing, which is supposed to be encouraging the new hairs to get caught up in the lock rather than making their own way in the world.
My friend AnnMarie, the same one who turned her dreadlocks into a hat before lending them to me for the awesome banner design of this blog, gave me another tip. This one involves taking the band off (or moving it out of the way) and splitting the lock at the base so you can take its own tip and shove it right through. Twists the whole base section up, and (as I discovered) if you twist it the wrong way the lock will try like hell to point that direction, so keep that in mind.
So there's all sorts of ways to twist and rub and train those hairs to lock up and behave. And there's also claims that at some point, all this will just start taking care of itself, and I needn't be concerned. Being a bit impatient, maybe I will never get to that point. Since my locks are just under four months old, I'm probably not quite ready to let them go yet, but in a couple of years I should take the plunge and see if it's true.
My five-year mission: to explore strange new hairstyles, to seek out ways to keep locks neat and clean, to boldly go where no man has gone before with dreadlocks.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Monday, August 15, 2011
Patience
Well, I need more patience for my locks. As this picture proves, they're not completely mature yet - I'm still losing a few hairs in the shower.
So I am enjoying shed-free showers yet. I wonder how much longer it will take?
So I am enjoying shed-free showers yet. I wonder how much longer it will take?
Friday, August 12, 2011
In the wilds
I spent a few days camping last week, which gave me a chance to see how this "low maintenance" hair style handles the great outdoors, and to make a vlog about it.
I also met two lovely women, each of whom had locks which were six or seven years old. One had hair similar to mine, and told me that she'd used backcombing to start them. The other had classic African-style kinky hair, and she's had hers put in professionally.
What interested me most about the latter woman was that she told me that she continues to twist them to make sure the new hair locks in properly. Sometimes I get the impression that locks will need eternal upkeep, but then some "experts" tell me that this will sometimes not be the case.
Time will tell.
I also met two lovely women, each of whom had locks which were six or seven years old. One had hair similar to mine, and told me that she'd used backcombing to start them. The other had classic African-style kinky hair, and she's had hers put in professionally.
What interested me most about the latter woman was that she told me that she continues to twist them to make sure the new hair locks in properly. Sometimes I get the impression that locks will need eternal upkeep, but then some "experts" tell me that this will sometimes not be the case.
Time will tell.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Hats beyond hats!
Watch the my newest vlog to find out, as I did, that hats don't just cover dreadlocks.
Stay tuned to find out what cool thing I have planned for those locks and this blog!
Stay tuned to find out what cool thing I have planned for those locks and this blog!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Reason #11: intimacy
This reason only works when people stay within each others' hygiene tolerance range, which for me requires clean hair that's free of odors and . . . stuff.
My wife enjoys things like cuddling a bit more than I do. She's also really, really good at working on my locks. Not only is she just flat-out better with fiber work than I am, she can actually see what's going on up there, which is a pain for me.
Evenings in front of the television with my head in her lap certainly can't be bad for a marriage.
My wife enjoys things like cuddling a bit more than I do. She's also really, really good at working on my locks. Not only is she just flat-out better with fiber work than I am, she can actually see what's going on up there, which is a pain for me.
Evenings in front of the television with my head in her lap certainly can't be bad for a marriage.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Do I smell a contest?
Comment to leave name suggestions. If there's enough response I'll put up a poll or run a contest or something. Sorry, I have well over four years left before I can decide to cut them off (if I even do!) so I can't promise locks as a prize anytime soon.
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