User Tag List

Thanks Thanks:  0
Likes Likes:  1
Page 1 of 5 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 41
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    771
    Reviews
    Read 0 Reviews
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    14

    Default Sisterlocks Bacgrounder: Freeforming Sisterlocks?

    Long time....
    Hey all, so in the time that I was away, i took my one-year old locs down. Simply felt like a change and the sisterlock bug has been biting me for some time (sorry...but I am one of those folks who will probably die with a gazillion loc attempts to my name...personally, I'm cool with it and have no regrets). The loose things was fine, for like a week or two, but now I'm ready to loc it up again. I really want to put in sisterlocks and fortunately there's a sisterlock trainee who's willing to bend a little on the price of installation and maintenance. (By the way, did you guys know there was like a sisterlock instructional video on youtube...thought that was all kinds of illegal - it looks EXACTLY the same as latching, just a patented tool...i knew it!) Yeah, I know I could install it on my own, but i really dont want to handle my own maintenance and for some reason, sisterlock consultants/trainees are ABSOLUTELY UNWILLING to interlock braidlocks in my area. Anyway, I feel that with the sisterlocks, I may want something different in the future in terms of maintenance.

    So question, has anyone heard of sisterlocked folks eventually going into the freeforming or semi-forming route after a while? Would really want to see what this looks like? Have any of you sisterlock'd folks gone a significant amt of time just washing and separating (like say 6months plus?).

    Thanks!
    "Eventually I knew precisely what hair wanted: it wanted to grow, to be itself, to attract lint, if that was its destiny, but to be left alone by anyone, including me, who did not love it as it was..."
    -Alice Walker

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    8,960
    Reviews
    Read 0 Reviews
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    1 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    37

    Default

    I think you are overthinking the entire process. I thought it was well known that Sisterlocks and interlocking was essentially the same thing. It wasn't a big secret. There are interlocking videos on YouTube.

    To your question, I have gone as long as 6 months in between retightenings with no damage. Now I go about every 2-3 months to work with my consultant's schedule.

    You can do whatever you want to do. It's your hair. However, if you have the really tiny locks, they tend to be more fragile and benefit from more frequent retigtenings. My SLs are medium and large.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Posts
    2,004
    Reviews
    Read 0 Reviews
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    17

    Default

    I started out with Sisterlocks and now I latch. I guess I am what you might call a semi freeformer, since I only retighten about 4 times a year. I have so far have not had any problems with losing a lock because of breakage. In the eight years that I have been locked, I have not unintentionally lost any locks at all. My locks are thriving and it's all good.
    I am excited for you and I hope that everything turns out okay in whatever you decide, and that you will keep us posted. Part of the journey is really finding out what works best for you.
    BTW whats the name of the video on Youtube?
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Brooklyn
    Posts
    1,579
    Reviews
    Read 0 Reviews
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    17

    Default

    There will always be exceptions, but in general, micro locks need more maintenance. If you truly want to freeform, I'd suggest starting with a larger size. You can put the hair in any kind of grid you desire.
    la vida es un carnaval.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    771
    Reviews
    Read 0 Reviews
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    14

    Default

    @chachadiva - Yeah, I forgot I was on NP.com, where most people are aware that maintenance of sisterlocks and latching is essentially the same. Talked to several SL consultants in the community who swore it was some secret process, despite my challenges to the contrary. Yep, I'm going to instruct the trainee to do the med/large grid for me.

    @Veviticus - yeah, I had you in mind when i was thinking about freeforming, but couldn't remember offhead whether you had sisterlocks or another type of microlock. the video on youtube is here :

    @SNC - yeah, i plan to do regular maintenance in the beginning, but I think in the future I may decide to freeform or semi-freeform. In essence I want to try tiny locs, but I'm not interested in DIY (did with my previous sets, but I kinda miss someone else doing my hair...I know, strange...and compared to a few years ago, there seems to be SL consultants in nearly every state...so dont think it will be a problem if I move in a few years.)

    So, pretty excited - go for my official consult this weekend and will plan to do the install the following weekend, by God's grace.
    "Eventually I knew precisely what hair wanted: it wanted to grow, to be itself, to attract lint, if that was its destiny, but to be left alone by anyone, including me, who did not love it as it was..."
    -Alice Walker

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Posts
    2,004
    Reviews
    Read 0 Reviews
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    17

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by nnebekee View Post
    @chachadiva - Yeah, I forgot I was on NP.com, where most people are aware that maintenance of sisterlocks and latching is essentially the same. Talked to several SL consultants in the community who swore it was some secret process, despite my challenges to the contrary. Yep, I'm going to instruct the trainee to do the med/large grid for me.

    @Veviticus - yeah, I had you in mind when i was thinking about freeforming, but couldn't remember offhead whether you had sisterlocks or another type of microlock. the video on youtube is here :

    @SNC - yeah, i plan to do regular maintenance in the beginning, but I think in the future I may decide to freeform or semi-freeform. In essence I want to try tiny locs, but I'm not interested in DIY (did with my previous sets, but I kinda miss someone else doing my hair...I know, strange...and compared to a few years ago, there seems to be SL consultants in nearly every state...so dont think it will be a problem if I move in a few years.)

    So, pretty excited - go for my official consult this weekend and will plan to do the install the following weekend, by God's grace.
    THANK YOU SO MUCH for sending this. I am glad that the "secret" is no longer "secret" anymore. I know of someone who got sisterlocked and took the training but refuse to train me how to do my own after I had my locks for well over six months...but showed her daughter the method of how to retighten hers. She ranted and raved to me about how she didn't want Dr. Cornwell to sue her and take her license, blah, blah, blah...but was so conflicted because afterall this was her daughter.
    On some of the Sisterlock sites, there were very heated debates about if you start out being sisterlocked but changed to another interlocking method, then you could no longer (better not) call them Sisterlocks. I mean, people would get cussed out and almost threatened over this. It was crazy, just crazy.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    8,960
    Reviews
    Read 0 Reviews
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    1 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    37

    Default

    I think folks confuse the method with the business. Dr. Cornwell has the right to protect her business. She can have busines secrets if she wants to. However, an informed consumer should do their research on all locking methods. If they do that, they will be able to compare and contrast each locking method.

    I don't have any ill feelings with how Dr. Cornwell runs her company. She created a brand. If you start a business, you want to protect it. It's like soda. You can buy Coke or you can buy the store brand. The recipe for cola is no secret. Coke just may have a few tweaks to the basic recipe. If you don't need those tweaks or think the store brand is just as good, then you know which to buy.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    40
    Reviews
    Read 0 Reviews
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by nnebekee View Post
    ...the video on youtube is here :


    Most of my locs are about her size and I don't have sister/microlocks just fine hair. I knew my locs were thin/small but never considered them micro.

    Well it certainly provides a little perspective. Anyway, I haven't latched in four months and don't plan to again but hearing from others about the need for maintenance on small/micro locks makes me wonder. My hair feels stronger with puffy roots.

    For Lynda and Chacha, have you known others with small locs who have experienced problems from not maintaining? If so, what type of problems?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    St Albans, UK
    Posts
    945
    Reviews
    Read 0 Reviews
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    14

    Default

    It's true very thin locs require frequent retights to stop fraying and possible breakage. Everyone's hair is different and yours might just have very strong thick strands to survive going ages between tightening them. However, as has already been mentioned, bigger locs will be a better choice. When I say bigger I mean medium to large sized SLs/brotherlocks might just wing it. EG, 300 locs look like micros, but each loc will be a lot sturdier than 500 locs. As for the Sls company, it's no different to what's out there. They're protecting their baby and watching their backs. That didn't stop some of us from cracking the code and doing our own retights. It's a certainty that someone will always figure things out and share the info, or even improve upon the original idea. My friend has microlocks and there hardly any difference between our locs. If anyhing, hers looks better than mine. And no Sls tool ever touched her head. But it's all good.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    8,960
    Reviews
    Read 0 Reviews
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    1 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rep Power
    37

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by NeverMoore View Post
    :For Lynda and Chacha, have you known others with small locs who have experienced problems from not maintaining? If so, what type of problems?
    For those with micro/small SLs, each lock is holding on by a few strands of hair. It's more secure to keep the roots tightened. Otherwise, it's a lot of stress on the strands.

    I agree with Ofo. If you are thinking of semi-freeforming, go with medium/large SLs.

Page 1 of 5 123 ... LastLast

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •