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Heat Sealing

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StacyMyers View Drop Down
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    Posted: June 13 2005 at 6:19am

I'm getting ready for a new install and am looking for more information on heat sealing. As far as I understand heat sealing involves pinch braiding with no string? so you have to heat seal the end when you are done braiding with LG or something similar correct? Argh! Anyone mind explaining this to me?   It seems to be one of the newer topics on this board.

Thanks much!

Stacy~

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sherrie215 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sherrie215 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 13 2005 at 6:56am
stacy, actually there has been quite a few threads about heat seals, try a search and you may come up with some reading! Theres another active thread on heat seals that has some replies, check that out! FinaFina gave a good explaination of the process.

Edited by sherrie215
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metalgirl View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote metalgirl Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 13 2005 at 9:45am

You don't seal the braid with LG or any kind of glue.  You use a special tool that is provided from the Prohair company to heat the synthetic hair after it's been wrapped around the braid.

Many of you guys are very clever in doing this kind of stuff yourself, but I think it would be very hard to do this method correctly without the proper 'heat sealer' tool, and also very hard to do to one's self.

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mochachip View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mochachip Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 13 2005 at 1:07pm
hey metal girl

I've tried a few with a heat wand (off the head for practice) but honestly I think I'd rather stick to shrinkies and briads.

None-the-less can you put up a picture of the prostyles gun (its prostyles that has a guna nd dome has clamp or also a gun?) anyhow with a ruler in the pic or a regular heat wand for comparison.

I have a hard enough time with either a heat wand or braiding on my own head.  I don't know that doing both is a good idea if I want fingers left.

when SAS gave us the scoop on her class (it was SAS right?) didn't she mention that they toldher you could put a bit of spirit gum on to hold things in place while you got the heat on?

ughh sometimes I feel like my brain is just creating these previous posts i think i've read.
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zapevaj View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote zapevaj Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 13 2005 at 2:52pm
There's a variety of heat tools that can be used. Dome and ProStyles have their own heat clamps (though I've heard that they're not always well-built, and break a lot), and you can also use a heat wand like Doc or Amm sell, or even a hot Tools braid sealer (about $30 from ebonyline.com). I know Bridget used to use a braid sealer- I dunno if she's switched to a heat wand now- and I've gotten passable results from a braid sealer myself. Supposedly even very thin (like half-inch wide) flat irons will work. Does meed to be double-sided, at the very least.

-Rae

Oh yeah and there's also this, from Quinnster's site (or rather, the new host for the hairpages): http://www.angrycaninelovestick.org/braids/4way .html


Edited by zapevaj
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Save~A~Stray View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Save~A~Stray Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 13 2005 at 3:18pm
Yes Mocha, you do add a drop of Prostik or you can use Spirit
gum on the 2nd inbraid. After completing the small braid and
adding the gum then you wrap and heat seal. I think Metalgirl
was talking about the actual wrapped part where you heat seal.
I have been testing spirit gums to find one that is the closest to
the Prostik. I have tested 3 so far, here are the results I have
found so far………..

SPIRIT GUM TESTING

ProStik: ……Copal,Rosin Acrylate, Soft Resin, Ethyl Alcohol
(it has a strong resin smell to it)
Cost:$17.95 4/pack…..$4.49 each for 0.25 oz bottle

RATINGS FOR SPIRIT GUM
NO. 1..BEST
Cinema Secrets/Hollywood: (spirit gum adhesive). Alcohol,
Rosin, Sandarac Gum, Ether (it has a stronger alcohol/resin
smell to it)
Same staying power as prostik, same staying power results
under water…I would consider this spirit gum to be the closest
to match prostik…..best so far!!
Cost:$1.99…for 1/8 oz bottle
Shipping from $4.99, $5.99….(slower shipping)
$4.99….for 1 oz bottle
From: www.buycostumes.com

NO. 2
Graftobian(spirit gum matte)….Isopropyl, Alcohol, Copal, Rosin,
Silica (it has a stronger alcohol smell to it)
Slightly less staying power than prostik, sligthtly less staying
power under water.
Cost:$1.99…for 1/4 oz bottle
Shipping from $3.83….(fast shipping)
        $ 3.19…for 1/2 oz bottle
        $3.99…for 1 oz bottle
       $57.99…for 1 gallon bottle
From: www.clicket.com or
http://www.4halloweencostumes.com/


NO. 3
Mehron: (118Aspirit gum)…SDA Alcohol 35A, Resin, Methyl
Hydrogenated Rosinate, castor oil (it has a stronger alcohol
smell to it)
Much less staying power than prostik, much less staying power
under water….worst so far.
Cost:$1.99…for 0.25 oz bottle
Shipping from $4.99, $5.99….(slower shipping)
        $3.99….for 1 oz plastic bottle
        $5.99….for 4.5 oz bottle
From: www.buycostumes.com

Spirit Gums still to test: Kryolan, Ben Nye, Steins, Zauders and
La Charme

Mocha~If you go to http://www.prohair.us/
Click on application you will see a pic of the prostyles heat
clamp.


Edited by Save~A~Stray
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mochachip View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mochachip Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 13 2005 at 3:37pm
cool
okay here's another idiot question.

I've tried them both ways.  but are you supposed to wrap one piece of hair in one direction or two pieces going in opposite directions like a PB?

I've played around with a lot of different things and decided that it couls be cool to do and a friend.  But alas I have no ready and willing victims at the moment.

Might as well know everything in case one magically appears.
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Save~A~Stray View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Save~A~Stray Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 14 2005 at 3:42am
You wrap that one synth strand in one direction only around
the braid.
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