Need Help Trimming Base Of New Hair System To Size Without Cutting The Hair Attached To It.

[Hair2019]

Ok so my new stock Swiss lace hair system has arrived and I am still a bit stuck with how to resize the base properly.

I'm using my template and a styrofoam mannequin hairdressing head. I figured it'd be easier to cut round the template, as Curtis from MHE does. So I attached the template and system to the mannequin head using ball head push pins (upside down so it's easier to do, as you can see from the pics).

I have a small sharp embroidery scissors and a sharp scalpel craft knife that I bought from a craft/hobby shop, and I've tried gently cutting part of the lace round the template. However I have figured out there will be a problem - even if I trim the lace all the way round the back and sides, the lace that has been cut will still have hair attached to it. How do I solve this?

As an example of what I mean, please see the first pic in the list below. It's of the left side of the system. As you can see, the base is way bigger than my template so needs the be trimmed to fit. You'll also see I've made a slight cut to the lace on the left side of the system, but the area that I point to with the red arrow in the pic still has hair attached to it even when I cut the lace round the template.

To make matters more confusing, some videos I've watched talk about how you have to use a tail comb to 'pull the hair back behind the line so you don't accidentally cut off the hair off'. But there is a video from Lord Hair were they teach the same technique but then they DO cut the hair off below the parting.

So which is it? Do I cut only the lace below the parting, or the lace and the hair? Because both the following videos contradict each other:

So I'm really confused. Can anyone explain how to do this in plain English? I can't afford to mess this up as this is the 2nd system I've bought since December last year and I need to get this one right! I want to keep the hair on this system the full length (6 inches) as I have longer hair.

Below are also several other pics of my new system and template attached to the mannequin head.

 

[Hair2019]

 

[TooBad]

Ok so my new stock Swiss lace hair system has arrived and I am still a bit stuck with how to resize the base properly.

I'm using my template and a styrofoam mannequin hairdressing head. I figured it'd be easier to cut round the template, as Curtis from MHE does. So I attached the template and system to the mannequin head using ball head push pins (upside down so it's easier to do, as you can see from the pics).

I have a small sharp embroidery scissors and a sharp scalpel craft knife that I bought from a craft/hobby shop, and I've tried gently cutting part of the lace round the template. However I have figured out there will be a problem - even if I trim the lace all the way round the back and sides, the lace that has been cut will still have hair attached to it. How do I solve this?

As an example of what I mean, please see the first pic in the list below. It's of the left side of the system. As you can see, the base is way bigger than my template so needs the be trimmed to fit. You'll also see I've made a slight cut to the lace on the left side of the system, but the area that I point to with the red arrow in the pic still has hair attached to it even when I cut the lace round the template.

To make matters more confusing, some videos I've watched talk about how you have to use a tail comb to 'pull the hair back behind the line so you don't accidentally cut off the hair off'. But there is a video from Lord Hair were they teach the same technique but then they DO cut the hair off below the parting.

So which is it? Do I cut only the lace below the parting, or the lace and the hair? Because both the following videos contradict each other:

So I'm really confused. Can anyone explain how to do this in plain English? I can't afford to mess this up as this is the 2nd system I've bought since December last year and I need to get this one right! I want to keep the hair on this system the full length (6 inches) as I have longer hair.

Below are also several other pics of my new system and template attached to the mannequin head.

With the marked system upside down on the mannequin head... Use blunt tip scissors, not pointed.... angle the blades slightly up....this allows the scissors to rub against the lace....move a little back and forth with the sissors before the next cut. This contact between the lace and scissors will part the hair.... you're essentially working a groove through the hair as you go, before cutting the lace.

Or you can spray the hair with water.... and make a hard part from the line toward the center of the system/opposite line...then cut following the line....pointed scissors are ok. If you cut any hair on the outside of the line... it doesn't matter... that's being tossed anyway.

 

[Noah]

The parting idea is clever. That strikes me as the smartest safest way.

I pin the hairpiece upside-down on the polystyrene head, put the template on it with the template hairline matched to the hairpiece hairline, then draw around the template. Then I take the hairpiece off the head block, and use small scissors - nail scissors - to cut inside the line I have marked. Because the scissor blades are short, you can in effect clear a path for them as you cut, moving the hair out of the way so that you are only cutting lace and not hair. Take it slowly and it's not difficult.

You can also do the cut with a Stanley knife or razor blade while the piece is still pinned to the head block. That is how they do it in the salons. However, you have to keep the blade cutting very shallow so that you don't catch any hairs. I wouldn't recommend that method.

 

[Hair2019]

Hi guys, thanks for the replies. I think I'm starting to understand it a bit better now. Actually I realised those 2 videos don't contradict each other as in both cases the hair below the parting is cut off as well as the lace. As Curtis puts it, 'none of the hair above the template line should be cut'.

With the marked system upside down on the mannequin head... Use blunt tip scissors, not pointed.... angle the blades slightly up....this allows the scissors to rub against the lace....move a little back and forth with the scissors before the next cut. This contact between the lace and scissors will part the hair.... you're essentially working a groove through the hair as you go, before cutting the lace.

I pin the hairpiece upside-down on the polystyrene head, put the template on it with the template hairline matched to the hairpiece hairline, then draw around the template. Then I take the hairpiece off the head block, and use small scissors - nail scissors - to cut inside the line I have marked. Because the scissor blades are short, you can in effect clear a path for them as you cut, moving the hair out of the way so that you are only cutting lace and not hair. Take it slowly and it's not difficult.

You can also do the cut with a Stanley knife or razor blade while the piece is still pinned to the head block. That is how they do it in the salons. However, you have to keep the blade cutting very shallow so that you don't catch any hairs. I wouldn't recommend that method.

Ok, so when doing it like that, do you still cut off the hair below the template line or are you only cutting the lace and leaving all the hair on system?

Or you can spray the hair with water.... and make a hard part from the line toward the center of the system/opposite line...then cut following the line....pointed scissors are ok. If you cut any hair on the outside of the line... it doesn't matter... that's being tossed anyway.

Ok, yes I understand the parting concept - so to clarify, the parting goes exactly along the line? Also, when making the parting with the tail of a comb, does it go in between the hair and the lace? It's quite tricky to do.

I understand the idea that the hair below the parting/template line will also be cut off along with the lace, however I saw a video earlier where they used a sharp blade to resize the base and seemed to ONLY cut the base and none of the hair off the system at all. So this seems to contradict the parting concept where the hair is cut too:

I guess my question is, is it possible to trim the lace base without cutting any of the hair off at all, or is it always the case that the hair below the parting will be cut off with the lace too? Actually I just realised the video above might not be a lace system, so the same concept might not apply.

 

[Noah]

There is always going to be an area of the lace base which is surplus to requirement, and which you cut off. The hairs which are attached to that surplus base are also cut off, and are for the trash.

Or you can make yourself a false moustache with it if you're feeling frivolous.

 

[JasonM]

I went full DIY on my recent first piece (except for styling), and did the upside-down method with regular crafting scissors. Parting method seemed a lot more work for the same result. I was too careful with the measurements and cut it too big, so had to do it again, and patch a couple places the third time. Easy enough, and you can actually practice on the parts you'll discard anyway, at least if you have plenty to cut off.

Just keep the tip of the scissors very close to the base when you're sliding the scissors forward along the base, keeping the hair on the blunt side. This way you'll cut only the base, and of course any hairs on the line. Cutting one or two hairs from outside of the cutting line every now and then didn't make any difference. At some points I found keeping the piece in my hand easier instead of cutting it on a head block, or in my case the plastic dome that came with the piece. That way the I could make sure the hair is hanging down instead of being pushed against the base, and it was easier to work with the scissors. Go slow if in doubt. I was way more careful and took much smaller snips than the guy on the video.

 

[Hair2019]

Hi guys, thanks for all your replies. So here's an update - I've now resized my base to my template! I decided to attach the system and template to the mannequin head, line the hairline of both up, then draw round the template with a marker. Next I took the system off the mannequin head and slowly and gently cut the lace round the template line, using the tips from the guys who replied here.

I didn't actually need to make a parting round the line (I tried that and found it a bit fiddly to make a parting exactly on the line, so I just used small embroidery scissors instead to cut the lace round the line).

Well guess what, it seems to have worked! I now have the system base cut to my template. All the hair above the template line seems to be intact, and the only hair that has been cut is hair that is attached to the lace part that has been cut off.

So at least I know how to do it now! Next step is to attach the new system to my head. I am not sure if it'll actually need a cut in to be honest, as I want long hair and the density seems ok. I might need to just go over it with thinning scissors a little. But since I'm putting it in a central parting and just brushing it down over my bio hair, it should be fine.

All that said, I think it will be a lot easier in future to go for a custom that is made to the exact size of my template.

Below I've attached a few pics - the newly resized system on the mannequin head, plus some of the part that was cut off (as you may be able to see, the hair on this part hangs down below the line where it was cut off, so I only cut the hair that was attached to the unnecessary lace, so I think I got it right).

Can anyone confirm that the back of a hair system is where the label is too? Pretty sure I got it the right way round as there's always that little round slightly bald patch near the back that emulates the way real hair at the back of someone's head looks.

 

[AxC123]

Hi guys, thanks for all your replies. So here's an update - I've now resized my base to my template! I decided to attach the system and template to the mannequin head, line the hairline of both up, then draw round the template with a marker. Next I took the system off the mannequin head and slowly and gently cut the lace round the template line, using the tips from the guys who replied here.

I didn't actually need to make a parting round the line (I tried that and found it a bit fiddly to make a parting exactly on the line, so I just used small embroidery scissors instead to cut the lace round the line).

Well guess what, it seems to have worked! I now have the system base cut to my template. All the hair above the template line seems to be intact, and the only hair that has been cut is hair that is attached to the lace part that has been cut off.

So at least I know how to do it now! Next step is to attach the new system to my head. I am not sure if it'll actually need a cut in to be honest, as I want long hair and the density seems ok. I might need to just go over it with thinning scissors a little. But since I'm putting it in a central parting and just brushing it down over my bio hair, it should be fine.

All that said, I think it will be a lot easier in future to go for a custom that is made to the exact size of my template.

Below I've attached a few pics - the newly resized system on the mannequin head, plus some of the part that was cut off (as you may be able to see, the hair on this part hangs down below the line where it was cut off, so I only cut the hair that was attached to the unnecessary lace, so I think I got it right).

Can anyone confirm that the back of a hair system is where the label is too? Pretty sure I got it the right way round as there's always that little round slightly bald patch near the back that emulates the way real hair at the back of someone's head looks.

View attachment 137325 View attachment 137326 View attachment 137327

Yes, the part with the label is the back.
Looking at your pic with the back label, I suggest you make a better cut ( straight cut) because it will be hard to glue if kept as is. If you plan on using preshapped tape, you will have edges of lace sticking out which will be felt when running fingers through and will also catch on brush or comb causing fraying.
Good luck

 

[Hair2019]

Looking at your pic with the back label, I suggest you make a better cut ( straight cut) because it will be hard to glue if kept as is. If you plan on using preshapped tape, you will have edges of lace sticking out which will be felt when running fingers through and will also catch on brush or comb causing fraying.

Well I made a template to fit round the contour of my bio hair at the back - so are you saying that it's better to cut straight cross at the back? I'm not sure how that would work really, as it's curved.

 

[Hair2019]

I went full DIY on my recent first piece (except for styling), and did the upside-down method with regular crafting scissors. Parting method seemed a lot more work for the same result. I was too careful with the measurements and cut it too big, so had to do it again, and patch a couple places the third time. Easy enough, and you can actually practice on the parts you'll discard anyway, at least if you have plenty to cut off.

Just keep the tip of the scissors very close to the base when you're sliding the scissors forward along the base, keeping the hair on the blunt side. This way you'll cut only the base, and of course any hairs on the line. Cutting one or two hairs from outside of the cutting line every now and then didn't make any difference. At some points I found keeping the piece in my hand easier instead of cutting it on a head block, or in my case the plastic dome that came with the piece. That way the I could make sure the hair is hanging down instead of being pushed against the base, and it was easier to work with the scissors. Go slow if in doubt. I was way more careful and took much smaller snips than the guy on the video.

Hey Jason, that's some great advice, thanks! I was just looking at your profile pic - are you a long haired guy too? I am curious what length you wear your hair system, and what experiences you have with having long hair and a partial hair system etc. It'd be good to chat to you.

 

[AxC123]

Well I made a template to fit round the contour of my bio hair at the back - so are you saying that it's better to cut straight cross at the back? I'm not sure how that would work really, as it's curved.

Sorry, i mean a cleaner circular cut at the back (that matches your template)
I know you have all lace but here is a pic of the back of a piece which has a clean cut