Dread Vlog 2 gives you some tips and ideas on how to prepare yourself and your hair for getting dreadlocks. Part A talks about the dread pact and the dread party.
It's gunna be a little while but not too long. I had kinda put off some stuff to work on tha vlogs and I gotta catch back up...but I'll get it out as soon as I can...thank for watchin' maing :)
I will post it as soon as it's finished :) sorry for the wait... should be up some time in the next few weeks. I'm trying to tie up some other projects, then I'll have more time to work on it. I'm hoping to make it the best yet...
My thoughts? When wax is used correctly you are able to make smoother, tighter dreads. I used wax to start mine (both sets) and it was pretty obvious how it helped them come together. The wax allows movement within the dread so loops and bumps tend to work themselves out with a little palmrolling. Also important is the backcombing when you start. For smooth dreads take your time and backcomb them nice and tight.
Earth day...nice. :) Congrats on your locks! One year is an excellent time for dreads...depending on their size they may continue to get better for some time. I'm glad you're liking vids, I'm finally though most of the "other stuff" I had to knock out, I'll have more time to work on it now, I'm going to get part B our soon.. Thanks for the props on our stuff!
Thanx for all the props! I enjoy doing it and tha kind words make it all the more fun :) The smaller you make the sections the smaller the dreads you'll end up with. 1/2 is about as small as you can go in most hair, 3/4" to 1" will still be smaller but much easier to maintain...Vlog 3 will cover this well :)
The more you work on it and help it knot the less it represents what nature gave and the closer it is to other natural methods. You really have to decide what's important, the result or the method and do what you want. For some people neglect is the perfect solution. There are also methods that are not natural, like dread perms where the hair is forced to lock using chemicals. I personally like keeping it natural but if you need dreads like "today" dread perms are the best option.
Dude these are brilliant, I wish I could have watched these 2 years ago instead of getting dreadlock depression! All good tho now dude, inspire the young!
I'd backcomb it, crochet and needle techniques leave you with more of a braided look that doesn't go away because the hair is wrapped through itself. Dreads can totally effect your ability to get a job. The effect dreads have depends on a lot of stuff, you, how you maintain your dreads, the type of job and your employer. For some pretty solid info google this: A note to Employers: Dreadlocks in the workplace.
If it's long enough I would try to section and backcomb it without straightening it first. Straightening won't help it lock, it may make it easier to work with while backcombing but that's about it. African textured hair can often be started just by keeping it twisted in the same direction. A wax can be used to keep them twisted but a lighter product like knatty dread cream will work just as well and be easier to use in hair types with African texture.
this is true with large dreads, especially after they mature... You can blow dry them, and it will get the outside dry, the inside may still take longer if they are thicker. One thing that slows drying down is residues built up inside the dreads, it prevents the water from wicking (like a candle wick) from the inside to the outside as the outside drys. This is why we are all about some residue free dread soap :)
Yea, it's really hard with one person. How often you wax depends on how old they are and how much they need. You shouldn't need to add it very often (never more then twice a week) and you should only be adding just enough to keep a lil in the dreads. After they start to mature you don't need it in the dreads all the time. You switch it up, one week on, and one week off (we call it the A-B routine on the site, create knots on the A week, help them tighten on the B week)
yea, it is done with braiding. The downside is that the braids remain visible after the hair locks. The braids have to get really ratty and then the ratty hair starts to lock. But if you look you'll always see the braid inside. It's not quick. Having the hair held in the braid slows the locking. That said, it is used and it does work.
I'd use clockwise rubbing (there's a good howto on the site). Re-backcombing to tighten the roots will prevent the dread from locking -guaranteed-. You always want to start knots with clean hair. Accelerator or a touch of lock peppa will help knots form faster but hold off on the wax. Wax does not help knots from, it only helps them tighten so it's used after the knots are made. (more on this at the dreadheadhq . com site and in a future dread vlog :)
It really depends on your hair texture, if it is curly enough that it will lock just by twisting you can try that route. If it won't stay you'll need to backcomb it.
Thanks for tha kindness... More vids on the way... BTW, I wanted to thank all you guys for linkin' to my videos from your myspace pages...you RAWK!! Mad thanks for the LUV...that's Awesome...you help spread the dread! :)
It's hard to go by a pattern, everyones hair varies, not just the shape of the hair line but which parts are thicker or more sparse. The best thing to do is decide on a size for your sections and then begin making sections in the front (those need to be the best) and work your way towards the back. Aim to keep the same amount of hair in each one. The section size will vary depending on hair density. There's some info about it on the dvd and the web site. I'm going to go into detail in Vlog 3...
Knotty Sloan put mine in :) We used the same techniques we show on our DVD to start and take care of them... My sections vary from 1/2" to 3/4" and I ended up combining a few of the smaller ones...
thanks, I do a few things...the full run down is on the dreadheadhq . com site but basically I keep the roots really clean (residue free dread soap) and I clockwise rub the new growth to keep it knotting. Some hair always pops up at the section lines so I dreadball it with the lock peppa and use a dread tool to pull it into the dread it should go in. It's only a few min every couple days if you keep up with it. If they are really crazy it's good to have some help to get them back in order.
Yea, mine are 1/2"x1/2" They are a bit small for my straight semi-coarse hair. 3/4" look thin but will be less maintenance. My sections don't all stay straight, some were combined and some are a lil offset so that they stayed the same size (more or less). They don't have to be perfect but clear sections do make maintenance way easier. (more info on this in Dread Vlog 3 -workin on it now :)
:) I appreciate your testimonial... I think internet slander is pretty common, there's always going to be people with a strong opinion and sometimes they're gunna be mislead. The important thing is that when people use our stuff 99.9% of them do follow the instructions and love how their dreads come out. Many of the people that start out nay-sayers end up trying it later after poor results without it...then they know that it really does help and they spread the word...
Hey, I just learned about this, and it's purty cool. If you add &fmt=18 to the end of the video's url it plays back in "high quality mode". Just paste it in right after the regular video url and reload the video. Try it!
yea, having'em one length is fine...they will lock up just the same... unless they are really short, then they will still lock but you will have to put loose hair in more often until they get locked up.. If you don't mind them sticking straight up for a while you can start'em at 3". If you don't mind waiting you have less maintenance at like 6"...I know it sux to wait on your hair to grow though :)
yea, I've seen'em too. I have a response in the FAQ on our site, search the faq for "bad wax" and it should come up. In short, wax used properly is great. I started my dreads with it and I recommend it. That said, it can also be misused (using too much and using it at the wrong time) and it can be gross and hinder progress... So, read the instructions for using it (also in the faq) and you'll get better dreads in less time.. I'm going to do a vid on wax..I promise :)
Yea totally, the section size determines how big the dread will be, bigger the section, bigger the dread. The shape of the section changes the shape of the dread too...square section = round dreads, rectangular sections = flat beaver tail dreads...
About $300 USD is pretty common but I've heard as low as $100 and as high as $800. Usually it's based on the amount of time it takes. The number of dreads and the length of the hair make this vary a lot so the price will vary a lot.
My hair was around 8in before and 6.5-7in after. We usually see about a 20% decrease in length, more in larger dreads(larger sections), less in thinner dreads (smaller sections).
yea it does. I noticed the sound was really good on viddler. If you watch this video at dreadlocks . tv you'll notice the sound is very 3D, especially with the fx...
There's a lot of different ways to go natural including backcombing, twisting, neglect ect. If you're only washing and not doing anything else that sounds more like neglect. Neglect is cool if you don't want control over how they turn out and time is not an issue. It doesn't work well for most most jobs and even fewer schools. Neglect is probably not the best choice if you want to be sure they will lock up and look good when you're done, of course "good" is open to interpretation.
hey man ive wanted dreads for like a year but ive never like known how to do it and now i got some pretty dope pointers from you like doing the backcombin thing with a bunch of friends. i got realllllly crazy thick hair everytime i get my hair liek cut or trimmed the person says i have like one of the thickest head of hair shes ever cut so it think it should work pretty easy.cant wait for more vids man
sho did...we followed the instructions we have on the site now (dread head hq) and they came out like they did. I used 1/2" sections. I don't need to wax them any longer now that they are mature but I did use it to start them. I use dread butta rather than wax to keep them from getting too dry..
well there's advantages and disadvantages to both...so unless you really want super tiny dreads or ginourmous dreads an average size (about 3/4"sq or so) is going to be your best bet. If you have very textured hair you can get away with smaller dreads an not have much extra work to keep'em up
to get bigger dreads you need bigger sections... because the hair density and size (fine hair or coarse hair) both vary it's hard to say that 2" sections will always give you 1/2" wide dreads...but on average the diameter of the mature dread seems to be 25% to 35% of the section size but this percentage increases as the size of the dread increases. Best guess? 3" sections would do it...but the dreads are going to be a beast to dry (I'd go 2" or less if you wanna play it safe)
Johnny, your dreads look dope as hell in that video... I like to rock my dreads to the back as well; but man your style is killin them; ur dreads have mad character thats the kind of nappiness I strive to achieve, my locks will be a whole year old on This coming, ahem, EARTH day lol Cant wait for more vids man; and the Wax/shampoo work nicely Keep up the good work
4" is long enough to start'em...6" would be bit easier but not a huge difference.... It really depends on when you'll have more time to work on them. When they are new they require more time so try to do it when less other stuff is going on....
:) thanks! I've never checked out the suave claryfing poo but I have looked at a few others that claim to remove residue and clarify. They all were scented, which seems pretty counter productive, and each of them left that "soft & smooth" feeling behind after they were rinsed. If the Suave is like these others you'd be better off with J and J baby shampoo. It's not really residue free but it seems to leave the hair cleaner and that's better for tha dreadlocks..
Yea man, thick hair makes nice thick dreads...It will allow you to make smaller dreads if you want to, especially if the hair texture is fine rather than coarse...more vids on tha way...
well, I can only speak for our wax (other brands may be different) but I know that our wax melts out with a couple washings of dread soap and hot water...We call it a "hot rinse" and we encourage people to melt it out every month or two... Using too much wax does make it more difficult to rinse it out and it doesn't help the dreads form any faster, ( plus it feels gross and waxy)this is why we recommend using only a small amount (more in the FAQ) I'm going to do a vid on wax..I promise :)
the neglect method is just like it sounds...you leave it alone and see what happens. Some people wash it, others don't. Sometimes you get dreads sometimes you don't. Usually you get 14 or 15 big dreads a few scrawny dreads an the rest is loose hair. Since you have no sections you have no idea what it will do or where it will do it. Often people get sick of waiting and start trying to improve things by ripping them into dreads and palm rolling, others cut it out an start over...
Hey KJC... When are you expecting to get part B out? I'm really enjoying these videos. They are informative, but funny too =D Dunno when I am getting my dreadies... Cant wait! Cya... --Alex--
I gotta disagree about neglect working for everyone, that has not been my experience. It's actually pretty rare that hair comes together and looks anything like dreads. If it does lock it has to be ripped into smaller mats, and depending on how they formed this may work ok or you may end up with a patchy mess, what happens is partly your hair type and partly luck.
do you have any family members you can talk into helping? Moms are awesome at making dreads. :) If you have a lil dough you can get someone to braid your hair with the section size you want and you could, in theory, backcomb them yourself but it's a last resort...it's so much easier to have help, the more help tha better :) (more in this in the next vid btw)
No, not really. It will help all the dreads to mature at the same speed but it's not real important. The most important thing is that all the hair is at least 3" (unless it's bangs that you are going to leave undreaded now and dread up later after they grow out...)
Blow drying works good, or you can squeeze them in a towel, let them sit wrapped in a towel for a few min and squeez'em again....then let them air dry. Do a search for "drying dreads" at dreadheadhq . com/lore (the search box is at the bottom...there's a bunch of good info that will get even the thickest dreads dry quickly.. If you're interested in working with us send me a message with your info...
I started out with 132 and I have 126 now. Beavers ate the rest. (actually I combined a few of the smaller ones but I do keep an eye on those beavers...they're not to be trusted)
All of my responses have been appearing as new posts. I thought UA-cam was conspiring against me until I found the following in the FAQ: "Also, please note that your comment will be posted as a new comment when you post a reply to another comment, if there is more than one page of comments. However, if you click on "View all comments" you can view your comment as a reply to the one you commented on." This makes it crazy hard to match up responses (answers) to questions about dreads. (CONT)
cool, thanks man. i forgot to ask, what method is best for helping the root areas to locking, circular rubbing, re-backcombing just the root, both, neither, i know lock stitching is bad news but, what i'm doing isn't working too well, however i haven't been using wax for at least 2 weeks, so that could be one of the reasons that the root areas are so loose. ps, your editing (if you do it yourself) is pretty good, you're funny.
umm yea...they are going to look dope-ass-hell and they should lock fast. yur gunna have to be careful to dry'em good when they mature, don't ever let'em sit wet and avoid shampoo with residue like it's yur job... :) Best of lock wit yur dreadies!!
3" is the min. 6" is ideal. I have a great answer to this in the FAQ at DreadHeadHQ (dot com) I'm also going to talk about it when I talk about sectioning and section size in dread vlog 3 :)
sup man, I'd have to disagree... It's true they will loosen before they tighten but working on them only speeds the process and makes them look better....unless you're doing the wrong things. ...in that case you could slow down the dreading and you'd be better off to do less. So my advice would be to do a lil reading, and then help them dreadies lock up fast... check out the making dreadlocks section under maintenance: dreadheadhq . com/make_dreadlocks_maintain_index.php The faq is good too...
Ok..it's going to be up on our site soon...real soon...but if you wanna order it now just call us and we can take your order for it now over the phone, just say you got the number from you tube :) 1-877-884-4867
Oh no way...30 dreads is fine, you can have more or less, 130 is not the "right" number, it's just how many I happen to have, and like I was saying 100 would have been a better fit for my hair... There are advantages to having fewer or having more, we talk a good bit about it on dreadheadhq . com and I'm going to go into detail in Dread Vlog 3... I actually had 32 in my first head of dreads, the blond ones (there are a couple pics in vlog 1 of my bigger dreadies)
i was wondering what method you would recommend for more african textured hair if i did backcomb what if i had my hair straightened first would that work well?
God would disagree :) Funny though, I was getting sushi at the grocery store yesterday and the guy working there said I looked like Jesus. I should have told him my initials were JC :)
hey jhonny, got a question for ya. ive been goinng to the dreads forum on the hip website recently, and most people there tell me that backcombed dreads has to fall or nearly fall out to dread properly. also they advice against rubber bands beacus it restrics the movement of the hair. and ALSO they say you shouldnt put work into your dreads, just back comb them then let em fall out, so they can then dread on their own. whats your oppinion, im alittle confused right now
The best place to start is the "Making Dreads Section" on the web site. You'll find great step by step how to's. The FAQ also has a ton of great info. dub dub dub dreadheadhq dot com If you have any questions not answered there we can help you by email...
yo. i've had my dreads in a little longer than a month, started them with the back combing method. my hair is extremely fine and very straight. i'm probably going to keep these for a few years (gave up on them last year, they were badly sectioned) and i want to have nice locks. would i be better off using wax rather than not, if i were hoping to get smooth locks? i have seen a lot of them and some people have very lumpy and incosistent locks and i'd really like to avoid that. any thoughts?
hey i was gonna put in dreads in a few months. ive been to your site and was thinking about bying the supa starter kit. but i was wondering about the wax. ive watched other vids and they said the wax can ruin your dreads? please help
im hispanic, my hair is 1/2 straight 1/2 curly, it is really thick. Now it's about 4 inches long, im a sophmore and will wait untill the summer before my senior year to get dreads. Should i get them now and start out with short dreads? or wait until before my senior year? by the way your dreads are amazing
Me thinks this is no good, cause you can't find the response, and with no question above it my answer is not much help to you or anybody else! So to fix this I'm going to ask everyone to post dreadlocks questions in the Knowledge Base at Dread Head HQ(.)(com) Everyone will benefit from new questions not in the knowledge base and you can find the answer to almost every question there already. Google "dreadlocks knowledge base" to find the Dread Head FAQ quick. Thanks for you help! -KJC
I have really thick dreads prolly about 20-23 locks altogether... It hasnt been until the last few months that my dreads have started to 'come together' nicely. I really dig them perhaps coincidentally, I hadnt ordered any dreadhead soap and wax until a few months ago and I now firmly believe that the soap and wax really help to speed the locking. YOU SHOULD SEE ALL THE SLANDER OUT THERE (BY PEOPLE WHO DONT FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS) ACCUSING DREADHEAD OF ALL KINDS OF TERRIBLE ISH- u should sue
It's gunna be a little while but not too long. I had kinda put off some stuff to work on tha vlogs and I gotta catch back up...but I'll get it out as soon as I can...thank for watchin' maing :)
I will post it as soon as it's finished :) sorry for the wait... should be up some time in the next few weeks. I'm trying to tie up some other projects, then I'll have more time to work on it. I'm hoping to make it the best yet...
Awesome video once again!
I've had my dreads close to a year now, and i still love watching, your blogs have so much character!
My thoughts? When wax is used correctly you are able to make smoother, tighter dreads. I used wax to start mine (both sets) and it was pretty obvious how it helped them come together. The wax allows movement within the dread so loops and bumps tend to work themselves out with a little palmrolling. Also important is the backcombing when you start. For smooth dreads take your time and backcomb them nice and tight.
Earth day...nice. :)
Congrats on your locks! One year is an excellent time for dreads...depending on their size they may continue to get better for some time.
I'm glad you're liking vids, I'm finally though most of the "other stuff" I had to knock out, I'll have more time to work on it now, I'm going to get part B our soon.. Thanks for the props on our stuff!
Thanx for all the props! I enjoy doing it and tha kind words make it all the more fun :)
The smaller you make the sections the smaller the dreads you'll end up with. 1/2 is about as small as you can go in most hair, 3/4" to 1" will still be smaller but much easier to maintain...Vlog 3 will cover this well :)
The more you work on it and help it knot the less it represents what nature gave and the closer it is to other natural methods. You really have to decide what's important, the result or the method and do what you want. For some people neglect is the perfect solution.
There are also methods that are not natural, like dread perms where the hair is forced to lock using chemicals. I personally like keeping it natural but if you need dreads like "today" dread perms are the best option.
Dude these are brilliant, I wish I could have watched these 2 years ago instead of getting dreadlock depression! All good tho now dude, inspire the young!
I'd backcomb it, crochet and needle techniques leave you with more of a braided look that doesn't go away because the hair is wrapped through itself. Dreads can totally effect your ability to get a job. The effect dreads have depends on a lot of stuff, you, how you maintain your dreads, the type of job and your employer. For some pretty solid info google this: A note to Employers: Dreadlocks in the workplace.
If it's long enough I would try to section and backcomb it without straightening it first. Straightening won't help it lock, it may make it easier to work with while backcombing but that's about it. African textured hair can often be started just by keeping it twisted in the same direction. A wax can be used to keep them twisted but a lighter product like knatty dread cream will work just as well and be easier to use in hair types with African texture.
this is true with large dreads, especially after they mature...
You can blow dry them, and it will get the outside dry, the inside may still take longer if they are thicker.
One thing that slows drying down is residues built up inside the dreads, it prevents the water from wicking (like a candle wick) from the inside to the outside as the outside drys. This is why we are all about some residue free dread soap :)
Yea, it's really hard with one person. How often you wax depends on how old they are and how much they need. You shouldn't need to add it very often (never more then twice a week) and you should only be adding just enough to keep a lil in the dreads. After they start to mature you don't need it in the dreads all the time. You switch it up, one week on, and one week off (we call it the A-B routine on the site, create knots on the A week, help them tighten on the B week)
yea, it is done with braiding. The downside is that the braids remain visible after the hair locks. The braids have to get really ratty and then the ratty hair starts to lock. But if you look you'll always see the braid inside. It's not quick. Having the hair held in the braid slows the locking. That said, it is used and it does work.
I'd use clockwise rubbing (there's a good howto on the site). Re-backcombing to tighten the roots will prevent the dread from locking -guaranteed-. You always want to start knots with clean hair. Accelerator or a touch of lock peppa will help knots form faster but hold off on the wax. Wax does not help knots from, it only helps them tighten so it's used after the knots are made. (more on this at the dreadheadhq . com site and in a future dread vlog :)
It really depends on your hair texture, if it is curly enough that it will lock just by twisting you can try that route. If it won't stay you'll need to backcomb it.
no prob. It's great to know that the vids help people, it fuels tha fire to make more :)
I'm hoping to have part B up soon...
Thanks for tha kindness... More vids on the way...
BTW, I wanted to thank all you guys for linkin' to my videos from your myspace pages...you RAWK!! Mad thanks for the LUV...that's Awesome...you help spread the dread! :)
It's hard to go by a pattern, everyones hair varies, not just the shape of the hair line but which parts are thicker or more sparse. The best thing to do is decide on a size for your sections and then begin making sections in the front (those need to be the best) and work your way towards the back. Aim to keep the same amount of hair in each one. The section size will vary depending on hair density. There's some info about it on the dvd and the web site. I'm going to go into detail in Vlog 3...
Knotty Sloan put mine in :) We used the same techniques we show on our DVD to start and take care of them... My sections vary from 1/2" to 3/4" and I ended up combining a few of the smaller ones...
thanks, I do a few things...the full run down is on the dreadheadhq . com site but basically I keep the roots really clean (residue free dread soap) and I clockwise rub the new growth to keep it knotting. Some hair always pops up at the section lines so I dreadball it with the lock peppa and use a dread tool to pull it into the dread it should go in. It's only a few min every couple days if you keep up with it. If they are really crazy it's good to have some help to get them back in order.
Yea, mine are 1/2"x1/2" They are a bit small for my straight semi-coarse hair. 3/4" look thin but will be less maintenance. My sections don't all stay straight, some were combined and some are a lil offset so that they stayed the same size (more or less). They don't have to be perfect but clear sections do make maintenance way easier. (more info on this in Dread Vlog 3 -workin on it now :)
:) I appreciate your testimonial... I think internet slander is pretty common, there's always going to be people with a strong opinion and sometimes they're gunna be mislead. The important thing is that when people use our stuff 99.9% of them do follow the instructions and love how their dreads come out. Many of the people that start out nay-sayers end up trying it later after poor results without it...then they know that it really does help and they spread the word...
Hey, I just learned about this, and it's purty cool. If you add &fmt=18 to the end of the video's url it plays back in "high quality mode". Just paste it in right after the regular video url and reload the video. Try it!
yea, having'em one length is fine...they will lock up just the same... unless they are really short, then they will still lock but you will have to put loose hair in more often until they get locked up.. If you don't mind them sticking straight up for a while you can start'em at 3".
If you don't mind waiting you have less maintenance at like 6"...I know it sux to wait on your hair to grow though :)
sweet... glad to help :) good luck with your new dreadies!
yea, I've seen'em too. I have a response in the FAQ on our site, search the faq for "bad wax" and it should come up.
In short, wax used properly is great. I started my dreads with it and I recommend it. That said, it can also be misused (using too much and using it at the wrong time) and it can be gross and hinder progress... So, read the instructions for using it (also in the faq) and you'll get better dreads in less time.. I'm going to do a vid on wax..I promise :)
Yea totally, the section size determines how big the dread will be, bigger the section, bigger the dread. The shape of the section changes the shape of the dread too...square section = round dreads, rectangular sections = flat beaver tail dreads...
About $300 USD is pretty common but I've heard as low as $100 and as high as $800. Usually it's based on the amount of time it takes. The number of dreads and the length of the hair make this vary a lot so the price will vary a lot.
That was brilliant. I'm getting my dreads this Saturday. =D
My hair was around 8in before and 6.5-7in after. We usually see about a 20% decrease in length, more in larger dreads(larger sections), less in thinner dreads (smaller sections).
this is the most awesome video ever!
hells yea, thanks for the feedback, I've got lots more commin'
yea it does. I noticed the sound was really good on viddler. If you watch this video at dreadlocks . tv you'll notice the sound is very 3D, especially with the fx...
hahah, I love your video...and it also helps me learn more about gettin' dreads..thanks!
When I started these dreads my hair was about 7" long. It's bone straight, medium coarseness, fairly thick. Regular whiteboy hair... :)
There's a lot of different ways to go natural including backcombing, twisting, neglect ect. If you're only washing and not doing anything else that sounds more like neglect. Neglect is cool if you don't want control over how they turn out and time is not an issue. It doesn't work well for most most jobs and even fewer schools. Neglect is probably not the best choice if you want to be sure they will lock up and look good when you're done, of course "good" is open to interpretation.
hey man ive wanted dreads for like a year but ive never like known how to do it and now i got some pretty dope pointers from you like doing the backcombin thing with a bunch of friends. i got realllllly crazy thick hair everytime i get my hair liek cut or trimmed the person says i have like one of the thickest head of hair shes ever cut so it think it should work pretty easy.cant wait for more vids man
sho did...we followed the instructions we have on the site now (dread head hq) and they came out like they did. I used 1/2" sections. I don't need to wax them any longer now that they are mature but I did use it to start them. I use dread butta rather than wax to keep them from getting too dry..
well there's advantages and disadvantages to both...so unless you really want super tiny dreads or ginourmous dreads an average size (about 3/4"sq or so) is going to be your best bet. If you have very textured hair you can get away with smaller dreads an not have much extra work to keep'em up
thanks bro, glad ya like...I can't wait to get the next one out..
Yea, it's a lot of dreads :)
Fifty is a good number, that should be manageable and look good.
to get bigger dreads you need bigger sections...
because the hair density and size (fine hair or coarse hair) both vary it's hard to say that 2" sections will always give you 1/2" wide dreads...but on average the diameter of the mature dread seems to be 25% to 35% of the section size but this percentage increases as the size of the dread increases. Best guess? 3" sections would do it...but the dreads are going to be a beast to dry (I'd go 2" or less if you wanna play it safe)
that's what I was shooting for :) thanks for the props!!
Johnny, your dreads look dope as hell in that video... I like to rock my dreads to the back as well; but man your style is killin them; ur dreads have mad character
thats the kind of nappiness I strive to achieve, my locks will be a whole year old on This coming, ahem, EARTH day lol
Cant wait for more vids man; and the Wax/shampoo work nicely
Keep up the good work
So far the dread vlog is "all me"...there's something really satisfying about doing it yourself. (that didn't come out right)
yea, that could stretch out especially if you're doing small sections with a ton of dreads...
4" is long enough to start'em...6" would be bit easier but not a huge difference.... It really depends on when you'll have more time to work on them. When they are new they require more time so try to do it when less other stuff is going on....
:) thanks! I've never checked out the suave claryfing poo but I have looked at a few others that claim to remove residue and clarify. They all were scented, which seems pretty counter productive, and each of them left that "soft & smooth" feeling behind after they were rinsed. If the Suave is like these others you'd be better off with J and J baby shampoo. It's not really residue free but it seems to leave the hair cleaner and that's better for tha dreadlocks..
Yea man, thick hair makes nice thick dreads...It will allow you to make smaller dreads if you want to, especially if the hair texture is fine rather than coarse...more vids on tha way...
well, I can only speak for our wax (other brands may be different) but I know that our wax melts out with a couple washings of dread soap and hot water...We call it a "hot rinse" and we encourage people to melt it out every month or two...
Using too much wax does make it more difficult to rinse it out and it doesn't help the dreads form any faster, ( plus it feels gross and waxy)this is why we recommend using only a small amount (more in the FAQ)
I'm going to do a vid on wax..I promise :)
the neglect method is just like it sounds...you leave it alone and see what happens. Some people wash it, others don't. Sometimes you get dreads sometimes you don't. Usually you get 14 or 15 big dreads a few scrawny dreads an the rest is loose hair. Since you have no sections you have no idea what it will do or where it will do it. Often people get sick of waiting and start trying to improve things by ripping them into dreads and palm rolling, others cut it out an start over...
thanks,...humm..when will you post the dread vlog 2 part B? Im looking forward for it..!
There's a great post about this in the faq on the site search google for "how long does it need to be to dread" It should come up as the first result
Hey KJC...
When are you expecting to get part B out?
I'm really enjoying these videos. They are informative, but funny too =D
Dunno when I am getting my dreadies...
Cant wait!
Cya...
--Alex--
I gotta disagree about neglect working for everyone, that has not been my experience. It's actually pretty rare that hair comes together and looks anything like dreads. If it does lock it has to be ripped into smaller mats, and depending on how they formed this may work ok or you may end up with a patchy mess, what happens is partly your hair type and partly luck.
do you have any family members you can talk into helping? Moms are awesome at making dreads. :)
If you have a lil dough you can get someone to braid your hair with the section size you want and you could, in theory, backcomb them yourself but it's a last resort...it's so much easier to have help, the more help tha better :) (more in this in the next vid btw)
No, not really. It will help all the dreads to mature at the same speed but it's not real important. The most important thing is that all the hair is at least 3" (unless it's bangs that you are going to leave undreaded now and dread up later after they grow out...)
Blow drying works good, or you can squeeze them in a towel, let them sit wrapped in a towel for a few min and squeez'em again....then let them air dry. Do a search for "drying dreads" at dreadheadhq . com/lore (the search box is at the bottom...there's a bunch of good info that will get even the thickest dreads dry quickly..
If you're interested in working with us send me a message with your info...
kinda awesome... Hells yea, just wait till they're all growns up :)
yea, it sucks to backcomb your own....especially in the back..the front isn't too bad...
I started out with 132 and I have 126 now. Beavers ate the rest. (actually I combined a few of the smaller ones but I do keep an eye on those beavers...they're not to be trusted)
really? cause the effects are my favorite part :) any effect in particular you didn't like?
All of my responses have been appearing as new posts. I thought UA-cam was conspiring against me until I found the following in the FAQ:
"Also, please note that your comment will be posted as a new comment when you post a reply to another comment, if there is more than one page of comments. However, if you click on "View all comments" you can view your comment as a reply to the one you commented on."
This makes it crazy hard to match up responses (answers) to questions about dreads. (CONT)
bout time you made this vid, i was starting to get worried :-}
Thanks man...I do tha editing and graphics...I love cg almost as much as I love dreads :)
Send me some links to stuff you've done I'll check it out...
Actually yea, I left you a comment on your Adam's song cover :)
cool, thanks man. i forgot to ask, what method is best for helping the root areas to locking, circular rubbing, re-backcombing just the root, both, neither, i know lock stitching is bad news but, what i'm doing isn't working too well, however i haven't been using wax for at least 2 weeks, so that could be one of the reasons that the root areas are so loose.
ps, your editing (if you do it yourself) is pretty good, you're funny.
Oh yea :) We had like 3! Good times!
Oh yea...we had like three :) Good times!
umm yea...they are going to look dope-ass-hell and they should lock fast. yur gunna have to be careful to dry'em good when they mature, don't ever let'em sit wet and avoid shampoo with residue like it's yur job... :) Best of lock wit yur dreadies!!
3" is the min. 6" is ideal. I have a great answer to this in the FAQ at DreadHeadHQ (dot com) I'm also going to talk about it when I talk about sectioning and section size in dread vlog 3 :)
dont listen the effects are good, and funny
yea, sorry to leave ya hanging :) Don't worry I've got lots more planned.
:) Glad to help!
the fastest way to find it is to google: dreadlocks note to parents
and
dreadlocks not to employers
Isn't google just sick! :)
sup man, I'd have to disagree... It's true they will loosen before they tighten but working on them only speeds the process and makes them look better....unless you're doing the wrong things. ...in that case you could slow down the dreading and you'd be better off to do less. So my advice would be to do a lil reading, and then help them dreadies lock up fast... check out the making dreadlocks section under maintenance: dreadheadhq . com/make_dreadlocks_maintain_index.php
The faq is good too...
:) Best of lock bro...
yup, it's gotta be the dreads :)
Ok..it's going to be up on our site soon...real soon...but if you wanna order it now just call us and we can take your order for it now over the phone, just say you got the number from you tube :) 1-877-884-4867
Oh no way...30 dreads is fine, you can have more or less, 130 is not the "right" number, it's just how many I happen to have, and like I was saying 100 would have been a better fit for my hair... There are advantages to having fewer or having more, we talk a good bit about it on dreadheadhq . com and I'm going to go into detail in Dread Vlog 3...
I actually had 32 in my first head of dreads, the blond ones (there are a couple pics in vlog 1 of my bigger dreadies)
sweet. best of lock to ya :) lemmie know how they grow...
i was wondering what method you would recommend for more african textured hair if i did backcomb what if i had my hair straightened first would that work well?
God would disagree :) Funny though, I was getting sushi at the grocery store yesterday and the guy working there said I looked like Jesus. I should have told him my initials were JC :)
ive heard dread wax is soppous to be bad and get stuck :P i don´t know much about dreads tho im planning on getting dreads tho!
hey jhonny, got a question for ya.
ive been goinng to the dreads forum on the hip website recently, and most people there tell me that backcombed dreads has to fall or nearly fall out to dread properly. also they advice against rubber bands beacus it restrics the movement of the hair. and ALSO they say you shouldnt put work into your dreads, just back comb them then let em fall out, so they can then dread on their own.
whats your oppinion, im alittle confused right now
The best place to start is the "Making Dreads Section" on the web site. You'll find great step by step how to's. The FAQ also has a ton of great info. dub dub dub dreadheadhq dot com
If you have any questions not answered there we can help you by email...
yo.
i've had my dreads in a little longer than a month, started them with the back combing method. my hair is extremely fine and very straight. i'm probably going to keep these for a few years (gave up on them last year, they were badly sectioned) and i want to have nice locks. would i be better off using wax rather than not, if i were hoping to get smooth locks? i have seen a lot of them and some people have very lumpy and incosistent locks and i'd really like to avoid that. any thoughts?
hey i was gonna put in dreads in a few months. ive been to your site and was thinking about bying the supa starter kit. but i was wondering about the wax. ive watched other vids and they said the wax can ruin your dreads? please help
im hispanic, my hair is 1/2 straight 1/2 curly, it is really thick. Now it's about 4 inches long, im a sophmore and will wait untill the summer before my senior year to get dreads. Should i get them now and start out with short dreads? or wait until before my senior year?
by the way your dreads are amazing
heyy, I have some question about dreads...like..if I use the neglect way to grow dread what should I do..do I just twist it every day..?
about how long should your hair be before you get dreds in.. or does it not even really matter
Does your hair have to be all the same length to start them?
daaang!! HOw many did you make? Did you have help? I bet they look smokin'! :)
wicked...or does he look like me? You should send a picture...maybe I have a twin.
Me thinks this is no good, cause you can't find the response, and with no question above it my answer is not much help to you or anybody else!
So to fix this I'm going to ask everyone to post dreadlocks questions in the Knowledge Base at Dread Head HQ(.)(com)
Everyone will benefit from new questions not in the knowledge base and you can find the answer to almost every question there already. Google "dreadlocks knowledge base" to find the Dread Head FAQ quick.
Thanks for you help!
-KJC
So which would you recommend for me?
haha sweet
:DDD
yo jonny i was wondering did u use wax to make your dreads?
130?!?!
I aint counted mine, it's apparently bad luck?
But I dont think I have that many haha I approximated at like 50 or something xD
130!! Jeez!!
I have really thick dreads prolly about 20-23 locks altogether...
It hasnt been until the last few months that my dreads have started to 'come together' nicely. I really dig them
perhaps coincidentally, I hadnt ordered any dreadhead soap and wax until a few months ago and I now firmly believe that the soap and wax really help to speed the locking. YOU SHOULD SEE ALL THE SLANDER OUT THERE (BY PEOPLE WHO DONT FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS) ACCUSING DREADHEAD OF ALL KINDS OF TERRIBLE ISH-
u should sue