How to Carve a Hair Stick from a Twig

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Work out how long your stick needs to be.

   You can do this by measuring the width of your bun and adding a couple of inches.
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   Step 2: Go for a walk and collect some twigs.

   They should be no thicker than your index finger and at least two inches longer than you need your stick to be Don't worry about getting a stick that is perfectly straight.
   
   Slight bends and curves in the wood make it more interesting to look at and they will hold your hair more securely.
   
   Avoid evergreen woods like pine as they can contain large amounts of sap. , Hair is pretty strong, if a stick will snap when you bend it slightly, it will break in your hair. ,,,,,, Ensure the end of the stick is sanded into a smooth curve. , Do not use an ink pen as the ink may bleed into the wood. ,,,,,,,, Put a small amount of your chosen oil on a plate and use your fingers to apply it to the wood.
   
   Make sure that all of the wood is covered with the oil.
   
   Walnut oil brings out darker colours in the wood, so a wood that looked rather boring before, can look stunning after it has been oiled.
   
   The darker the colour, the bigger difference the walnut oil will make. ,,
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   Step 3: Discard any sticks that snap easily.

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   Step 4: Remove the bark from your chosen stick using a knife.

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   Step 5: Cut off any prominent protrusions.

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   Step 6: Cut the stick to the desired length using a hacksaw

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   Step 7: being sure to remove both ends.

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   Step 8: Carve one end of the stick so it tapers into a blunt point.

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   Step 9: Round off the other end of the stick.

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    Step 10: Sand the stick with coarse sandpaper until it is the right shape.

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    Step 11: Draw your desired design onto the stick with a pencil or ballpoint pen.

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    Step 12: Cut into the stick at a 45 degree angle just below the lines you have drawn.

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    Step 13: Cut into the stick at a 45 degree angle from above the lines to cut out a V shaped piece of wood.

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    Step 14: Carve out the whole of your design in this way.

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    Step 15: Sand the stick with medium sandpaper.

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    Step 16: Fold the sandpaper in half and use the edge to sand inside the cuts you have made for the design.

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    Step 17: Go over the stick with fine sandpaper

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    Step 18: folding it as you did with the medium to sand the cuts.

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    Step 19: Use a nail buffer (or progressively finer sandpaper if you have it lying around) to get the stick really smooth.

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    Step 20: Oil the stick.

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    Step 21: Leave the stick for a couple of hours to soak up the oil.

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    Step 22: Remove any excess oil with tissue.

Detailed Guide

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