Wednesday 24 October 2007

I hadn't really considered it before you asked


The question Anonymous asked in relation to my post was:

If you get Sisterlocks but maintain with a latch hook , Nappylocs tool or any method other than using the Sisterlocks tool, do you still have Sisterlocks?

I believe so!
There are people like me, who have Sisterlocks and have taken the step of teaching themselves to retighten their hair and therefore do not have the SL tool. On the other hand there are those who have paid for the SL retightening class, been provided with the tool and then for whatever reason, they have chosen not to use it anymore. Does that mean we are no longer Sisterlocked? I can't see why it would make a difference.
As far as I am concerned, I have Sisterlocks and will call them that no matter which tool I use to retighten them. I have paid a lot of money for the installation and maintenance of my SL's and I'm not about to call them anything else :-)
I am sure that a lot of you will have an opinion on this question - please share them in the comments!

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

you failed to mention that there are also some of us who took the sisterlocks retightening class and use the sisterlocks tool.

Unknown said...

if you went to a certified sisterlocks consultant, paid sisterlocks money (you KNOW what i'm talking about!!), have the sisterlocks partings, use the sisterlock retightening patterns, and your lock sizes reflect the size chart that all consultants have, then my dear, YOU HAVE SISTERLOCKS, regardless of what you retighten them with.

Anonymous said...

I agree with you Mel!!!

Let's also not forget that some Sisterlock Consultants use other tools as well....

Brenda said...

I started with official Sisterlocks, but never took the class and use a latchhook. Although I never knew MY pattern, I know that the pattern I use is one that's taught in the class. So I still call them Sisterlocks.

Anonymous said...

Someone asked me this too. I posted here: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=6946251.PN.&OS=PN/6946251&RS=PN/6946251

Gotta love Anonymous. She criticizes me on my blog too.

muslimahlocs said...

are there really sisterlocks consultants who use other tools? don't answer that. i could see how an individual would believe that what s/he does to her/his own hair in the privacy of her/his own home with "xyz" tool after starting out with sisterlocks might still be "sisterlocks" but i cannot see how a sisterlocks consultant could use other tools and still sell, market, package and call them sisterlocks.

Anonymous said...

Hi Mel,

I'm glad to see you have used my question of whether a person who uses a different tool is still classed as still having Siserlocks.

I am thinking seriously of going the DIY route and posted this to get some thoughts on it from other locked sisters. By the way I love your blog and the same goes for Brunsli's blog.

PS I saw this question on another blog and thought I'd post it here as I could not remember where I saw it. I'm anonymous cos I'm not registered yet.

But I'm NOT THE ANONYMOUS WHO HEADS THIS CURRENT COMMENT POST!!!
Love and Peace to you.

Mel said...

Anonymous, I didn't mention this, as the question related to people who do not retighten with the SL tool.

Sunsail, my thoughts exactly!

Thanks MM!

Brenda, I wouldn't have thought of calling your hair anything else :-)

Brunsli, there can't be a post that I've missed!!!

I see what you are saying Muslimah; if I go to my hairdresser, I would be surprised if she pulled out a different tool.

Anonymous II, glad to have been of some help. I hope that some of the comments have been useful in helping you to make a decision.

Anonymous said...

As a sisterlocker who have taken the retightening class, I do have tools and retighten every now and then with them. I also have the nappyloc tool and have retightened with that one as well. I still have sisterlocks no matter what tool I have...It is mainly about what is confortable for one, what is faster for one and what achieves the result for that individual...I also have a latch hook but can't figure out how to use the damn thing, LOL

blackrussian said...

Personally, I'm not overly concerned with the brand and status that is associated with Sisterlocks (as in: I want people to know that I cared enough to pay the big bucks for the installation) because the opinions go both ways on that. Some people applaud my choice and understand it. Others think it was a ridiculous waste when I could have used some other tool and done it myself or gone to the lady around the corner with a latch hook.

But I always tell people that I have SLs because I want to educate them about the method. I think they are unique and I am grateful to Dr. Cornwell for coming up with them and I think it is an amazing story!

I loved reading about her trial and error and how she developed the method. (I mean, the whole 'backwards braid'/root-to-tip thing in and of itself is quite a concept!) Whether they admit it or not, a lot of other methods out there HAVE borrowed from her genius.

I get frequent compliments on my dreads or twists and twice as many questions about them, at which point I briefly explain the Sisterlocks difference. I ALWAYS encourage people to go online and do research.

I direct people to the official site and my blog and the LHBE, so they can see how SLs are different from other types of locks and make an informed decision for themselves.

For a lot of people it does come down to cost and that is the reason they choose other methods. Others are die-hard DIYers and can't imagine paying someone else to do something they know they CAN do themselves. Some people decide that they want larger traditionals.

Even though I recently learned to retighten myself using the nappylocs tool, I will continue to go to my consultant (who uses nothing but the SL tool) for the foreseeable future.

And if we should ever part ways, I intend to search out another consultant so that I will not be stuck with always having to do it myself.

So mine are still trademarked SLs, but yes, I agree that they still would be even if I never used the tool again or saw an approved consultant because that's what I got at installation. I paid for the parts and got the approved sizing and I have the pattern.

I got locked with about 10 inches of hair and have had exclusive SL maintenance done on at least another 4. There's no WAY anyone can tell me these aren't REAL SLs on my head.

Here's my question: why should it matter to anyone else how I maintain my locks?

If they look nice and neat it doesn't take anything away from the brand or the image.

If I paid for an SL nstallation, it isn't a lie. It's not like passing off moissonite or CZ for diamonds.

I CAN understand the concern of someone who wasn't officially trained and didn't pay for the class (or who never uses the tool and super-secret method and patterns) selling their services under the SL name like ML mentioned. That smacks of dishonesty and false advertising.

But on the self-maintenance front, I don't think it should matter at all!

3girlsmomma said...

Blackrussian, you have taken ALL the words, thoughts, and sentiments right of my SOUL! Well said, well said, indeed!

Having been trained thru the SL re-tightening class, I use my SL tool and honestly, a common black hair pin as needed (that I now keep in my wallet... and probably have just about everywhere throughout my house). I SOOOOO have SLs... okay! YES, and AMEN!

I double-dog dare anyone to convince ME of anything else...