The fire and hair problem

So I've been spinning on and off for quite a few years now. Though the dreads in my neck (and my disability to tie them up) have prevented me from contact staff mostly.

But anyway, I got my first fire staff a few months ago and had my first burn around New Year.

Now I am confident enough in my skills and I'm sure to watch my spinning speed and which moves to do of course. (and trying to suppress my habit of sticking in extra beats on the last second :P)

But even though I'm confident, I'm just scared as hell that I might hit my dreads and burn them off. (so yea, chopping them off ain't an option ;))

Friend of mine just sticks his hear in a beanie, but that's not gonna work with my dreads.

So where do you leave your hair during a burn? Just make a ponytail and go for it? Force them in a hat? Wear a hoody over it?

if it's too big for a beanie then soak your hair with water jus before you burn, tie a wet scarf(natural fibre-no synthetics) round it if you can and be carefull, then even if you mess up you should get off with it or if you're unlucky then you should only get minorly singed and not go up like the human torch you would be if it was dry, water is pretty damn good at absorbing heat

I have a ponytail but I also have straight hair. Its easy for me to wear a beanie but I also have a small hoody that I use the hood with.

I think the sound of wetting your hair and all that is a pretty good idea. Also if you have big dreads those things are solid, and especially if there wet, I don't think it will burst into flames.

OMG that, and grabbing at the staff to early (just let it go to yer freakin hand!!!) are the top 2 reasons people cant do stuff

the water thing really works well, I had kinda midlength hair last year and gave myself a crack to the head with a contact staff sporting massive wicks, thought I was gonna be bald but the water totally saved me, a few gray hairs- that was it

@Liquidtrance, I like the idea of soaking it and tying a wet scarf around it. Just singeing it wouldn't mind that much, but it was indeed the human torch I was worrying about.

And they are indeed solid enough, so if they are wet enough it would be hard to light them even if I wanted to.

@Poje, so right haha.
And it's sort of alright while practicing but pretty much a no-go with fire.

Thanks aye ^^

the best method - apart from the mutilating hood - that worked for me was: washing hair - using conditioner - not rinsing the hairs = they stay damp but not wet.

good luck

I have stupid length hair at the moment to give you a clue I’m just under six foot tall and its well over half way down my back thick, and luxurious, but enough of the poplar advert for shampoo. Its always tied back and at least damp when spinning. Although I must admit its stopping me from doing a lot of contact staff movements. To be honest I’m not worried. I do what in my disturbed mind I think looks good. Don’t force your self to do anything you don’t feel comfortable with, after all worse case scenario not only are you bold but your bodies shut down and you’ve died of shock as your heads been engulfed in flame.

Oh boy an I in a fluffy mood this morning. Sorry its true just not pleasant. That’s the chance anyone who plays this game takes.
So wet hair (NO PRODUCT TO HOLD IT PEOPLE) In theory the water evaporates taking the heat away preventing it from going up. Note I said in theory. But that’s what I do and so far its worked.

CUT IT OFF

you'd be better using a wet product that's not flamable, it would be slightly greasy but wouldn't evaporate with heat, hair will still melt even when wet, a barrier gel would probably be safer. Conditioner is OK but not as good as a non-flamable gel coating. I cut mine off for this very reason and use non flammable fixing products to spike my hair, it hasn't caught fire so far with lots of contact and neck work.

Oh I often use a bandana as well.
Never been shore about these non flammable things. Any good with long hair?

There is definitely another thread about this.. but I used to use a hat, now I dont mind so much about my dreadies getting burned, but for contact I wrap my dreads round my head and then secure with a buff so there's not a big dreaded mass sticking out nd getting in the way of my stick..! (although, dread contact..could be interesting... )

I think the overall solution to long hair is to cut it off.

Thats the way I went.

Although I'm growing it back now

Not necessarily! My cousin linsey spins staff, double staff, poi, fans you name it she spins it with her hair down! She singes the edges of it every now and then but really she doesn't have a problem with it.

I like the idea of the wet scarf wrapping. I always put my hair back in a wet bandana myself. I've seen guys with dreads pile them into those big old hemp hats that look like bags. LIke.... here: http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/9hwJL-vKEknZHwnBBP9xRQ

This is awesome.

Why must such an epic smiley exist?

more than that: why must it exist outside this board?

@liquid trance and anyone else who thinks wet clothing is a good idea... its not. wet anything and fire twirling is a bad idea. if something even close to the wet item in question you will get burned badly because wet things are harder to take off quicker and water heats very quickly so before you have a chance to get the scarf or what ever off the water will boil on your skin. This is a serious hazzard. dont do it. Try trying your hair in a pony tail and getting a non synthetic material (which wont melt) and wrapping it around very tightly around your head then down the pony tail. This way if you need to use your neck you can just get a saftey pin and pin the end of your pony tail to your head.

I learned this the hard way when I was working in a kitchen. Used a dry cloth and a wet cloth to grab this really hot chicken out of the oven and burn the hell out of part of my right hand. happens fast to

I dont think they mean to hold the hot metal part of the fire equipment with the wettened article of clothing. Yes, getting cloth wet makes it conduct heat faster, but dampening costumes and hair will also prevent them from catching on fire. In each scenario you must look at what potential dangers are the most likely.

Picking up a hot fire bowl with a wet towel is a bad idea. Making any kind of hair covering or hat wet that isnt naturally extremely fire resistant is a really good idea. Its really hard to see if something is burning at the back of your head, and by the time you feel it from the heat its probably too late. Unless you do something really silly like trying to balance a burning fire poi on top of said wet head wrapping steam burns will never be an issue.