The Preparation of Hair (_continued_)—Crop Hair—A Remarkable
Trial—Craping and Crimping the Hair—Inserted Stems—Boiling and
Baking _Crêped_ Hair—Combings and Turned Hair alluded to again.
The shortest and finest hair is employed for gentlemen’s wigs, fringes,
“Sevigny” curls, and similar purposes. There is frequently a natural
inclination to curl in hair of this description, but when coarse and
strong, it is best not to attempt to force it. To make the curl take one
of the pieces of fine hair, and thoroughly wet it. Rub the roots with
the palm of the hand as before, so as to cause it to “felt” together.
Have ready a smooth brass tool, five or six inches long, and in shape
resembling the end of a steel used for sharpening knives. With this (and
the thumb) press the hair between, giving the hair, at the same time,
two or three turns round the tool; draw away the instrument; hold the
curl between the thumb and finger, and place it on an iron tray made for
the purpose. Each curl is to be held in position by means of a small
weight placed upon it, and there must be a “stop” in the centre of the
tray to prevent the curl unwinding. The succeeding curl acts as a “stop”
to its predecessor, and when the tray is full, it looks not unlike a
dish of snails that has been prepared for some uncommon and remarkable
feast. It is not possible to boil this hair, like that which is rolled
upon “pipes” and securely fastened by means of pieces of string,
therefore it must be steamed before it is baked. The steaming process
can be done effectually in a small way with ordinary domestic utensils.
Hair manufacturers would proceed somewhat differently, and necessarily
so, because their work is extensive; but I am addressing myself to
hairdressers whose requirements are on a greatly reduced scale. Take a
sufficiently large saucepan, and put therein one of those three-legged
iron rings upon which meat is placed when sent to the oven. Every good
housewife will know what I mean. On this stand put the tray containing
the crop hair, and surround the whole with water, taking care, however,
that none enters the tray. Put the lid on the saucepan; _boil_ for at
least a quarter of an hour, and by this simple arrangement the hair will
be sufficiently well prepared for the baking process. Take the tray
containing the hair carefully out, and after allowing the steam to blow
off, a certain amount of dryness will follow, when it can be baked in a
cool oven, or in front of a good fire—the oven of course being
preferable. When quite cold the weights are to be removed, each curled
lock of hair put into a box or drawer till wanted, and, above all, it
must be kept in a warm, dry apartment.
[Illustration: 1. Seven Strand Plait, with Fancy Comb attached. 2. Pin
Curl. These curls are generally made upon hair-pins, for which a small
quantity of short frizzed, or curled hair, suffices. 3, 4, & 5. Human
Hair Frizzetts, for plaited Chignons, Plicaturas, &c. 6. Long Plait, for
a coiled Chignon when made upon the head.]
When frizzets were used in the elaboration of a lady’s coiffure, as was
the practice a few years ago, several pieces of craped hair were
all-important. The trade done in both large and small frizzets, pads,
stems for _plicaturas_, twists, and plaits was something enormous, and
quantities of a dyed material resembling hair were brought into
requisition. And this was absolutely necessary, for the stock of human
hair suitable for the purpose became exhausted. A brief allusion to the
important case of Donisthorpe _v._ Jowett will not be out of place here,
as it is largely connected with the subject. This action was tried in
the Court of Exchequer, and lasted six or seven days, a full report of
which appeared at the time.[3] It was an action brought for the
infringement of a patent process which related to crimping hair, but
more particularly applied to a dyed material largely used as a
substitute. “I am afraid to mention to you,” said Mr. Matthews, Q.C., in
his opening address, “the figures that have been laid before me as to
the extent of the trade. It is not pounds; it is not hundredweights; it
is not tons nor hundreds of tons, but it is hundreds of thousands of
tons in which this crimped hair is sold in the English market.” But I
need not stay to enter into the details of this remarkable suit; it is
sufficient for my purpose to show the enormous business that was done in
these goods at one time. I will turn, therefore, to the appliances which
every hairdresser possesses, or can easily obtain, and deal with the
crimping of human hair on a small scale. The method generally adopted
for craping or crimping hair is as follows: Take the screws and pegs
used in weaving (a description of which it is unnecessary to give, for
the weaving-frame must be known to nearly every hairdresser or barber in
the kingdom), and instead of silk, wind string around the peg made for
the purpose. The string need not be thick, but it ought to be strong,
and if a little stouter than ordinary shop-string, so much the better.
When the frame is set up, two strings instead of three (the number
usually employed in weaving), are required. Put the hair to be used in
the brushes in the usual way, with sufficient weight thereon, and
commence by drawing out a moderately thick piece of hair technically
called “a weft.” I will take it for granted that the reader knows what
coarse weft is, in connection with weaving generally, and the “wefts”
used in crimping hair are to be decidedly coarse. In this operation,
then, the roots of the hair will be near the hand of the workman, while
the length of the hair (whatever length it may be) lies smoothly between
the two brushes. From the hair so placed draw out a weft, push the
root-end close up to the knot (previously tied in the strings by way of
a starting-point), and hold it firmly with the thumb and finger of the
left hand. Commence then to intertwine the free ends of the hair, no
matter how long it may be, in and out in a regular, firm, and secure
manner. Let me suppose that you are going to crape some six or
eight-inch hair, and that the root-end is being held between the strings
as before described. I will assume that the free hair inclines towards
the right hand, and is hanging down. Pass the root-end under the bottom
string, draw it through between; turn it over the top one; draw the
roots towards you again, and, by a kind of twist, change the position of
the hair, holding the root-end (with the beginning of the _crêpé_) in
the left hand, while the full length of the hair is free. This is to be
intertwined in a regular manner with the string till the ends are
reached. Push up close towards the commencement or root, and use a
“jockey” to keep it, as well as the end, in place. What is a “jockey”?
It is generally a piece of wood, cardboard, or any other rather hard
substance, used in weaving, and found necessary when the hair is coarse
and strong. It is dexterously slipped between or upon the “silks,” to
keep the roots from springing up when each “weft” is placed in position.
In this instance, I would suggest two pieces of firewood, about an inch
and a half or two inches long, a quarter of an inch wide, and flat, tied
securely together at the top, somewhat expanding at the bottom, and when
made, to look like a miniature clothes-peg. With this little contrivance
the end of the hair intertwined around the strings can be held in its
place until the next “weft” is put in position, when it is to be
removed, and proceed with the work as before described. This process
should go on until all the hair is used, and there may be a yard, or any
quantity of craped hair made ready for the next operation.
Hair of ten or twelve inches long is most suitable for making “inserted
stems.” Tie up two strings as before described, and knot them together
at the commencement, which is the starting-point in intertwining the
hair. The hair itself should be placed within the drawing brushes as
before; pull out thick “wefts,” and work them upon the strings as
previously described, but with this difference, they are only to be
crimped or _crêped_ half way. Here is the mode of procedure—draw out a
weft, and hold one half of the length in your left hand, while with the
right you turn it over, and under, and between the strings in a
methodical way, as I have previously mentioned. Push up each piece as it
is worked, close and tight. Thus one half of the hair will be left
hanging loose, while the other half when the operation is completed will
be _crêpé_ or crimped.
Assuming that the work is properly performed, the next important part is
the boiling and baking of it. Having craped all that is to be done, cut
down the strings, and tie the free ends securely together. Have ready a
clean saucepan (it is best to keep one for the purpose) fill it with
either hot or cold water, put the hair and string into it and _boil_ for
about a quarter of an hour. Then take it out, let the steam evaporate,
and put it in a rather warm oven or before a good fire. It should be
well baked, for the crimp is wanted to be durable; therefore, if kept in
the oven for a day and night so much the better. It can then be allowed
to remain on the strings till wanted.
[Illustration: 1. A Coronet Plait. 2. “Catogan” Chignon; being a twist
and four-strand plait, with ribbon bow. 3. The “Dolly Varden” headdress.
4. Marguerite Plaits; which can be made in any length of hair, and are
easily formed into Coils, &c. 5. Semi-covered Stems, otherwise “inserted
stems,” for plaited Coils, Coronets, &c.]
When the crimped hair is required for use—and I allude to the making of
ordinary frizzets first—cut the strings at convenient places and pull
them out. Have a “card” and “drawing brushes” handy, and as each piece
is carded, spread it upon one of the brushes by means of a dressing
comb, and when conveniently filled put the other brush on the top, with
a sufficiently heavy weight to keep it in its place. I need hardly say
that the points are to be within the brushes, while the root-ends must
be left projecting out a little way, as that will be found necessary and
convenient. With reference to the longer hair which has been prepared
for making the inserted stems, a similar course is to be pursued. The
plain or straight ends are to be within the brushes, while the roots as
in the previous case, are to be left free, say, to the extent of half an
inch. Having arrived at this point, the next step is to weave the hair,
and the method of doing so will be described in due course. I will
remark here, however, that in weaving hair for frizzettes inserted
stems, &c., all the wefts must not be set one way, as in the case when
hair is woven for wigs, fronts, and curls, but each weft must be set in
a contrary direction, _i.e._, one up and the other down. I shall be
better able to describe this under the head of “Weaving,” of which it
will be necessary to give an illustration.[4]
There was a time, and not many years ago either, when such an
announcement as “Combings made up, and the Hair turned” would have
greatly astonished the trade and the public as well; but now that kind
of work is done in nearly every hairdresser’s establishment, be it large
or small. I have before alluded to the use of “waste” hair or “combings”
in the manufacture of _postiche_, as it is termed by Parisian coiffeurs,
and “false hair” by the generality of people here, and expressed my
aversion to its employment. Hair that is cast off by a law of nature,
after illness, accouchements, and a variety of other causes, cannot by
any possibility be made equal in appearance and quality to the hair
which is cut off from healthy heads. Then there is the customary loss of
hair about the autumn season, which may be regarded in a similar light
to quadrupeds changing their coats, and to birds moulting. Hair of this
description is generally withered and dry, through a want of sufficient
nutrition, which is the primary cause of its decay. There is an old
saying that “the value of a thing is just as much as it will bring”; and
to ascertain the value of “combings” from a commercial point of view,
let any one go to different shops and try to sell a paper-bagful. The
experiment is not likely to be repeated. Like a true artist, I object to
the use of inferior materials, for however good the workmanship may be,
bad stuff will spoil the lot. I have another objection to make, for I
consider that through the introduction of “combings” the sale of
hair—good, clean, glossy hair—has fallen off, and the hairdresser’s
profits diminished in like proportion. Nevertheless, this inferior
quality of hair is used, and how to treat it in the most satisfactory
way, is what I have here to deal with.
In preparing this hair, which generally comes to hand in a matted and
tangled state, the first thing to do is to “card” it, and this should be
done with small pieces at a time. After which, these pieces must be laid
together until the whole is finished. Tie it in bunches of a convenient
thickness, and wash thoroughly as previously instructed. It is then to
be dried and drawn off in the usual way. Mostly it is made up into the
required article without “turning,” but it is not suitable for curls
unless it is “turned.”
The process of turning hair is attended with some little trouble, and
various tradesmen have different ways of doing it. Of course the hair
can be worked better when it is turned, but, as cheapness is the order
of the day, I suppose that where one piece of hair is “turned,” nineteen
other pieces do not undergo such careful manipulation. In order to deal
with this part of the business properly, let me briefly recapitulate.
In describing the formation of hair, and speaking of the cuticle, or
outer sheath, I have said that it is of a horny description; that hairs
are somewhat cylindrical in shape (excepting curly or wavy hair, which
is rather flat); that the cortical structure of human hair is jagged
like the teeth of a saw, and that this serrated appearance is produced
through the outer layer, or sheath, being composed of flattened cells or
scales, which overlap each other like the scales of fishes. This can be
_seen_ by means of a good microscope, and _felt_ in passing hair quickly
from point to root through the fingers. By reversing the hair and
drawing it through the fingers from root to point, the difference can
more readily be detected in consequence of its smoothness. The knowledge
of this structural arrangement is important as it bears largely upon the
“turning” operation.
The combings are to be picked out and “carded,” being at the same time
held rather loosely in the hand. By so doing, the matted hair becomes
disentangled, and is deposited in or upon the “card.” It is then to be
drawn out, piece by piece, and laid aside. When the whole has been
“carded” in this way, it can be loosely tied in the middle, washed, and
dried. I will now assume that the cleaned hair is before you, and that
it is to be “turned.” Place it in the brushes; draw off a convenient
portion, taking care that the part held in the hand is clubbed, and
proceed in either of the following ways:—Hold the piece of hair in the
left hand, have a cup of warm water near, into which the fingers of the
right hand are to be dipped as occasion requires. The hair is to be
worked between the thumb and finger, and the peculiar formation of the
hair gradually forces the roots upwards. These roots may be seen plainly
with an ordinary magnifying glass; they can be easily discerned by those
whose eyesight is good, and are to be discovered by the touch. They
generally present a whitish appearance, and are bulbous in form. It
should be borne in mind that I am speaking here of the roots in a
business sense only, without any regard to the more minute scientific
considerations. As the roots present themselves, the hairs to which they
are attached are to be pulled out and “turned,” _i.e._, they are to be
put at the bottom of the piece of hair in hand. As each portion is done,
it is to be laid aside, until the whole is completed, the roots being at
one end, the points at the other. To finish the turning process, the
hair should then be drawn off and tied as previously described.
Several other ways of turning hair are adopted, but the principle is the
same. Some use the “card” with the “nitting machine” attached. The teeth
of the machine are allowed to be open or close, depending upon the
coarse or fine quality of the hair, proceeding upon the principle that
these “knobs,” or roots, will offer a slight resistance and be
intercepted in their course. Others, again, employ a row of needles,
closely set together, with the same object in view, and producing a like
result.
I observe that in a recent American work on the Hair, by C. Henri
Leonard, M.D., the subject of hair “turning” has not escaped his notice.
He says, speaking of the epidermal coat or cellular layer, that “the
flat, quadrilateraloid cells forming it overlap each other, just as the
tiles or shingles do each other on our houses,” and that “this
peculiarity of arrangement of the scales can be detected by the touch;
thus, drawing the hair briskly through the fingers, from the tip to the
root, it will then seem to be rough and uneven. Often, when quite firm
pressure is used, a humming sound may be produced by this manœuvre. You
can by this means always tell which is the root-end and which the tip
end of the hair, as the overlapping layers lie _from_ the roots. Now if
you turn the hair, end for end, and draw it from the root to the tip, it
will be felt to be smooth and even. Advantage has been taken of this
fact by hair dealers and dressers, in arranging their stock. Where the
hair has become disarranged, that is, a part with the roots one way and
the remainder with the tips in the same direction, the whole is thrown
upon a smooth, hard surface, and rolled briskly back and forth with the
palm of the hand, or pulp of the fingers, when those with the roots in
the same direction will begin to ‘back out’ from the mass, and then can
be easily sorted out and arranged in a proper manner. Were this
precaution not taken (to have the points all one way) the hair would
never lie evenly and smoothly upon the head. This same ‘rolling’
process, in a minor degree, takes place at each twist of the head on the
pillow, and hence explains why our ladies’ hairs are less snarled and
tangled than they would otherwise be after a night’s repose.”