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Noantum · Senior Member

Great Tool for Rooting with 43g German needles!!!

Tina W. · Guru

I have one of these tools stashed away somewhere. I never thought to use the german forked in it hmm...gonna have to give it a try. Thanks for the tip!

Play Days Dolls · Guru

The important thing is to have a needle holder that shows which side points up or allows you to mark the spot that needs to be facing up. Glad you found something that works.

Noantum · Senior Member

Thanks, Still no mohair today hmm

Then I'll know how it works

Buffington · Guru

Hey! Where do you get this tool? Can someone pm me with the information please? I'd like to see/try it (since I can't seem to get the hang of the no-barbs).
thanks!

Noantum · Senior Member

Alright Ladies the verdict is in..........I absolutely love the Clover Pen tool for rooting hair!!!!!!

The best thing I could ever root with! Rooting is a breeze with this tool and it gets the hair EVERY TIME! I have done in 45 min what would take me hours of trying and still I wouldn't have as much accomplished. I'm still rooting but I don't mind at all. I do not have the hand fatigue that I get with the regular needle and rooting tool. This is a sure shot each time you insert a hair. I'm anxious to see the final outcome but so far I am very pleased with the progress it's allowed me to make. So I strongly suggest getting this tool to make rooting with the 43g German needle easier. Happy Rooting! smile

Buffington · Guru

Now I know I just HAVE to go get one tomorrow! I'm taking a break from planting so I need to get some hair rooted. Watch out, I'm comin'!

In all honesty, I do treasure the plastic mushroom handle. It just suits my hands fine. If this new handle is better than the mushroom, then I'm sold already! I can't use the little wooden one, you know, the other one that Secrist sells as it just doesn't fit my hand well. but my friend loves it!
We'll see tomorrow :o

Noantum · Senior Member

Oh I do hope that it is helpful to you. I have the little wooden mushroom tool and after awhile it would hurt the palm of my hand. Then my hands would fatigue trying to root and hold the head. Then as I turned the head the hairs would come out furious

So far I really like the pen because it is like holding a real writing pen. It goes in easy and is less pressure on the hands. Only problem now is I had such a good time rooting I paid no attention to a pattern and now she looks.....well..... confuse

She just has hairs all over the place. I think I'm going to reevaluate the pattern and get the hair to go in more of a forward direction. I'm trying to make the hair thin and not as full as my avatar bub but....I don't know, doesn't really look right if you know what I mean. But at least the hairs go in well! smile

sage brush nursery · Guru

emily, is that the one where you can root with 1, 2, or 3 needles . they have one on evilbay. but i wasn't sure it was the same one you were talking about. it's wonderful this is working so great for you. can't wait to see how it turns out. sage aww

Noantum · Senior Member

Hi Sage where have you been? Hope all is well. Yes it is the same I think. It's a pink pen style tool. I only use the single needle though. I really don't like the look of my rooting. She looks like she has a bad wig on. I am please with the ease of rooting, I just need to learn to root neatly I guess.

Tina W. · Guru

I bought one of those when I first started rooting, they are wonderful aren't they. But like you saaid you have to be careful as to not get carried away rooting or hair will wind up every which way ! It's great when making a full hair of hair on a babe though, saves a ton of time.

Play Days Dolls · Guru

Can someone please PM me with where to get the tool? Now I'm curious.

Thank you!

Linda

Buffington · Guru

I have pm'd you hun with the information.

I have mine but have not had the chance nor the inclination to root for a while. In the middle of trying to draw a jewelry design for this contest... grand prize is $10,000 gift certificate to this jewelry supply store! WOOT! I could be up and running in a matter of 30 days! So I'll try to take some time and find my German no barbs and give it a go. Then I'll let you all know, since I'm a die-hard plastic mushroom handle person! :o

Play Days Dolls · Guru

Pat, good luck on the contest. I KNOW you'll do a fabulous job, and I hope you win. Thanks for sending the info on the too I haven't had a chance to look at it yet, and I think I'll wait to see how you like it first. Still no income, and barely getting by here so I'm in no hurry to spend more money.

Linda

Cheri Sullivan · Member

Hmmmm... I'm very interested in finding one of these tools. It will be my 4th style tried. I have a couple of questions. First, is the needle you use a straight needle with a teeny forked end? It sounds like you are not using the 43 with the three barbs. I'm still struggling with the 3-barb kind because I really want an invisible hole and no more than 2 or 3 hairs grabbed at a time. I have not achieved this yet. My dolls still look similar to the machine rooted dolls with hairs too thickly rooted per punch. I don't like it and am willing to work on this providing I don't go broke buying tools and mohair. Are you using baby fine mohair? I want to do very realistic baby hair patterns with the swirl and thinly rooted patterns. Suggestions welcome!

Tina W. · Guru

Cheri I use a german one barb needle and found that to work great. It grabs one or two hairs and leaves no holes. I started out with the 3 barb but I just didn't like the outcome of my rooting, too pluggy looking. I have the tool mention and forked needles but haven't tried it yet.

Cheri Sullivan · Member

Okay, thanks. Will you post a quick review when you give the forked needle a try? Thanks!

Tina W. · Guru

yes, as soon as I give it a go I'll let you know how I made out.

Buffington · Guru

I tried the new tool... its ok but it still takes me a while to get used to the fork. I did find that if you are using a 43 guage needle that if you only put the needle in just past the first set of barbs it will take in less hairs. I tried rooting on our camping trip last week. I got Annie's head about 1/2 done.
The German forked (AKA: no barb needle) is still not my fave but I'm learning. I got hairs in about 1/2 of the time instead of not at all, so it's coming along. Works well though with the little bump on the side so you can tell which way the fork is.

As far as mohair, I try to get second to not more than 4th shearing. First sheering is way too flyaway and fine. Second and third usually work best for me. Remember, the older the goat the coarser the hair, just like people.

Cheri Sullivan · Member

I greatly appreciate these new responses. I've got three new tactics to try out. I also found a place to get the new Clover tool. In case you live where there is no Joanne's, Hobby Lobby carries it, and Han****s has the green one and may be able to special order the pink if you request it. Thanks!

Tina W. · Guru

I need to give the forked needles a try. I bought them awhile ago and they sit in the drawer. I just can't get the hang of them =(

Play Days Dolls · Guru

These needles are not easy to use if you have never had instruction on how to use them. I paid for a short intro class on how to use them. I wish I could remember the best way to pass along what was said. I loved the results and couldn't wait to try the needles on all my rooting jobs.

After I returned home I was so discouraged because I could not get them to work for me. I was expecting to pick up the needle where I left off. Unfortunately, I had forgotten the proper position for holding the needle so it would go in and take one strand of hair with it.

My best advice:

The needle normally needs to be held at less of an angle than needles with 2 or 3 barbs. You need a needle holder than you can put a mark on. Try rooting a hair. If it doesn't work, rotate the needle slightly until it does. When you find the spot that grabs a hair, mark the needle holder on the top to show which side must be pointed up in order for the hair to grab.

I have a few needles that are made of wood, and these work great for me.

Linda