Tapering a pulled mane?

AllAroundRdr · 06-27-2008, 01:23 PM

Can anyone explain this in the most simplistic terms?

My 2 year old has the mane from h*ll -- I love that it's full and thick but it's a royal pain.

It was mid-neck and I finally hacked it with scissors to about 4", it's getting pulled this weekend and finished to banding/braiding length. It was suggested to me by a Professional Braider that I TAPER the mane...I understand what a tapered cut is with people but I'm not quite grasping how to accomplish this with a mane.

Any helpful suggestions would be greatly appreciated

AQHA1972 · 06-27-2008, 01:25 PM

Get yourself a pair of thinning shears and use them at an angle on the bottom part of the hairs.

AllAroundRdr · 06-27-2008, 01:49 PM

Thinning shears I certainly have....angle I get (i.e. tapering) I guess I'm just missing what angle/how.

Preppy_Ponies · 06-27-2008, 04:09 PM

I'm not exactly sure what she meant by "tapering", I've never heard that term applied to manes

What I do with a mane I can't pull is cut it to slightly longer than I want it to end up. Then take the scissors or thinning shears and cut up vertically into the mane. It takes time but in the end you get a mane that looks pulled.

greyongray · 06-27-2008, 07:48 PM

Basically you want to stagger the cut of the hairs. You can hold the shears parallel to the mane and cut (which is what I do when not pulling or when straightening a pulled mane) in quarter-inch increments, making a cut or two in one place. Pull the scissors out of the mane (and the cut hairs out) and then make another few cuts. This effectively blunts the ends and reduces the scissor-cut look.

You can also hold the scissors at an angle, more perpendicular like (but angled) - like this: |\ - and make little notches in the mane. The closer to perpendicular the more subtle it will be. For this method you don't need thinning shears but I'm sure if you used them it would make the scissor cut even subtler (but it would take a while!). Basically what you do with this method is take a small section of hair (about a quarter inch again) and cut a steep but short angle into it, and then keep going. Actually hairdressers do this all the time on the ends of your hair. Works really well when the hair is wet.

Usually I use thinning shears to blunt the ends because it's easy and I'm lazy

But if you get too careless and open/close them in the exact same spot too many times, there will be the little telltale clues of "mane steps" (lol not a real term!) that will give you away.

Good luck and take your time, however you do it!

rileyboy · 06-27-2008, 07:53 PM

I just "tapered" Harley's mane last weekend, but I need to do a touch up. I can try to video it and post it on here if you are interested.

AllAroundRdr · 06-28-2008, 02:26 AM

You're a God send!!!!!

I always "finish" my pull jobs with thinning shears on the bottom, but didn't consider that actual tapering, which could be why I'm confused LOL

I re-watched my Lucky Braids DVD this afternoon (productive day at the office!) and it even says "a well pulled and tapered mane is best to braid with"

Quote:

Originally Posted by rileyboy

I just "tapered" Harley's mane last weekend, but I need to do a touch up. I can try to video it and post it on here if you are interested.

06-27-2008, 01:23 PM	#1
AllAroundRdr Senior Member+ Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Southern CA - The Land of Fires & Shakey Ground Posts: 3,150 Images: 9	Tapering a pulled mane? Can anyone explain this in the most simplistic terms? My 2 year old has the mane from hll -- I love that it's full and thick but it's a royal pain. It was mid-neck and I finally hacked it with scissors to about 4", it's getting pulled this weekend and finished to banding/braiding length. It was suggested to me by a Professional Braider that I TAPER the mane...I understand what a tapered cut is with people but I'm not quite grasping how to accomplish this with a mane. Any helpful suggestions would be greatly appreciated __________________ People say riding isn't a sport...Well you see, the 'ball' I play with has a mind of its own.* I've been Goosed..and I LIKED it!

06-27-2008, 01:49 PM	#3
AllAroundRdr Senior Member+ Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Southern CA - The Land of Fires & Shakey Ground Posts: 3,150 Images: 9	Thinning shears I certainly have....angle I get (i.e. tapering) I guess I'm just missing what angle/how. __________________ People say riding isn't a sport...Well you see, the 'ball' I play with has a mind of its own. I've been Goosed..and I LIKED it!

06-27-2008, 07:53 PM	#6
rileyboy Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: SF Bay Area, California Posts: 1,002	I just "tapered" Harley's mane last weekend, but I need to do a touch up. I can try to video it and post it on here if you are interested. __________________ ~My Pride and Joy~ Palomino Yearling QH Filly *~LILY~* "I Go Peppy Gold"

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06-27-2008, 01:25 PM	#2
AQHA1972 Senior Member+ Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 2,599	Get yourself a pair of thinning shears and use them at an angle on the bottom part of the hairs.

06-27-2008, 04:09 PM	#4
Preppy_Ponies Senior Member+ Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: So. Cal Posts: 1,364 Images: 215	I'm not exactly sure what she meant by "tapering", I've never heard that term applied to manes What I do with a mane I can't pull is cut it to slightly longer than I want it to end up. Then take the scissors or thinning shears and cut up vertically into the mane. It takes time but in the end you get a mane that looks pulled.

06-27-2008, 07:48 PM	#5
greyongray Full Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 138 Images: 19	Basically you want to stagger the cut of the hairs. You can hold the shears parallel to the mane and cut (which is what I do when not pulling or when straightening a pulled mane) in quarter-inch increments, making a cut or two in one place. Pull the scissors out of the mane (and the cut hairs out) and then make another few cuts. This effectively blunts the ends and reduces the scissor-cut look. You can also hold the scissors at an angle, more perpendicular like (but angled) - like this: \|\ - and make little notches in the mane. The closer to perpendicular the more subtle it will be. For this method you don't need thinning shears but I'm sure if you used them it would make the scissor cut even subtler (but it would take a while!). Basically what you do with this method is take a small section of hair (about a quarter inch again) and cut a steep but short angle into it, and then keep going. Actually hairdressers do this all the time on the ends of your hair. Works really well when the hair is wet. Usually I use thinning shears to blunt the ends because it's easy and I'm lazy But if you get too careless and open/close them in the exact same spot too many times, there will be the little telltale clues of "mane steps" (lol not a real term!) that will give you away. Good luck and take your time, however you do it!