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Welcome! Here you'll find a variety of hand made gift and functional art items such as hand crafted hair accessories, unusual jewelry from time to time, and even an occasional walking stick. My unique aged copper and sterling silver/gemstone jewelry drsigns are done in a variety of medieval, gothic, art nouveau and modern styles. Most of the items you see here are completely hand crafted from raw materials, featuring combinations of exotic hardwoods, sterling silver, copper, bronze, stainless steel, titanium, hand cut gemstones, lampwork beads and many other materials from around the world.
My "Naturals" collection features a variety of original hair stick and fork designs made with both exotic and domestic hardwoods, specifically chosen for their superior strength and natural beauty. Not simply painted or lacquered to simulate quality, these are the real thing and are among the finest available anywhere in the world. They're available in an endless array of wood combinations, "topper" adornments and segmented panels.
My "FlexStix" collection is an original design that combines state of the art technology with true handcrafted quality - all the most sought after elements in one product! Completely waterproof, these are made with surgical grade stainless steel with highly polished tips (kind to the scalp) and will never corrode so they're great for wet hair. The specially designed radially brushed surface has thousands of microgrooves - it's smooth to the touch while providing a secure, non-slip hold that won't back out. The straight, ultra-thin flexible shaft is a mere 3mm wide so it makes a nominal path upon entry and won't bind as it seats in. Overall weight of this design is about the same as my exotic wood models, and can be custom made in lengths of 4" to 6".
"StarLites" offer the most innovative contribution to the world of hair accessories, and are rapidly becoming known as the "perfect" workhorse solution. With simple design lines in a variety of shapes and sizes, they perform alone or are used together as added support with other accessories. These are made with aerospace grade aluminum, the same alloy used in the manufacture of titanium. Completely waterproof, they offer the same important features as my FlexStix - but with nearly no noticeable weight!
Sterling Silver and Aged Copper jewelry : some of the most unusual designs you have ever seen will appear at times when the mood strikes. Components are hand made from raw materials, including many gemstone varieties not usually found in custom jewelry.
SIZING:
HAIRSTICKS: Most of my hair sticks and forks offer both "overall" and "functional" length in their description. The overall length refers to total length including any ornamentation, while the functional length refers to the unseen part of the accessory that actually holds your hair. Some items, such as plain wood hair sticks, are measured in overall length only since they are typically worn according to one's preference. Selecting the correct length is simply a matter of knowing the dimensions of your favorite style. For example, if your standard bun diameter is 4-1/2" you might choose a 5" functional length accessory. This would allow an extra 1/2" to extend from the bottom, while the overall length in comparison would give you an idea of the height of the adornment. If you intend to grow your hair out longer, bear in mind that hair mass and therefore the diameter will also increase. In this case you might choose a 5-1/2" or 6" functional length so that the accessory will still work when you reach your desired length.
Forks work the same way, but functional length is often referred to as prong length which should also extend 1/2" or more beyond your current or projected diameter.
Hair slides, leather and stick barrettes, bun holders and half ups are sized in a similar way. Gather and twist hair, and have someone measure the diameter at the spot where the accessory will rest. Double the figure if you're going for a flip up pony, or divide in half for a half up style. Then choose your size this way: 1/2" to 3/4" = small, 3/4" to 1"= medium, 1" to 1-1/2"= large, 1-1/2" and beyond = extra large. This method is fairly accurate for everyone, since it compensates for variances in hair texture.
My products are primarily hand made from raw materials, so standard pricing is based on fabrication plus materials. Here's how it works:
The fabrication time involved in making a basic item from any raw material would start at a given base cost. The extra time plus cost of materials for an adornment or "topper" would be added to arrive at a reasonable selling price for the finished item. For example, a metal hair stick with a topper of some sort would be priced higher than a plain wood set with no topper. In another example, items made with faceted precious stones set with sterling or gold - or maybe a hand cut gemstone -vs- something purchased from a wholesale catalog would reflect the value of the item's fabrication plus materials as well. In this way, a custom made item might feature a $300.00 diamond set in platinum, and a fair and equitable fabrication cost would be added to the value of the materials used.
About Handcrafted Hair Accessories
For centuries in many different cultures, both men and women have used some form of stick to hold up long hair. As hair styles evolved, adornments became more elaborate and eventually led to the development of the wide variety of styles we see today. So.....why hand crafted hair sticks?
Hair care professionals and those who know proper hair care generally follow these guidelines when selecting accessories:
Correctly designed hand crafted hair sticks will not damage hair with repeated use. As we all know, commercially manufactured combs, clamps, pins, elastics and an unending array of clever gadgets are available nearly everywhere. Any of these will do the job, but can take their toll on individual hair shafts and can cause some degree of breakage, because products which are mass produced by the hundreds or thousands are not individually inspected and finished after a machine stamps them out. Many of these items are designed to promote mass sales based upon their appearance - little concern is placed on quality or the effect they will have on your hair. These items often have defects such as molding seams, sharp edges or a rough surface - something akin to passing a file through your hair every day. Hand crafted items are individually finished and inspected - if you can pass a piece of fine silk over the surface of your favorite hair accessory with no evidence of snagging, the same effect holds true as it passes over hair strands ;)
Material quality is of critical importance - here's the difference. Many exotic and some domestic hardwoods have a tightly oriented grain structure with a high resin content - these factors contribute to the wood's superior tensile strength, warpage resistance and it's ability to provide a silky smooth surface when finished properly. Along with certain carefully prepared metals, these are the right choice for hair sticks. These materials offer a superior strength - to - weight ratio, excellent stability and high moisture resistance.
Plastics and soft woods that are painted or lacquered offer a smooth surface and light weight, but are often fragile and can easily break with moderate pressure.
Commercially manufactured metal hair sticks and pins are strong but are often far too heavy, so they can easily work themselves loose and fall out. NEVER consider using accessories made with plated metals! Once the plating cracks, it forms tiny razor like edges that shear off hair strands. Mass marketers want to sell their wares by the truckload, and are not the least bit concerned with the effect their goods will have on your hair.
Craftsmanship - innovative design and proper materials taken into consideration, a premium quality hand crafted hair accessory is only as good as it's ability to perform. Superior strength, a silky smooth, snag free finish and securely mounted adornments when fitted are what to look for when shopping for the best products available.
In summary, the mission of this shop is to promote the essence of true, premium quality handcrafted products and to provide a bit of "consumer awareness" to assist in making an informed choice. Hopefully this information will encourage everyone to seek out the many fine artists and craftsmen out there who make them, and help lead to a more enjoyable, satisfying shopping experience.
Quattro products are all about combining state of the art technology with old world craftsmanship.
Designs, graphics, photos and text copyright Quattro Originals/ronquattro 2005. All rights reserved. Descriptive terminology as used herein is the exclusive intellectual property of Quattro Originals. Notice is hereby given that descriptive terms are registered trademarks and are not available for use in any form without express license agreement. Design and process trademarks are registered and are not available for reproduction under federal law.
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