Pinching & C-curve sticks

[VHunter]

How do you know WHEN to remove the form, tuck under the c-curve stick and pinch?
Remove too soon, and have yukky mess.
Remove too late, and it's pointless because it's... well, too late.

Is there a SURE tell-tale sign to know when to do it?

And is there a video somewhere of someone doing this? Using a c-curve stick?

I'd like to try this out, but have been too afraid to make a right mess of things.
Also been afraid to pinch too much, which is why I invested in the sticks.
Lastly, is there anyone you WOULDN'T use these sticks on and WHY?

THANKS!!

 

[AllThumbs]

I too would like an answer to this. I must do it to early cause i always end up with acrylic stuck everywhere

 

[Envy]

use the side of your own nail to gently press at the product to see how set it is,
at least this way if it's still too soft you won't press too hard and make a mess...

If I were ever to 'pinch' I would only be doing it by hand anyway, I beleive your 'c' curve should already be strongly formed to your desired shape by your form application...

Also a warning

Pinching should purely be used as a competition technique, or done extrememly lightly, with just the intention of keeping the sidewalls straight.
A strongly pinched 'c' curve will put a massive amount of additional force on the enhancement. I have seen it done to the point that when the product fully set the stress was visible on the nail plate and with the slightest of rough handling quickly led to onycholysis... (nail plate seperation) so... do so at your own risk if you choose to do it in the salon..

hth's

 

[Nafia]

Well I'm no expert But it Just after that slightly tacky stage so there is some touch involved

 

[geeg]

I totally agree with Envy.

I never do it, have never needed or wanted to do it as I make the nail curve with my brush angles without causing any pressure and I wouldn't waste my time or effort doing it to a client. There should at least be some good reason for doing something and I personally can't think of one good reason for using these 'things".

You would think that in 25 years of creating nails for women, I would have come across a situation where I thought to myself ... Oh, I wish I had a set of those C curve things to make my life easier and my nails look better, I think I'd best invest in some?? No, It has never once crossed my mind.

What are you wanting to use them for Victoria? Surely you are not thinking of using them in the salon? I think it must be for some secret, cunning project you have in mind?

 

[raznik]

Well I happen to use c-curve sticks daily, and its made a massive difference to the strength of my enhancements.

Tools such as these are made to make life foolproof when doing sculptures.
Forget stuffing around with your sculpture form to create a perfect c-curve.
Do the best you can with your form, and rely on the c-curve to perfect it.

Now Im not going to bore you with the analagy of bending a piece of paper and banging it on the table to see how strong it is, however everyone knows if the structure is perfect, then the strength of your enhancement will be the best it can be.

I find the best time to do this, is when you slide your finger around the perimetre of the form, and if it breaks away from the enhancement, without moving the product ( yet your product is still warm to the touch), then its still pliable to bend around a c-curve stick.
Always choose a stick thats slightly smaller than the nail bed for a good fit.

Now pinching however Im not sure Id agree with this, as what the heck are you pinching???, the nail bed, or the free edge??
If its the nail bed, thats not going to move, or ifits the free edge, then just use your c-curve stick.
This would surely cause a debate im sure

Different systems will always endorse different methods of creating enhancements.
You can only be the judge of this, however I personally ( and I dont say this lightly as Ive tried various products) is the best method for me.

I hope this helps.

 

[VHunter]

Although I've never done it, I do agree that it's NOT something for every day. To my mind (opinion, based on my own theory), the sculpt should follow the client's own natural curve. We're supposed to be 'enhancing' what they were born with. Not giving them a 'nose job'. Know what I mean?
I 'think' that pinching the sculpt into an otherwise shape could put pressure on their own nail and if done too much, may not be good.

Raznik said:

Now Im not going to bore you with the analagy of bending a piece of paper and banging it on the table to see how strong it is, however everyone knows if the structure is perfect, then the strength of your enhancement will be the best it can be.

Not sure that I would agree. Bending a piece of paper layers it. That's different than a c-curve. We're not bending layers of acrylic. It's not as if we're folding it upon itself. A piece of paper that is simply curved (not folded a few times over) is no stronger than it was lying flat on the table. Unless I've totally misunderstood?

Now pinching however Im not sure Id agree with this, as what the heck are you pinching???, the nail bed, or the free edge??
If its the nail bed, thats not going to move, or ifits the free edge, then just use your c-curve stick.

I 'think' that having the free-edge pinched will apply pressure to the nail plate over the bed to some degree because the nail can't go from flat to suddenly curve without distortion at the point where the shape changes. Using your paper analogy... if if you kept the paper flat, then suddenly bent only half... there will be that crinkly mess in between distorting the part was naturally flat.

A strongly pinched 'c' curve will put a massive amount of additional force on the enhancement. I have seen it done to the point that when the product fully set the stress was visible on the nail plate and with the slightest of rough handling quickly led to onycholysis...

That is EXACTLY my concern...

BUT there is the odd client, who has horridly flat nails (and I mean FLAT!), whom I think would benefit from a very slight pinch here and there. Only to keep her from nicking the corners off all the time? (remember, I'm in Quebec/Canada. Square shape is the leader, so corners on flat nails are a PITA aka Pain In The A** lol)

But, no matter what forms I use, and how much I pinch them at the end... when I do nails for a special occasion (comp entry, or a Bride...) I just can't seem to get it nice enough. And sometimes.... slightly inconsistent on the odd finger- for whatever reason (I was off my mark with the form OR the client 'leaned' on it while I worked other hand, and distorted it)

I wouldn't trust myself to pinch without a stick, because I'm thinking that without one, I risk pinching too much. With one, it says "stop here".

What are you wanting to use them for Victoria? Surely you are not thinking of using them in the salon? I think it must be for some secret, cunning project you have in mind?

Oh gosh no Gigi, :lol: I wish I was that brilliant. No 'cunning project' Nothing particular at the moment. I just did some nails recently that I know might have been better if I'd gotten my c-curve a little bit more perfect. I was personally dissappointed with them.

As usual, I just want to learn EVERYTHING. Just to 'know'. If that makes any crazy sense?

Thanks everyone!!:hug:

 

[angel fingers]

a good way to improve the c curve on a client with very flat nails.....

file the natural nail so that very little free edge remains
fit the form so that from the profile view the form appears to tilt upward slightly .

the tip of the form can be as high as the apex of the nail enhancement will be
if you want to create a very strong c curve or not quite so tilted up if you want something gentler.

i hope i have explained o.k, try it out on just 1 nail and you should understand the theory.

 

[VHunter]

THANKS SUSAN!!
I'll try that way.
:hug:

 

[Sparklepink]

I wrote something quite a long time ago on pinching and creating the 'ezflow' structure. (gonna have a search on my laptop for the file it was in Scratch sept 08 i think??)

its all about really know your product and the times of the stages, ive been pinching clients nails for years, but it did take some time to get used to then when and hows

are you using apolymer & q monomer?

things like ratios and temperation can also change your pinch times too

right gonna go search for that doc. brb

Jess x

 

[VHunter]

Thanks!!! got it!!

 

[AmeliaR]

i personalyy have never pinched nails and when ive seen a pic of a pinched nail i think it looks not very nice the C curve is too C lol and just looks well fake! but at the prof beauty show manchester 1 of the girls from nail harmony did a sample L+P sculpt nail on my very badly bitten nail! and ohh my she was a pincher and a very forcefull pincher at that! she did the sculpt then squeezed it with elbow tweezers ( which was very painfull!) and then she got a c curve stick and i dont know what the hell she did with it my OMG it actually felt like my own nail was going to pop of the skin! my eyes were watering!! i was in agony! and for around 2hours after was still tender it just felt wrong! she showed everyone the thing about the paper were when its curved it stonger but thats paper not L+P.

but anyway after my ramble, if you are going to get them try it on yourself first and see how it feels!

personally i would never put one of my clients throught the pain of it!! x

 

[VHunter]

I think it's one of those things that's NOT for every day. Just my opinion.

As for the girl that did yours.. she may not have done it right.
In all honesty, your complaint of discomfort is the very first I've ever heard. I'm sure there are others. But as I said, she's likely new at it?
OR because of the environment, was pressed and perhaps not as cautious as usual OR under pressure to produce a perfect curve? Who knows.
I don't. Just hazarding guesses, here.

In any case, I don't plan on using them daily.

Just for 'special' sets such as Brides and comps.

THANKS all the same for your input and VERY sorry you suffered so :-(

 

[Mieke]

I do pinch my clients nails. I think it enhances the look of nails and that they become stronger. I think that it´s one of those things where everyone should decide for themselves if they think its usefull to perform in the salon or not.
As long as you are carefull not to over-pinch the nails i don´t see any downside to this.

When i do a new set i tapp with my brush or a c-curve stick on the surface of the acrylic. if it sounds like you are hitting on rubber it´s too early, if you hear (hard to explain) a tapping/solid sound then you know you can use your c-curve stick and push the free edge around it without that anything will stick. be also carefull not to wait to long or you´re stuck. for example : i find that when i work with cnd l&p that by the the time i finished the 2nd finger i can pinch the first one. Once i managed to get a nice c-curve i place some sort of tweezer on the finger that will bring the sidewalls straight in. I don´t always repeat it when a customer comes for rebalancing their nails since often they still have a nice shape to them. it´s every other time i do it about.

 

[Annemarie]

I know this thread is a a few months old but is there a video I could maybe take a look at, so that I can see how the pinching is done?:biggrin:

 

[VHunter]

YouTube - Young Nails Block party collection 3 - www.mijnnagelgroothandel.nl

 

[Annemarie]

Thank you, that's great:biggrin: