Help with first dread attempt

Mmmkay, heres the deal.
Im a white guy, with about 4 of 5 inches of straight blonde hair....
Ive decided to go with the backcombing method because im impatient, and I also tried rubbing a wool shirt on my head, that just seemed to make a huge ass mess, more of a birds nest than dreads, so idk what to do about that one.
But, the reason I posted this was because I was hoping one of the many dreadlock gurus out there might be able to tell me why my hair only bunches up when I backcomb it instead of make knotty strands....
Any help or adivce on how to stop that would be awesome.

Thanks.

 

Backcombing really is just a bunching up of the hair. It is just a way to put the hairs into positions more likely to lead to knots. Usually, before the hairs all slide back down into their regular position, enough of them have become tangled into one another for the backcombed section to hold its shape and start growing into a dreadlock.

 

Im still in the debating stage of all of this, I just want to see a full dread so it can kinda get a feel for it and what not, but it wont seem to work for me.
Is sectioning the hair a big part in backcombing?
Because im a guy, and I dont know much about doing this and that to hair, I just comb mine, but i stopped recently for the dreading process, is there anything else I can do to my hair to make them dread up a little bit better rather than just bunch up at first?
Because mty hair looks rediculous after I backcomb a section and I just brush it out right away....

 

If you backcomb your hair to start your dreadlocks then yes, you will have fuzzy sausages of backcombed hair for some time before you have a set of tight knotty locks.

 

Ive only tried on one spot, it was like, right in fron of my ears, and they didnt even make "fuzzy sausages" it just mad a huge rats nest...So I brushed it out
Is there a way that I can somehow take the rats nest and "cylinderize" it?

 

It's usual to palm-roll a bit after backcombing, to help with the shape. That will come soon enough after a couple of washes anyway I think.

SmellyD has just backcombed for a fresh dready start:

http://www.hipforums.com/newforums/showthread.php?t=350463&f=209

 

It all depends on what you want. If you want neat uniformed dreadlocks then yes, section away. If not then just grab random chunks here and there and back comb them. I personally prefer the random look, but it's all down to personal preference really.

 

i did indeed!

wooooop

i wore a funky headscarf thing last night, to keep them together while i slept, and now theyre all compacted and squished (but still fuzzy lil sausages)

 

Awesome!
The pics helped alot...
I guess the problem with me is that I have straight blonde shorter hair, so ittl be harder for me eh?
just my luck, but oh well.
I tried palm rollin em, but its difficult cuz of the length, but yeah, what can ya do?
I guess ill just have to convice my friends to sit down and help me tomorow...
Thatll be a chore....
Im gonna go try again with one and tell you how it goes...
Thanks guys.

 

i think the length of you hair will give you the most problems.. the longest bit of mine is about 8 inches id say, so its obv more to backcomb

took nina about 4 hours yesterday to do mine, and that was quite slowly cause shes ill, and we had a few breaks for munchies =D

ill prolly put some more pics up in the next few days, so keep an eye out

and feel free to ask more Q's etc =]

 

And another thing before I full out do this.....I need to know if I have the face etc for dreads

Not the best, but its what I could pull out of myspace....
This is about two years ago, but my hair is that length.
Im the right one btw.

Would I even look good with dreads or no?

 

Ok, I went from something looking like this....

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To this.....
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It's all about time and patience....

Sorry the pics are a bit huge, I'm a computer retard and also to lazy to resize them. If anyone gets annoyed by them tell me and I'll remove them and resize....

 

Woah talk about inspiration pics Merrivale!

 

They are great looking dreads Merrivale! How did you get that result? Backcomb, crochet or just let them do their thing?

 

Sorry I'm too lazy to go over that again! If you're interested read this thread...

http://www.hipforums.com/newforums/showthread.php?t=350226

 

So guess what?
I am now the proud owner of a little itty bitty dread


It took a while, and I had to use a bunch of hair clip things, but I did it....
Im mighty proud....
now to find the time to do my entire head....

I take it it is normal to feel a sort of pulling on it when its done?

 

Congrats on your first dread. Got pics? Make sure you put a bead or wrap so you can always remember it as your first when you got a head full of them.
Backcombing is not the most comfortable thing in the world and will leave your head feeling like the hair is still being pulled out of the roots for a while after.

 

Nah, dont have a camera at the moment, but when my entire head is done, ill make sure to put up pics.

So like, when I take a shower in a bit, should I try and avoid that area of my hair, or treat it like any other hair?

 

well usually when you got new dreads you wouldn't wash them or get them wet for about the first 2 or 3 weeks. So if you can mange it, i wouldnt get it wet just yet.

 

lol, ok, you just jumpstarted me lol.
Im gona try and convince the shit out of my friends tomorow and try and get them to help me.
Now i just wanna do my entire head man!