(April 2020 Update: This video is a novice mess! RETIGHTENING YOUR LOCS AT HOME https://www.sisterlocked.com/2020/04/retightening-your-microlocs-at-home.html)




I've decided to try my hand at re-tightening my own sisterlocks for the first time. I want to warn you that I have not taken the official course which is pricey (~$250). Now that I am starting my own business while pursuing my Master's and pregnant with our 2nd child, I don't have as much discretionary income. So paying someone $100-150 every 4-8 weeks is just not financially feasible for my household.  After much discussion with more seasoned sisterlockers and much research, I've decided to take the self-care plunge. This comes at a perfect time since my hair seems to need TLC every 3-4 weeks these days.

The first step is making a homemade sisterlock tool instead of purchasing the traditional sisterlock tool or the nappyloc tool (which comes highly recommended and is pictured below):

I want to warn against the heat, I ruined two needles with the fire step. The third came out perfectly fine without the heat.

My current loctician explained that I am a pattern 3 and after some research I want to continue with a 3, which yields a looser, fuller and fluffier looking lock. These videos were a great help to me:

A post from a professional helped me to visualize sisterlock pattern three aka 9, 6, 9, 12 (as in the face of a clock).



Dreadlock Journey advises to:
Always enter the loc at the scalp. As you pull your loc through, always push loop down towards the loc to eliminate gaps in your lock. Repeat until you are at the scalp and cannot complete another rotation. Your retightening should resemble a fishtail and feel like a tight cord.
Thus far I have re-tightened 5 locks successfully but wanted to share this post in the interim!