Hi all new to the forum. Been wearing for 2 years now and definetely has been a roller coaster! Had many ups and downs and always learning something new. Wearing is not as easy as I first imagined but having hair and being able to feel confident again out ways any negatives. I've always used stock systems just because I've never got round to ordering custom but will do soon as I want to drop density. I've learnt to cut my own system from YouTube ....also another learning curve! Blending I always forget me most challenging. I've attached a few pics..I've always had issues with colour but again I match myself as I've not sent a sample in either,I've been too impatient for the past 2 years but when I get my cutie m ordered it should be another exciting challenge! Loving this journey and forum.

Another picture

Another pic

Picture please

Oh it's all Swiss lace attached with walker ultra hold perimeter and 3 mil at hairline. Use aveda black Malva mixed with conditioner to dilute to colour system and own hair. Colour ordered is the #6

Looks great Boris - excellent result.

Wonderful Boris. I hope I can get that good in styling my own hair.

damn boris, i wish i could cut my own system!! i do my bio but send unit to debbie for a remote cut in...for the mistake free cut and great price its a no brainer for me...i am pretty sire i would screw up quite a number of pieces on my own.
you did a great job with cutting and blending.....
i do have a suggestion for your custom if you dont mind...it looks like your sides are pretty receded or at least your temples are....for your custom i would suggest an A contour...it adds some recession without looking like richard nixon. overall IMHO it would flow into your sides better. jon posted a thread about contours you can see all the contours here
http://forum.toplace.com/showthread.php?tid=6575

i actually need to go custom, always have. but like you i am impatient and like that i can get a stock quickly. i alter them myself. i attach an A contour tape to the front and trim the front to fit it...then i very carefully use nair to graduate the hairline again. sometimes i need to bleach the hairline because depending on the piece i might have some visible knots because i have dark hair i reduce the density of the rest of the piece using the nair method..then condition with black malva to get any red tones in the 1b out. i actaully need black but i expose my hairline and black is a bit of a problem to bleach..
disclaimer i have not ordered from john so they are not toplace pieces

It's definitely a bit daunting at first cutting your own hair but Everything about wearing is and we manage! It's quite forgiving also,it's not like surgery..you can get away with not being perfect . Finding a good stylist is appealing to,as long as they don't rip you off like we probally all have before!
Yeh love hair the dreaded temples lol I have cut recession into the piece before but unlike you haven't graduated the hairline so wearing hair up wasn't really an option...your method sounds really precise, I wouldn't have the patience for all of that! Hair wearing is really an art and so many different things to tweek. Is nair an easy process? Does the hair shed pretty soon after or does it take a while? I was thinking of going for a B contour on the custom order, I hope it's enough with the dentsty drop to support my sides and grow them out a bit they do look thicker. I don't want to go down temple flap route or HT yet....feels like when you're just getting the hang of things something else pops up ! Have you considered ordering blonde front if you dye anyway and dying that to your colour to eliminate knots

it is easy...i use a thin artist brush nd put little dots on the lace side maybe a 1/4" apart...let it sit...rinse thoroughly...i then slightly tub to remove affected hair...shake it out to shed more....i generally dothis nair before i transition to it because it sheds a bit more after....instead i just dampen it and shake for a few days, maybe a week and thats it.

actually the place i ordered from actually had somebody's custom that was returned for whatever reason....it was an A contour with 80% density....their stocks are 100% (which is pretty much equal to johns stock density....so this 80 was perfect and it had a blonde front...best piece i ever had...plus it was a light brown so i had to use a demi dye....again perfect! never had to dye again just maintained with black malva