I am working on editing this section of my Full Cap eBook as we speak.

Keep in mind that if you are using a knife the blade has to be SHARP, because as MB mentioned it has a tendency to stretch the lace. My rule of thumb is that when cutting into a base through hair, I always use a blade, holding the piece properly to avoid cutting hairs. If the base has no hair and very little excess base to hold onto on both sides I use scissors.

Here is an excerpt from the eBook. Keep in mind that it isn't completely edited. Hope it helps.

Quote:There are a couple of things you will need to do to prepare your new lace unit for a cut-in.

One of the things you will need to do is remove the excess lace.

After the hair has been ventilated into the base of a hairpiece, the ventilator generally leaves some of the excess base material intact. This allows you to customize the perimeter to your liking, as some people prefer to leave a small amount of lace extending out from the hairline, temples, or any other area on a full cap.

On an all French lace full cap, I generally prefer to trim the lace all the way back to the hairline around the entire perimeter. For me personally, the french lace tends to buckle at the hairline if I leave any excess lace, so I simply remove it entirely. Swiss lace is a more flexible material, and as such I like to leave about 1/8 of an inch of excess lace at the hairline. I would recommend leaving a little excess lace with any kind of lace base, test it for yourself, and remove more material if you think it will help you to achieve a better attachment.

In order to trim the lace you will need a small pair of scissors or a sharp hobby knife.

For trimming lace where I am actually removing a piece that still has hair ventilated into it, such as the sideburns, I always use a hobby knife with a sharp, triangular shaped blade. Using the very tip of the knife I am able to easily cut through the base material without having to worry about cutting the hair, which is very important to maintaining the integrity of the piece. As long as you grip the base properly, you will be able to trim away the excess with minimal damage to the hair.

The trick to this method is to work from the underside of the unit, gripping the base with four or five fingers, in a manner that does not place tension on the hair itself. This method requires a little practice to position your hands properly, but when you get the hang of it you can remove sideburns, or any other parts of the base that contain hair quickly and easily.

When trimming away base material that does not contain any hair, you might find it easier to use scissors.

When using scissors to trim the base, comb the hair back away from the edge to prevent the hair from being cut. This time you are going to cut the lace from the top of the base. Most any type can be used, but I recommend using the smallest scissors you can find. Once the hair is combed away from the edge cut the lace slowly, opening the jaws of the scissors just enough to cut the lace. By using small scissors and making small cuts, you will avoid cutting any stray hairs.

Continue working your way around the base, combing the hair back and trimming the lace one section at a time.

This is part of the eBook which is the basis for the DVD script so you will have to visualize what I am talking about when I say "hold the base with four or five fingers in a manner that does not place tension on the hair itself". What this basically means is that you can hold it however you like as long as there is no TENSION between the hair and the base where the knife blade is cutting. Takes a little practice, but once you get the feel for it this makes cutting into hairline areas a breeze. Just make sure you use the very tip of a SHARP knife, and don't allow any tension on the hairs surrounding your cut.

If you need any clarification, just ask.