I don't see anything wrong with stretching with 2nds/blemished glass plugs as long as the surface isn't cracked or anything of that sort. But if it were metal that was seconds I'd definitely think twice about using them to stretched because the surface could be imperfect with scratches and what not.

but I think she's planning to stretch with glass pieces, and she's concerned that the gauge will be off if she stretches with seconds which are improperly sized.

I understand budgeting, but please don't be cheap with your body art, Raven. Maybe go to a piercer for the stretch itself could save your money--their tapers--and most piercers charge a nominal fee for such services.

I wasn't really planning on being cheap with my Body Art Cloud. I Was just curious if I did end up deciding on seconds, if it would affect the stretch negatively. I want to buy good quality jewelery the will be the best for my lobes, but not something insanely expensive since i'm on'y going to be using it once, until I stretch up to the next guage. Sorry if I gave that impression.

As for going to a piercer to stretch, do you really think it would be cheaper, or just a better idea for that matter? I was thinking of maybe going down that route, but wasn't sure what would be the best or not. I thought it might be the best, especially 'cause after a while, it wouldn't be worth buying tapers in such large sized for only a single use. Thanks for popping that possibility in my head again to re-examine

Also, if anyone has any good suggestions for some jewlery, let me know. I've been looking for some jeweley for wearing post-stretch, but i can't seem to find a lot. Thankies

I didn't really get that impression, Raven, just kind of a knee-jerk reaction. So many people buy cheap jewelry, and suffer for it, most without ever realizing why.

Maybe talk to some other people about the piercer thing. I'm not a hands-on kind of girl, so I don't even change my jewelry myself mostly.

I don't know where you are obtaining "seconds"--but I'd ask. Ask why they're seconds. Defects in appearance would probably be harmless, for example. You could buy a gauge wheel and check the gauge yourself, too.

Thanks for the imput Cloud
Oh, incase anyone's wondering, I was planning on getting them from BAF 'casue I know they have a good rep.

I think you should go ahead and get some seconds in the size you want, and see how they size up, look at the surface, that sort of thing. I think the surface on those is probably all just fine, I don't think they're that bad of seconds. If they're a little too big, you might want to wait and not wear them for a long time. If they're a little too small, it might make the stretch up even easier though. I have some of those seconds you're talking about, and there's really nothing wrong with them, but they're slightly bigger than 12g. It wouldn't have worked to slide them through behind a taper smoothly, but my next stretch will probably be easier.

I have 2 pair of seconds. The gauge was off a bit on both of them. My 8g pair had one plug that was closer to 6g. and my 2g plugs are somewhere between 4g and 2g.I recently had an oopsie with my left lobe and downsized to 4g. I can get one of my 2g seconds in, but not a 2g steel plug, or the other 2nds plug.

Make sense? lol

Basically, I wouldn't stretch with seconds.

Did I miss it? What gauge are you stretching to?