Fed up with the price of "professional" haircuts? Tired of losing layers of skin off your scalp after using the RoboCut Vacuum Haircut machine? None of your friends want to do it because "they don't know how"? Then it's time to grab some scissors and get hacking!
Remove these ads by
Signing UpStep 1: Materials
Here's a list of what you'll need:
Sharp Object -
While scissors are my weapon of choice, I imagine a steak knife, exacto, hedge trimmers or any other cutting tool would do the trick.
Electric Buzzer, Beard Trimmer and/or Razor (not pictured) -
No sense in mowing just half the lawn, is there? I will only be trimming my beard. Mainly because it has been so long since I actually shaved, I think I've forgotten how. If you wish to go for the clean look, then all the power to you!
Hair Disposal Unit -
I usually just use the bathroom trash bin. Putting it in the sink helps by not only acting as a second hair-catcher, but also puts the bin at a more practical height.
Numerous Fine, Usually Cylindrical, Keratinous Filaments Growing From The Skin of a Human -
Uh...that would be your hair, or if you want a practice go, try a mop.
Documentation Device (optional) -
To record my haircut I used a simple digital camera. Having learned from my mistake, I strongly advice the use of a tripod, since, as you will later see, I do not have three hands.
Sharp Object -
While scissors are my weapon of choice, I imagine a steak knife, exacto, hedge trimmers or any other cutting tool would do the trick.
Electric Buzzer, Beard Trimmer and/or Razor (not pictured) -
No sense in mowing just half the lawn, is there? I will only be trimming my beard. Mainly because it has been so long since I actually shaved, I think I've forgotten how. If you wish to go for the clean look, then all the power to you!
Hair Disposal Unit -
I usually just use the bathroom trash bin. Putting it in the sink helps by not only acting as a second hair-catcher, but also puts the bin at a more practical height.
Numerous Fine, Usually Cylindrical, Keratinous Filaments Growing From The Skin of a Human -
Uh...that would be your hair, or if you want a practice go, try a mop.
Documentation Device (optional) -
To record my haircut I used a simple digital camera. Having learned from my mistake, I strongly advice the use of a tripod, since, as you will later see, I do not have three hands.
Visit Our Store »
Go Pro Today »
My method for doing this is pretty simple, grab a chunk of hair, and twist/twirl into a single pointy strand. Cut the tip at an angle and you'll end up with a blended look when you let go. With longer hair (> 1/2 inch), you don't want it all the same length or you'll look like Moe from the 3 Stooges. Twisting your hair while cutting adds variable length to the clump you're cutting.
I do the twirl method all around me head, taking off the same amount radially around my head. One nice advantage is that I can twirl with my right hand on the left side of my head, then switch to holding the strands with my left and cut with my right.
To test for overall length I just really slowly run both hands through my hair at symmetric spots; when I run out of hair on one side but not the other, I trim the length to match.
One other tip, I use my camera in video mode to look at the back of my head. I take a video moving the camera around lots of different angles, then trim and look at it again.
I'd post some pictures of the process, but I just cut it last week in haste for an upcoming presentation. After a few days of looking at in the mirror, you get a good idea of spots that need adjustment. Also your good friends will usually let you know if "you missed a spot".
Thanks for all the great feedback guys. This came from trying to find something similar online, and when my search turned up nothing useful, I decided to make my own how-to. I'm still cutting my own hair 4 years later, though I've upgraded to a buzzer which makes it much simpler, but either way I've easily saved a few hundred in barber costs over the years.
I haven't paid someone to cut my hair in 15 years. At a recent wedding where I had to have the stylist put my hair into a style (why?), the stylist expressed disbelief that I cut my own hair as it was "too even".
If only someone could write an instructable on how to get the girl cutting your hair to take headsize (and a person's non hair lingo'd attempt at describing what he wants) i could rest easy.
And all this talk about avocados tells me that I clearly missed something. ; )
H.B.