HN Explorer

Ask HN: Do you cut your own hair?

7 points by codegeek ↗ HN
Not sure if this is very HN appropriate but this is one of my biggest pain points. I am fortunate to have thick hair that I grow quickly. I like to keep my hair short. Anything beyond 3.5-4 weeks is pushing it. I hate, absolutely hate going to a hair salon/barber etc.

I even bought lot of hair cutting tools but how the heck do you cut your own hair ?

11 comments

[ 4.0 ms ] story [ 37.8 ms ] thread
abdophoto
I've actually been cutting my own hair for probably close to 15 years now with a standard hair clipper. It's not just a buzz-cut either. I actually have more on the top (like a #7) and a less on the sides (#3).

It really just comes from practice and learning the shape of your head. Once you use clippers for a while you'll understand how it works. The only challenging part is trimming your neckline which is where I usually have my wife help me. Otherwise it's just a lot of practice.

One tip is always start with a higher numbered attachment and work your way down. It's better to cut off less than more when you're first learning. If you don't like the result, you can go to a barber and he can fix it for you.

Guest978120
Same, I use clippers, but go #3 - #8. Here, I photoshopped a quick image.

http://i.imgur.com/tXbKNtF.jpg (red and green wrap around the head, blue is just the top section)

Red, I use #3. Green, I use #5. Blue, I do #8 at the front, #7 towards the back. Then, after that, I use the inbetween numbers. So I use a #4, and smooth out the transition from red to green. Then I use a #6, and smooth out from green to blue.

To finish, thinning sheers. They're basically magic. I have thick hair, so I just clip all over the place at different lengths, and it blends everything together nicely.

The neckline is difficult to get straight. I'm finally able to do it with a few mirrors, but it's a lot easier if you have someone else that can take 10 seconds for you.

I just use some clippers by Wahl, and they've always worked fine. Cleanup takes the most time. Watch a few YouTube videos to get a better idea, and pick a forgiving time to cut your hair as a first attempt. If all goes wrong, you can just buzz it, or wear a hat for a week.

DanBC
Yes.

Last time it needed to be done I let my 3 year old son do it, using clippers. Great fun.

EDIT: as to how -

Get some wide masking tape. Stick that on the back of your head / neck. That gives you a really easy way to get a straight line.

Use the graded combs.

Practice.

Frozenlock
Yes. I use a clipper to cut my hairs short and same length everywhere. Takes between 5-10 minutes (plus cleaning) every few months.
anishkothari
I don't know if this helps, but you can get a good haircut for cheap in ethnic neighborhoods in major cities (~$5) [e.g. Devon Ave. in Chicago] They often do a quicker and better job than in franchise hair salons/barbershops that charge 2-3x. I really enjoy a good haircut and I don't like overpaying, so this is the best option I've found.
micky_25
I started cutting my own hair a few ago to save money and because I also hated going to hair dressers. A started doing small trims, but after a while was confident to try whatever I felt like. Guys hair really isn't that hard to cut if your just doing the basics, and I've found it is really convenient to be able to do it myself.
cprncus
Yes. Like everyone else here, I use clippers ($8 in Wal-Mart) and have for now about 7 years. Wife does the edge by neck, or I can try in a mirror. Key point: take them seriously when they tell you to oil after every use, or they will rust/lock up.

I'm up to about 7 * $15 * 5x/yr = ~$500 savings. Look out, world!

teni
I used to with a clipper, but because there was no real way to even out the cut it meant I'd cut off all the hair till my head shinned in the sun. My girlfriend didn't like the look so I stopped....:)
stevekemp
I shave my head every few days/weeks. The longest I've gone without shaving my head is probably three months.

I've been doing this for at least the last ten years, and mostly I manage to avoid cutting myself. That said if my hair is too long I never shave the day before a wedding, interview, or similar. Just in case I end up having to go with wounds!

jbobes
I did actually. Working on the cloud306.com brought me to it. I looked like a hobo.