3 methods of cutting hair

We will discuss three methods of cutting hair.

They are scissor cutting, clipper cutting and razor cutting.

We will focus on scissor cutting and clipper cutting because razor cutting is a much more difficult technique which requires a lot more practice time and it uses much more finger strength. However, the razor can be great for adding texture.

7 Tools for cutting hair

Regardless of the method you choose it will require a certain set of tools. Some tools you may use are a cape, spray bottle, 7 inch and rat-tail combs, butterfly hair clips, hair cutting scissors, clippers and trimmers, clipper guards and thinning shears.

You can get all of these supplies at a beauty store near you. Make sure to call ahead because a lot of beauty supply stores are actually distributors for licensed professionals only.

1) Selecting a cape

When selecting a cape you will notice there are many types to choose from.

You will see hair cutting capes, color or chemical service capes, multipurpose capes etc. Try to find one that is light weight and not too bulky. For example, color and chemical capes are made of a thick plastic so the clients clothes don't get stained with color or get saturated with perm solution. These capes are too bulky to use for cutting hair so you can select a cape that is light weight and made of cloth.

If you're trying to cut cost you can use a torn garbage bag but please don't use this technique on a small child due to the risk of suffocation. I would avoid using a towel because ti is really hard to wrap around the person without a lot of the bulk getting in the way.

2) 7 inch styling comb

A common comb used when cutting hair is the 7 inch styling comb. It is a great tool for many reasons.

First of all, the spacing is different on either side of the comb. One side has teeth spaced really close together and the other has teeth space a little further apart. This allows for different amounts of tension.

When the teeth are spaced closer together you can comb the hair with much more tension. This is great for creating very precise lines to cut. When the teethe are spaced further apart, it allows you to work with larger amounts of hair. This comb also has markings at every inch which makes it easy for you to determine how much hair to cut or how much hair to leave on the head after cutting.

3) Rat-tail comb

Another comb to use is the rat-tail comb. This comb is great for precisely sectioning hair because of its pointy end. Also, the spacing of the teeth is close together so it works great for stretching small sections of hair in order to cut precise lines.

4) Clips

When selecting clips there is no need to be picky. The main idea when selecting clips is to make sure it will hold a significant amount of hair since it will be used to clip large sections of hair out of the way.

5) Scissors

You must have hair cutting scissors. You absolutely cannot do a decent hair cut without them. Really sharp craft scissors will not do the trick. Just like you wouldn't use craft scissors to cut hair, don't use your hair cutting scissors to cut anything but hair.

Hair cutting scissors come in a wide variety of shapes and functionality. You don't need to get really fancy when selecting a pair. We would recommend the scissors be a minimum of 5 1/4 inches to a maximum of 5 3/4 inches long.

Parts of the scissor and how to hold them

There are six parts to the scissor. Finger grip, tang, thumb grip, still blade, moving blade and the hand screw.

The tang is the little piece that is attached to the finger grip. It is there for your pinky to rest on when your cutting hair for control and stability.

Connected to the tang is the finger grip. This is the circular opening where your ring finger on your dominant hand will go. The finger grip is connected to the still blade. The thumb grip is the other circular opening where your thumb is inserted. The moving part of the blade is controlled by the thumb grip. In the center of the scissors there is a hand screw. The hand screw holds the scissors together and also adjusts the tension on the blades. Tighten the screw to make the blades move harder, loosen to move easier. Adjust them how ever they feel the best to you.

Choose your best hair scissor

You can check in our website all the different types of scissors you can try to have the perfect haircut at home.

https://pure-keratin.com/hairdressing/hair-scissors/

6) Clippers

Cutting boys or men's hair usually requires clippers especially if you are doing a buzz cut or a fade. Clipper sets usually come with a trimmer but if not then you should purchase one separately. You will need to cut the hair as close to the skin as possible around the ears and the hair line. It is much easier to cut hair around these areas using the trimmer because the clippers are bulky and are not designed to cut precise lines.

7) Clipper guards

You must invest in a set of clipper guards if not included in your clipper set. There are many different sizes for clipper guards. Focus on the basic four. 1/2 inch, 3/8 inch, 1/4 inch and the blender guard. The 1/2 inch guard will leave a 1/2 inch of hair on the head and the blender guard will be the closest to the scalp. Any more hair than that and you would use the scissors. A good example of a haircut is the fade. With this haircut you would start with the blender guard at the neck line and increase the guard length every couple of inches or so as you move up the back of the head. Once you have faded the entire section you would blend the sides and the top with your scissors.