Set your clippers to a No. 1 blade.
Tilt your client’s head downwards. Following their natural head shape, work up from the nape (the centre point) to the occipital area. Remember to keep the clippers flat against the head at the nape.
Work out from the centre towards the sides.
Choosing your clippers
There are two types of clippers you can use: electric or hand held. Most people these days use electric clippers. Clippers have two serrated blades, one of which moves across the other to give a very fast cutting action.
Small, hand-held clippers are useful for cleaning up any rough edges on a hairline or sideburns.
Generally, you will use clippers on dry hair but the effect will be no different if the hair is wet. They are ideal for shaping and designing hairlines and to cut hair very short, very quickly.
You should clean and oil your clippers and change the blades regularly.
Clipper guards
To get a good, even result, particularly when you are cutting very close to a client’s head, it is important to use a guard with your clippers.
Guards come in different sizes to create different hair lengths. Once you have learned the basic art of using the clippers, you can go on to create cuts of different lengths using the various sizes.
| Clipper size | Length of hair |
| 0000 | Very close to the skin, like shaving |
| 000 | 0.3mm, close to the skin |
| 00 | 0.4mm |
| 0 | 0.8mm |
| 0A | 1.2mm |
| 1 | 3.3mm |
| 1A | 4.0mm |
| 11/2 | 4.8mm |
| 2 | 6.4mm |
| 3 | 7.9mm |
Tip:
Work up from the centre, then cut towards the sides of the back area. And keep checking the balance of your cut.
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