What Makes a Good Hair Clipper?
A hair clipper is an electronic device that has a dull blade which vibrates when turned on. The quick movement of the blade allows it to cut through hair. A clipper can be used directly against the skin to achieve a very close cut, or it can be used further from the root of the hair to create very short hairstyles like a buzz cut.
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What Makes a Good Hair Clipper
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The top named brands of hair clippers on the market give you the best experience, according to hairproducts.com, "by providing consistent performance and reliability. When you invest in good clippers you can expect your investment to last for years and years." A good hair clipper should provide an even cut at the length you want every time. A good hair clipper is the sum of its parts: a quality blade, guards and a reliable source of power (electric or battery operated) are the basics. Paired with that is a trustworthy brand. While the clippers may last a lifetime, some of the parts may need to be replaced occasionally. A good hair clipper is backed by a brand name with good customer service that will provide you with necessary replacement parts or with technical support.
Blades
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A quality, sharp blade is the most important component of a good hair clipper because you need it to get a clean, even cut through each hair strand without snagging or breakage. Wahl, a well-known brand of hair clippers, makes replacement blades directly available from the manufacturer, or, if the blades are not broken, they offer a sharpening service in their factory at a nominal rate. A good hair clipper is one that is kept in good repair. Keeping the blades sharp is essential.
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Guards
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In order to create the desired length and hairstyle, good clippers come with guards. A guard, also referred to as a guide comb, is a plastic attachment that fits over the blades to keep them a specified distance from your scalp. A good hair clipper has a variety of guards to choose from. If you want your hair length to be 1 inch, a 1 inch guard will cause the blade to cut your hair 1 inch from your scalp. The best guards are those that are color coded; each length guard has a particular color attributed to it to make for easy memorization. Guards are also useful for creating multi-length haircuts if you want a style that is shorter in some areas and longer in others. Wahl.com explains, "color key on clipper and corresponding color coded comb provide quick identification when selecting the guide comb you need. Get it right every time!"
Brands
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Well-known brand names of hair clippers have been around for many years. According to Wahl.com, Wahl introduced their first electric hair clipper in 1911. Wahl, Andis, Oster, Conair, Remington, Hot Tools, Philips Norelco are well-known brands of hair clippers listed on HairBoutique.com. Well-known name brands are used by professionals and amateurs alike; a good hair clipper is necessary in a salon, so if you're looking for the best, it is a good idea to choose what the professionals are using.
Considerations
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Maintaining a good hair clipper is easy and will make them last a long time and deliver a superior haircut every time. Wahl.com recommends the following: "in order to ensure that you get the most life and performance out of your clipper or trimmer, we recommend that you oil your unit before each use." Refer to the instruction manual or customer service for directions on how to properly oil your blades. Improper oiling can cause oil to enter and ruin the motor.
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References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Randy
