How to Trim Hair With Electric Cutters
Trimming hair with electric cutters, more commonly known as clippers, is the quickest way to create a close, even and clean-looking men's haircut. You can choose to use the clippers on the sides and back only for a more traditional cut, or use the clippers throughout the entire cut, creating what is commonly known as a brush cut. Before trimming hair with electric cutters, always ensure that your clipper blades are clean and sharp. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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1
Check your electric cutter blades to ensure they are free of hair or other debris. Apply a small amount of clipper oil to the blades, and turn on the clippers for two to three seconds to allow the oil to lubricate the blades.
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2
Attach the appropriate clipper guard based on how short you want to trim the hair. Turn on the clippers.
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3
Tilt the head downward. Place the top side of the clipper guard against the middle of the neck and, in an upward motion, glide the clippers through the hair to the occipital bone. The occipital bone is the "bump" you feel at the back of the head, where the neck and skull meet.
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4
Continue to trim the hair in the back, from ear to ear, stopping at the same height as the occipital bone.
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5
Position your body to stand directly beside the person's hair. Place the clippers against the skin in front of the ear.
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6
Slowly glide the electric cutters upward, stopping just above the temple. Continue to trim the hair on the side, moving towards the back of the head, until you have reached the area just behind the ear.
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7
Fold the top of the ear down with your free hand. Position the clippers behind the ear in line with the hairline's angle. Slowly run the clippers from the already cut back area to the already cut area behind the ears, to join the two. Repeat this process for the other side.
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8
Cut the hair on top of the head. Starting at the front hairline, glide the clippers through the hair towards the back of the head until you meet up with the previously trimmed hair in that section.
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9
Continue gliding the clippers through the hair, from the front hairline to the back, until all the hair is the same length.
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10
Clean up any stray hairs along the hairline. Remove the clipper guard and create a straight line along the perimeter of the hairline by gently pressing the clipper blades against the hairline.
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Tips & Warnings
If you want the hair on top to be longer, stop trimming once you have connected the trimmed sides and back at the ear area in Step 7. Exchange the clipper guard to one that will leave the hair longer and resume the remaining Steps. Use scissors, or the clippers with the guard removed, to blend the two lengths.
If using the clippers, place the comb between the head and the clippers so it acts as a guard to prevent you from trimming off too much hair.
Always use clippers on dry hair. Wet hair clogs the electric cutter blades and can cause them to rust.
