Getting a Haircut during this Crisis, Hmmm?
- Thread starter The Count of Merkur Cristo
- Start date
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
I tend to tie it back a lot, and use a Buff or similar snood thingy for shaving. The only thing I tend to braid though, is my goatee.
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
After not having a haircut since the start of the pandemic, quite a bit of damage had built up on the ends, and I was getting a lot of tangles when brushing.
I got somewhat frustrated with it this morning, and grabbed a pair of scissors. no guides, no measuring devices, just seek and destroy. I'll worry about evening up the length afterwards.
By seek and destroy, I mean grabbing small sections of hair, less than 3mm across the whole clump, and sliding my fingers down, till I feel knots or splits. Then halving that section, running down each half, and gradually separating out undamaged sections, and hacking out the damaged bits.
Erring on the side of caution, my hair does feel a lot better, but I can tell the task is not yet complete. It's been quite a mixed bag, with 1 to 2 inch being the typical amount removed, but occasionally, I've found a few strands which needed 3"+ trimming out.
Once I've got it all feeling in better condition, I might straighten it, before evening up the length somewhat. As my hair is quite curly, I don't have to be super accurate in evening it up. It's more a matter of making sure one side of the head isn't 4" shorter than the other.
To even it up, I'll just seperate left from right, kind of like two unbraided pigtails, and make sure they're roughly the same length as each other, then wash it and let it dry naturally, before checking again with the natural curl in. It might be in the region of 2" to 3" reduction overall, maybe slightly more, but it'll still leave a nett gain over the growing period.
Hopefully, doing it seek and destroy style, and only trimming back stark disparities in length afterwards, it should leave me with a natural feathered edge to the length, rather than the artificial "just been cut" look.
This is my first ever attempt at a home trim, and so I'm not ruling out having to visit the local hair butcher to correct any hideous disfigurement afterwards
I got somewhat frustrated with it this morning, and grabbed a pair of scissors. no guides, no measuring devices, just seek and destroy. I'll worry about evening up the length afterwards.
By seek and destroy, I mean grabbing small sections of hair, less than 3mm across the whole clump, and sliding my fingers down, till I feel knots or splits. Then halving that section, running down each half, and gradually separating out undamaged sections, and hacking out the damaged bits.
Erring on the side of caution, my hair does feel a lot better, but I can tell the task is not yet complete. It's been quite a mixed bag, with 1 to 2 inch being the typical amount removed, but occasionally, I've found a few strands which needed 3"+ trimming out.
Once I've got it all feeling in better condition, I might straighten it, before evening up the length somewhat. As my hair is quite curly, I don't have to be super accurate in evening it up. It's more a matter of making sure one side of the head isn't 4" shorter than the other.
To even it up, I'll just seperate left from right, kind of like two unbraided pigtails, and make sure they're roughly the same length as each other, then wash it and let it dry naturally, before checking again with the natural curl in. It might be in the region of 2" to 3" reduction overall, maybe slightly more, but it'll still leave a nett gain over the growing period.Hopefully, doing it seek and destroy style, and only trimming back stark disparities in length afterwards, it should leave me with a natural feathered edge to the length, rather than the artificial "just been cut" look.
This is my first ever attempt at a home trim, and so I'm not ruling out having to visit the local hair butcher to correct any hideous disfigurement afterwards
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
After not having a haircut since the start of the pandemic, quite a bit of damage had built up on the ends, and I was getting a lot of tangles when brushing.
I got somewhat frustrated with it this morning, and grabbed a pair of scissors. no guides, no measuring devices, just seek and destroy. I'll worry about evening up the length afterwards.
By seek and destroy, I mean grabbing small sections of hair, less than 3mm across the whole clump, and sliding my fingers down, till I feel knots or splits. Then halving that section, running down each half, and gradually separating out undamaged sections, and hacking out the damaged bits.
Erring on the side of caution, my hair does feel a lot better, but I can tell the task is not yet complete. It's been quite a mixed bag, with 1 to 2 inch being the typical amount removed, but occasionally, I've found a few strands which needed 3"+ trimming out.
Once I've got it all feeling in better condition, I might straighten it, before evening up the length somewhat. As my hair is quite curly, I don't have to be super accurate in evening it up. It's more a matter of making sure one side of the head isn't 4" shorter than the other.
Hopefully, doing it seek and destroy style, and only trimming back stark disparities in length afterwards, it should leave me with a natural feathered edge to the length, rather than the artificial "just been cut" look.
This is my first ever attempt at a home trim, and so I'm not ruling out having to visit the local hair butcher to correct any hideous disfigurement afterwards
By your description your approach might be the only one that might begin to make sense as a rational and workable approach to the problems.
I'll be interested in the follow up.
As I recall, you have very long hair, right?
Happy shaves,
Jim
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
I used to have very long hair, but now I just have long hair
I lost more than I anticipated, but I did the right thing to cut out all the damage. when pulled straight, it was bordering on waist length, and now it's just above the bottom rib. Obviously, with the natural curls, it's shorter still. There's a little bit of tidying up left to do, but the bulk of the bad stuff (split ends etc) is gone.
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Cut my hair yesterday.
My previous haircut was several months ago.
I had a very minor back of the head and around the ears trim a month or so ago, to be presentable in court, but not an actual haircut.
Yesterday I used only scissors, but got a pretty decent haircut I think.
I'm still having problems with my Oster 76 clippers. I am 90% sure the problem is in the hinge assembly. I've ordered a replacement hinge. (You'd think that a hinge assembly for such a common part would be easy, but most suppliers are out of stock. It must be another of the supply chain issues.)
Apparently the hinge assembly fails more than I'd expect.
Happy shaves,
Jim
My previous haircut was several months ago.
I had a very minor back of the head and around the ears trim a month or so ago, to be presentable in court, but not an actual haircut.
Yesterday I used only scissors, but got a pretty decent haircut I think.
I'm still having problems with my Oster 76 clippers. I am 90% sure the problem is in the hinge assembly. I've ordered a replacement hinge. (You'd think that a hinge assembly for such a common part would be easy, but most suppliers are out of stock. It must be another of the supply chain issues.)
Apparently the hinge assembly fails more than I'd expect.
Happy shaves,
Jim
I sure could've used this during flu season for about 40 years!
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
This afternoon it was warm enough on my side porch to get a haircut. It probably wasn't my best ever haircut but it will do for government work.
I've replaced the hinge assembly on my Oster clippers and wanted to give them a spin. Nice to have the clippers working again.
On the other hand, I tend to cut a lot more hair with clippers than I do with shears, so my hair is a lot shorter now. Not that it's too short, but just saying...
Happy shaves,
Jim
I've replaced the hinge assembly on my Oster clippers and wanted to give them a spin. Nice to have the clippers working again.
On the other hand, I tend to cut a lot more hair with clippers than I do with shears, so my hair is a lot shorter now. Not that it's too short, but just saying...
Happy shaves,
Jim
I gave myself a trim last week. Turned out great, but my wife wants it shorter! For years she complained that I cut it too short. It just now has been laying down! I'm actually carrying a comb for the first time in 25 years, at least!
But guess what? I hate long hair now! But my left arm hasn't been doing what I want it to as well as I'd like it to, so I think I may ask her to help me cut that side. I may go with a Princeton variation, leave the front long enough to comb....
Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
I’ve been doing an ok job at it. I have some trouble spots where I think I’m cutting the wrong way against the grain or something. I have a hard time on the back. I have to know when to stop. When I feel like oh let me do a little more I make mistakes. But I’m the short time it takes me I feel
Like I’m so free from the process of going to the barbershop.
Like I’m so free from the process of going to the barbershop.
Ron R
I survived a lathey foreman
I feel the same way and have plowed all my haircut savings into shave gear over the last 4 + years and have enjoyed that way of spending my money more. I trim my hair every 3 weeks and stick mostly to the same routine of using the same numbered clipper guards and no real issues. With Covid for the last 2+ years I have not missed seeing the barber and my shave gear has escalated to a hobby now.
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
My wife told me last night she liked my hair longer rather than how I cut it yesterday, but she thinks me so handsome I can wear any kind of haircut and look great.
It will grow.
For the most part I believe I get better looking haircuts when I use the clippers less, or not at all, and focus on the shears.
Still, yesterday's effort was pretty good. My wife is right of course.
Happy shaves,
Jim
It will grow.
For the most part I believe I get better looking haircuts when I use the clippers less, or not at all, and focus on the shears.
Still, yesterday's effort was pretty good. My wife is right of course.
Happy shaves,
Jim
Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
Great plan. I hadn’t thought of that savings more the time. But great point. My long time barber passed away a number of years ago. And it’s been hard to transition to someone new anyway.I feel the same way and have plowed all my haircut savings into shave gear over the last 4 + years and have enjoyed that way of spending my money more. I trim my hair every 3 weeks and stick mostly to the same routine of using the same numbered clipper guards and no real issues. With Covid for the last 2+ years I have not missed seeing the barber and my shave gear has escalated to a hobby now.
In the back of your head, feel around with your free hand and lay it on your scalp and that will be where you run the guard right over your hand. That will help you not have "lines of demarcation" in the haircut. Also, if you are in between guard lengths, try putting different guards on and lifting the guard off the scalp.
Kinda hard to explain, sorry. MUCH easier to show, lol. I should have a yootoob show doggone!
Lol, I got hate mail when I was forced to retire!
Great thread!
I've been cutting my own hair for at least 5-years now. Most of you were forced to cut your hair during this pandemic, after all the barber shops and salons closed their doors. To be perfectly honest, its still safer to cut your own hair, as this pandemic is ongoing, and has shown no signs of stopping.
I however stopped going to barbers much sooner, this is because the barber I was going to, started producing less quality cuts, while raising their prices for each cut. Honestly, I wish I had Chris Bossio cutting my hair, but we don't all get what we want do we? lol
I began cutting my hair with the Wahl Color clipper, its a good clipper to start out with. And if you have thin soft like hair, it will most likely work perfect for you. But I have thick and wiry hair, and that clipper just snags on my hair all the time.
Anyways, I just upgraded to the Wahl Magic Clip, a professional clipper, and its a world of difference. Honestly, its kind of fun to cut my own hair, as long as the clipper works as expected, and doesn't snag on my hair that is lol. So far I am liking the rotary motors that are in the Magic Clip.
FarmerTan, I really like your Dick Van Dyke look, the comb over part is a good look. But you must be experienced to do that sort of cut yourself. I however am nowhere near experienced enough to do sheer over comb. lol
I primarily do buzzcuts for my hair, simply because they are easy. When I watch Chris Bossio work, doing those fancy fade cuts, I know all too well, there is no way I can do that without messing it up. And trust me, I've seen many self cut fails on Youtube to know that I am right lol.
Yeah, I know, with practice I might learn to do it, but I really have nobody in my life that I need to impress, so I am OK with simply buzzcuts. Anyways, keep up the great work on your comb over cuts, your wife is right, you wear the Dick Van Dyke haircut quite well, looks good.
I've been cutting my own hair for at least 5-years now. Most of you were forced to cut your hair during this pandemic, after all the barber shops and salons closed their doors. To be perfectly honest, its still safer to cut your own hair, as this pandemic is ongoing, and has shown no signs of stopping.
I however stopped going to barbers much sooner, this is because the barber I was going to, started producing less quality cuts, while raising their prices for each cut. Honestly, I wish I had Chris Bossio cutting my hair, but we don't all get what we want do we? lol
I began cutting my hair with the Wahl Color clipper, its a good clipper to start out with. And if you have thin soft like hair, it will most likely work perfect for you. But I have thick and wiry hair, and that clipper just snags on my hair all the time.
Anyways, I just upgraded to the Wahl Magic Clip, a professional clipper, and its a world of difference. Honestly, its kind of fun to cut my own hair, as long as the clipper works as expected, and doesn't snag on my hair that is lol. So far I am liking the rotary motors that are in the Magic Clip.
FarmerTan, I really like your Dick Van Dyke look, the comb over part is a good look. But you must be experienced to do that sort of cut yourself. I however am nowhere near experienced enough to do sheer over comb. lol
I primarily do buzzcuts for my hair, simply because they are easy. When I watch Chris Bossio work, doing those fancy fade cuts, I know all too well, there is no way I can do that without messing it up. And trust me, I've seen many self cut fails on Youtube to know that I am right lol.
Yeah, I know, with practice I might learn to do it, but I really have nobody in my life that I need to impress, so I am OK with simply buzzcuts. Anyways, keep up the great work on your comb over cuts, your wife is right, you wear the Dick Van Dyke haircut quite well, looks good.
LOL, I still keep paying for my Cosmetologist license, since 1980? Or 81.
Quit making any money at it around 5 years ago but was an RN so I just quit doing it.
Quit making any money at it around 5 years ago but was an RN so I just quit doing it.
Ron R
I survived a lathey foreman
To fade a cut a little for the back of the neck line I use a thin piece of cardboard about 6 inches long and about 3-4 inches wide and use 1/8 clipper guard. I place the card board about 1 inch above the trimmed area that I used with a 5/8 in clipper head. I just use small rocking upward movements and the 1/8 clipper just rides up on the card board so not to over cut the bottom area.
Its my way of fading a little with out making a mess. I have been using this method for a about 6 months and it works reasonably well.
Dude! I think you just helped me come up with an idea for teaching my wife to cut my hair! Thanks my friend.
Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
No this does make sense similar to the @Ron R cardboard trick? In the back I also have hair growing curling up. I’m going to try to place the hair in between my fingers and run the guard over.
I went to a new barbershop 3 times in a row near work. Tipped well. And each time the guy asked me “do you live around here.” twice I told him that work near his shop. (Small talk ensued about that) The third time he asked if I lived around there. I just said yes and never went back. I know I’m not memorable but come on. I’m not a fan of small talk but I guess I feel like it’s expected in these settings. But maybe not. I had my teeth cleaned yesterday. The “new” hygienist doesn’t talk at all. Maybe or two comments about my teeth as she works. But I’m just accept it trying not to think she doesn’t like me lol. For large segments of time I closed my eyes and thinking gosh I can’t believe I’m not on my phone this whole time lol.
Anyway I’m due for a home trim soon.
