A Beginners Guide to Cutting Hair with Clippers

Save a trip to the barber with these simple clipper instructions

Co-authored by Arthur Sebastian and Hunter Rising

Last Updated: February 9, 2023 References Approved

Basic Cut

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Hairstyles

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Trimming

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Maintenance

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Video

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Q&A

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Tips

ARTICLE

VIDEO

Do you need a quick trim but don’t want to spend money going out to get a haircut? Frequent trips to a salon or barbershop add up if you’re maintaining a shorter hairstyle, but cutting hair with hair clippers is really easy to do in the comfort of your own home. Even if you’re new to using clippers, we’re here to help you get started. Keep reading, and we'll cover how to use your clippers, what clipper settings to use for cutting multiple hairstyles, and how to maintain your tools.

Things You Should Know

First, buzz your head with a guard that's the same length as the longest hair for the style you want, like a 4 or 5.
Trim the sides and back of the head with a lower guard setting, like a 2 or 3, to create a tapered hairstyle.
Blend the line between longer and shorter hair with a medium-length guard, like a 3 or 4.
Clean up the sideburns and around the ears using your trimmer without any guard attachments, or the 0 setting.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Basic Cut

1
Learn the numbering system for the blade guard lengths. The numbers on the clipper guards refer to the length they cut your hair to. Smaller numbers mean a shorter length, where “1” is the shortest guard and "8" is the longest at 1 inch (2.5 cm). The rest of the blade guards go up by ¹⁄₈ in (3.2 mm) for each number. The guard numbers and lengths are:^{[1]
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- 1: ¹⁄₈ in (3.2 mm)
- 2: ¹⁄₄ in (6.4 mm)
- 3: ³⁄₈ in (9.5 mm)
- 4: ¹⁄₂ in (13 mm)
- 5: ¹⁄₈ in (3.2 mm)
- 6: ³⁄₄ in (19 mm)
- 7: ⁷⁄₈ in (22 mm)
- 8: 1 in (25 mm)
- The “0” setting is when you use your clippers without any blade guard or attachment.
EXPERT TIP

Arthur Sebastian
Professional Hair Stylist
Arthur Sebastian is the Owner of Arthur Sebastian Hair Salon in San Francisco, California. Arthur has worked as a hair stylist for over 20 years and received his Cosmetology License in 1998. He believes that the true work of a successful hair stylist comes from passion and a love for hairdressing.

Arthur Sebastian
Professional Hair Stylist

Use multiple guard lengths to create a gentle fade. Arthur Sebastian, the owner of Arthur Sebastian Hair Salon, says: "The tapered look is popular these days, so I have a lot of guys who come in and they want to start with a medium-short clipper attachment, like a number 2, then have me taper down to a 0, which is just skin. Use a 1 or a 1.5 to fade the hair seamlessly down to the neck."
2
Wash and dry your hair. Washed hair is easier to comb since it doesn't have any extra bends or waves. Shampoo your hair and rinse it out thoroughly. Be sure to dry your hair thoroughly since your clippers won’t work very well if it’s wet.^{[2]
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- If your hair is a little tangled, get rid of knots with a detangler.
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3
Cover the person's shoulders with a cape. Drape a barber’s cape made from a slick material around the person's shoulders and pull it tight against their neck. Secure the cape in place so hair doesn’t get on or inside the person’s clothes while you’re cutting their hair.^{[3]
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- A slick fabric allows the hair to fall off onto the floor instead of sticking to clothes.
- If you don’t want to clean up a mess inside when you’re cutting hair, do it outside or in a garage. Otherwise, stick to an easy-to-clean area, such as the bathroom or kitchen.
4
Secure with the longest blade guard you need for the style to your clippers. Choose the blade guard with the longest length you want for the hairstyle. Slide the attachment onto the blade until it clicks into place. Then, you’re able to just buzz the person’s entire head to a uniform length, and go back to trim other parts shorter.^{[4]
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- Example: If you want #2 on the sides and #4 on top, start by buzzing your whole head with #4.
5
Move your clippers against the direction your hair grows. Start either on the side of your head behind an ear or at the nape of your neck. Hold your clippers upside-down so the top of the guard is against the scalp. Then, move the clippers up toward the top of the head in the opposite direction of the hair’s natural growth.^{[5]
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- Similarly, move from the front to the back when you use your clippers on the top of the head.
- Where you start cutting hair depends on what you prefer. Just be careful not to skip around to different areas so you don't miss any spots.
6
Scoop the hair away from the person’s head with the blade. Start by holding the top of the clippers’ blade close to the skin. When you want to end your cut, scoop the blade outwards and away from the person’s scalp by a little bit. Use short scooping strokes all over the person’s head to create a softer cut.^{[6]
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- Avoid lifting the clippers straight away from the person’s head since it could leave a more noticeable line in their hair.
7
Blend different areas of hair with a guard in between lengths. If you notice there may be a line between the shorter and longer length, use a blade guard that’s between the sizes of the other ones you’ve used. Move your clippers against the direction that the hair is growing and scoop the blade away from the scalp so you have a smooth transition.^{[7]
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- Example: If you've used #2 on the sides and #4 on top, blend the line with a #3 guard. Just go along the line and smooth out the border between the sections.
- If your clippers have a lever near the side of the blade, flip the lever up for a slightly closer cut and push the lever down for a slightly further cut. The lever helps you create a more precise fade.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Hairstyles

1
Use guard 1 or 2 for a burr cut. A burr cut is a typical military-type cut where you buzz your hair to one short length. Use guard 1 or 2 across your entire head. Start at the back, work your way to cutting the sides, and then finally, buzz the length off the top.^{[8]
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- Choose a hairstyle before you start cutting and look at it for reference so you can see what the finished style should look like.
2
Do a high and tight with guards 2 and 1. Start by buzzing your whole head with the #2 blade guard. Then, come back and shave the sides and back of your head with the 1 guard. Create an even line around your crown from one side to the other so you clip off all the longer hair.^{[9]
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3
Begin with guard 2 or 4 for a crew cut. Start by cutting the sides and back with a 2 or 4 blade guard depending on the length you prefer. Transition up to the crown of your head by using increasingly larger guard sizes, leaving the top for last. Trim the very front with the longest guard you want to use, then gradually reduce the guard size as you cut back toward your crown.^{[10]
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Use a 3 or 4 guard to start a basic boy's cut. Begin by buzzing the whole head with the longest blade guard that you want. Once the hair is buzzed down, attach a shorter blade guard, like a 2 or 3. Move your clippers up the sides of your head to make a clean line around the top of your skull to leave some longer hair on top.^{[11]
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- If you're cutting your own hair, place your hand on the top of your head. Use it to guide the clippers, so you don't move the clippers too far up your scalp.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Trimming

1
Switch to a 1 or 2 guard around the ears. Remove the guard you’ve been using for your haircut and attach one of the smallest guards. Even if you want your hair all the same length, it's still a good idea to switch to a lower guard number for your ears and sideburns for a cleaner look overall.^{[12]
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- Use your clippers without a guard to cut hair closest to the skin.
2
Trim sideburns and the back of the neck without a guard. Compare the lengths of the sideburns and even them out for a clean, finished look. Move your clippers in the direction your hair grows. Press the blade against your scalp at the bottom of the sideburn and trim it to the length you want. When you trim the other one, make sure to make it even with the other one.^{[13]
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- In the back, clean up the edges around the nape of your neck so you have a clean hairline.
3
Trim around the ears with scissors. Fold the top of the ear down and look for any scraggly hairs around the edges that your clippers missed. Comb the hair forward and snip the longer strands away with your scissors. Try to make a clean hairline that’s even around both ears.^{[14]
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- Use scissors meant for hair cutting. If you're in a pinch, sharpen a pair of small embroidery scissors to cut your hair.
4
Use a lint roller to pick up loose hair at the end. Just roll the lint roller up and down over the person's neck and back to remove the hairs. After removing the cape, check for any stray hairs that got on the person’s clothes or shoulders.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Maintenance

1
Clean the blade guards in soap and water. Brush or rinse any excess hair off of the clipper guards. Then, put the guards in warm water with some dish soap and scrub them down using a cloth or light brush. When you’re finished, leave them to dry on a towel.^{[15]
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- Avoid submerging your clippers in water since you could permanently damage them or get shocked.
2
Brush the hair off the blades and clippers’ exterior. Use a soft brush (usually included with your clippers) to clean off as much hair as you can from the blades and the exterior. Focus on the nooks and crannies where the blade meets the exterior body of your clippers.^{[16]
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3
Oil the blades. Turn the blade on. Add a drop of lubricating oil to the blades, which is normally provided with your clippers. Let your clippers run for about 1 minute to spread the oil throughout the blades. Then turn off the blades and wipe off any excess oil.^{[17]
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4
Oil the clippers’ interior if needed. Check your owner’s manual to see if your clippers require that you oil the inside components as well as the blades. Some clippers have a removable panel where you put the oil, while others may have a specific hole that you put the oil into to reach the components inside.^{[18]
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Community Q&A

Question

How do I cut the top of the hair?

Community Answer

Start at the front hair line with the clippers and make smooth strokes toward the back of the head. Make sure you get the crown well so it will blend. It is also a good idea to move the clippers in different directions to ensure you get all the hair even. Another tip: use a longer guard than you think you will need first to make sure you do not take it shorter than you want it.
Question

How do I affix the attachments to the clippers?

Community Answer

Most just slide on or snap on. The clipper teeth should fit snug up against the guard teeth.
Question

Can the same methods be used for pubic hair?

Community Answer

Absolutely, provided that you use caution around delicate areas. You'll need to be more gentle.