Sadly my extreamly cheap Conair's are not cutting it anymore, sorry for the pun. Do any of you clipper your own hair and if you do what clipper make and model do you use? What would you suggest as a good pair of clippers for someone who cuts his hair about once a week?
Self Hair Trimming
- Thread starter tblech
- Start date
I've liked the Wahl brand, inexpensive and work well.
I use Wahl as well. I don't recall the model # but i have been using the same clipper for well over 5 years and cut my hair once a week, every week. They have never failed me.
DL
DL
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Well this is one area where you really shouldn't economise-buy the most expensive clippers you can afford, that way they will last a long time and always give you a good cut...i own a Remington Ceramic which was the most expensive the shop carried; easy to use, smooth ceramic blades which don't need to be oiled (a MAJOR advantage over metal blades)....
think of this purchase as an investment- you will save a lot of cash over the years even if the initial outlay is high
think of this purchase as an investment- you will save a lot of cash over the years even if the initial outlay is high
+2 on the Wahl. I have a Senior that's lasted me for a while. My old barber used to cut my hair with one. He shouldn't have told me his secret
I do not cut my hair weekly, my husband would not be too happy. I do cut my sons hair often though and we use a Wahl. You can get a decent set with all of the attachments for about $100.
Also check out the Andis clippers. They've been around forever and lots of barbers use them.
They have the professional line and also the consumer line with home kits.
http://www.andis.com/USA/
Good clippin'
Kevin
They have the professional line and also the consumer line with home kits.
http://www.andis.com/USA/
Good clippin'
Kevin
- Thread starter
- #9
I ended up with a pair of Oster 76's off the bay. They come with 000blades but I want at least a little length to my hair, I need to make a desision about 1/8th or 3/32nd, what do you think?
I bought an Andis set about a year ago. It is good build quality, but definitely geared for home use rather than professional.
Four attempts to cut my own hair over a period of three months were disastrous. I went back to going to the barber. Unless you wear a buzz cut, trimming your own hair is a lot more difficult than it looks.
I still use the Andis to trim up my goatee and sideburns, with a #2 blade-guard.
If I had to replace it, I would definitely get a Wahl next time around.
Four attempts to cut my own hair over a period of three months were disastrous. I went back to going to the barber. Unless you wear a buzz cut, trimming your own hair is a lot more difficult than it looks.
I still use the Andis to trim up my goatee and sideburns, with a #2 blade-guard.
If I had to replace it, I would definitely get a Wahl next time around.
Tblech, I'm glad to see you went with the Oster. I currently own both an Andis clipper and trimmer. The trimmer is excellent. I had originally written praise for the clipper as well, but after re-reading David's post, I got to thinking more about my experiences with it recently. The clipper is very good, but I've had some problems with blade allignment lately, and it's starting to annoy me. (It's an adjustable kind, rather than a fixed head, like the 76; it seems to me fixed is a better design.) I think I might head out to Sally Beauty tomorrow and check out the Oster 76, and maybe the Titan if they have it; both of them look pretty serious. If all you're doing is trimming up a beard or what have you, mid-grade is fine. But if clippers are all you use to make your hair look the way it does, don't skimp. Buy the best you can afford. I trim my hair down to the scalp twice a week, and I can tell you that you get what you pay for. Given what I used to spend on haircuts, even the most expensive clippers pay for themselves in no time.
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To cut my hair I use the Georges hair trimmer, from South America. All I have to do is give Georges a $20 and say "nice and short" ... and hey presto! A haircut. 
To cut my hair I use the Georges hair trimmer, from South America. All I have to do is give Georges a $20 and say "nice and short" ... and hey presto! A haircut.
Exactly my point. To keep my hair where I like it, I have to trim twice a week. I just went out and bought an Oster 76 clipper (haven't used it yet, but I will report back once I do); with a coupon discount and club member discount, I paid around $150 for it. At the price Georges charges, the Oster will have paid for itself after one month of use at twice a week. Granted, I don't get the nice shoulder massage or other parts of the barber "experience," but I'm OK with that.
So I got the Oster Classic 76 and have had several chances to use it now. Man, I had no idea what I was missing with my Andis adjustable. The Andis is an adjustable clipper with a magnetic motor, similar to the Oster Fastfeed. Although you can adjust the metal blades a bit, for real differences in cutting thickness, you have to use plastic combs. The Classic 76 allows you to easily change metal blades of varying thicknesses, which is an advantage, because metal blades cut much more accurately and consistently than plastic combs do. Also, the Classic 76 is powerful. Whereas most clippers use a magnetic motor that hums during use, generates a lot of heat, and loses effectiveness the hotter it gets, the Classic 76 uses a much more powerful mechanical motor. It actually sounds like a jig saw, and it shoots air out its vents. It too gets warm, but it doesn't overheat and lose effectiveness the way magnetic motors do. Because it's made for professional use, you'll have no problem using it for as long as you need to trim your own head. Between the powerful motor and the high quality, all-metal blades, the Classic 76 mows down everything its path, leaving a very clean, consistent cut. Mine came with a size 1 and 000 blade. The 000 gave me a great cut, but it wasn't as close as I prefer. I ordered size 0000 and 00000 blades and got closer cuts, equally consistent. Replacement blades are a bit spendy, but they're high quality. The same goes for the clipper as a whole - it is by no means inexpensive, but the quality and performance are excellent. It's well worth the cash if you trim your own hair.
- Thread starter
- #16
Well, the nice thing about a hair cut like this is, that if you do make a mistake, it'll be grown out in a week and you can try again!
I don't blame you. I'd be nervous doing anything myself that didn't involve the same length all over my head. I read a review of the Oster clippers on Amazon posted by a cosmetologist; she said fades using different blades were outstanding, but took a lot of practice to get right. I assume she meant doing them on other people. If a cosmetologist needs a lot of practice mastering trim fades on other people, just imagine how difficult it must be for us plain folks doing it on ourselves. But then, that's the bright side of having such miserably thinning hair - I'm not tempted to grow it out at all. I just prefer having stubble to having it totally shaved, so I trim it.
I also use a Wahl
Did you make a decision yet? If not, I'm not sure how to advise you, since I found the 000 (0.5mm, or 1/50") to be as long a cut as I like. It's fine for me at that length, but then I have to trim again in just a couple days. I prefer going with a tighter blade, so I don't have to trim again so soon. A size 1 blade is 3/32", or 2.4mm. A size 1A blade is 1/8", or 3.2mm. The size 1 leaves a considerably longer cut than the 000, and as you can see, the 1A is even longer still. I think it's sort of a guessing game at this point, since it would be hard to envision in terms of actual measurements just how long you really want your hair to be. If I were in your position, I'd probably go with a size 1, since it's what comes with the new clippers anyway. (I presume the ones you got of eBay were used?) Then you can go from there.
- Thread starter
- #20
I did make a desision. I got the size 1 which I like but was considerably shorter then I was envisioning. I think the venerable old conaire's were cutting longer then the 1/8th inch advertized on the guard. I have cut my hair twice now and I must say it is effortless compaired to the conaire's I had. I bought a cheap clip on guard for "other" trimming but find the guard pokes instead of slides like the non guarded clippers. I will eventually get a blade set for that chore but there is no hurry, I am married afterall... Oh and yes, my clippers were used but upon tearing them down and cleaning and greasing them I found them to be in very good condition, even the armature showed minimal wear
