Barbering tips, please

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charlene1983

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I qualified in barbering 2 years ago and since then I've never worked in a barbers full time. I recently done a trial in a barbers chain looking for staff and I found it awful. I wasn't happy with my work and found the pressure of having the next customer waiting really stressful. especially I'm still relatively new and in experienced. I don't want to be put off doing something I spent time training in. but I've never been offered a job after a trial as I know I lack experience and speed.

I find short back and sides the most daunting. any tips on how you start the cut? and any blending tips.

I invested in a mini trimmer for round ears and I have a prof clippers too.

In my college kit I got blades 1 to 4 but I noticed in barber shops they always seem to have 1 to 8. is it essential as we weren't taught with anything higher than a 4

thanks in advance barber geeks...........
 
I only used blades 1 to 4 cos anything above this is the same length (ish) as using your fingers and scissors.
For short back and sides, I clipper about 2 inches up (with a grade 1 or 2) then change the head (2 or 3) and follow on up to the occipital bone. I then cut the top and blend in as best i can with scissors. After this I use scissors over comb (remember to keep comb moving or you'll get lines) until it all looks blended. Remember to slightly tilt your comb outwards as your travelling up the head to blend or it will look too short too far up (although some like this).

Hope you can understand that lot lol :)
 
hi, i wasnt trained to use clippers just scissor over comb, you can also use thinners to blend or soften any lines you make while practicing,
 
great tips!

especially the bit about tilting the comb whilst using scissors! I'd forgot about that!

so the general rule that I wanted refreshing is that if I use a 2 first then I use a 3 to blend out the line. or a 1 then blend with a 2 etc.

how does everyone know how high to take the back of the neck line up? I use scissor over comb to blend the whispy bits if hair but sometimes even though the edge is neat the actuall hair looks messy if you know what I mean. but I don't want to start using a 1 on the back of the neck if I've used a 2 or a 3 for the length. hope that makes sense lol it's so hard when your newly qualified.

ps did you all go straight into a barbers? I'm wondering how ti gain experience if the shops obviously think I need more experience- I already cut families hair etc ,,,,,,
 
Ok I got taught in a private academy so I may have different ways of doing things however I got taught to always use the highest grade you want to use first and imagine the hair is a square never going around the head always straight up in a straight line as if the head was a square,
This always gives you (or works for me) the line at which the top part of the hair started at, so before I ever ever move onto another grade you take your thinning/texturising scissors and blend out any lines you may be able to see, onece all blended take your lower grade (this of course is if they want different grades going throughout the hair) and do as you would but always remembering to blend before you move onto another grade. Once I've clippered the sides I never ever clipper the top always scissor cut as i dont like the look of using clippers on the top of the head i feel it makes it look too prison style (each o their pwn opinion)however I work in a hairdressers so like 'styling' the hair more.

I hope I helped answer your question or made sense in my typing I always know what I want to say in my head but I'm rubbish at explaining it in typing haha!! Xxxx
 
i don't do hair anymore except on my kids and husband but this is what i do:

1. i go up the back and sides with whatever i am doing shortest so 1,2 or 3
2. then using scissors and comb i go along the line cutting at an angle
3. i then start at crown and cut the rest of the hair
4. I then use thinning scissors and blend my line
5. neaten up neck, sideburns and ears with scissors or clippers (clippers on the neck)

i do have 1 to 8 as i found older gents would sometimes want a 5 or 6 on the top but do find it easier with scissors and comb

just practise on whoever you can....whenever you are in a new situation doing anything you will feel slightly nervous but just have confidence in yourself and you will be fine, gents will always tell you if they want more off or somethin changed so dont worry xx
 
I always start at the sideburns then follow line around to other side of head with what ever grade your using, I then use the clippers to blend in, specially grade 1 which I find takes a little longer to blend in :) x
 
the way I was taught at college was to start at the sides going up and working around the head, then blending in using the next grade. then cutting the top of the hair using scissors and blending the sides of the head with scissor over comb.

Ireally appreciate any suggested other ways that I might find easier as I am struggling .
 
if a client has quite long hair ( say about 3-4 inches) and wants a short back and sides with say a 2 and 3. would I go straight in at the sides with the number 2 or is it best to cut the hair shorter first with scissors?
sometimes I find long hair pulls and feels like it gets caught in the clippers or am I doing something wrong?
 
i would practise the way you were taught, this really is the best way,

if client has longer hair i would still go in with the 2 first, just take it slow
 
Are you keeping your clippers clean , free of hair , well oiled , spray with clipper hygine spray after every client and all alined properly?

These would be my top tips as a tradesperson are only as good as their tools.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using SalonGeek
 
im seein alot o folk who work up from bottom going 1 then up more with a two etc etc. . . i do the opposite, i clipper up s high as i feel i will be clippering with my longer number first, ie if the client wants an overall 3, but has a messy neckline, id clipper right up the back and sides with a three, then go back in with a 2 and then a 1 right round the hair line, i work much more cleanly this way and never get clipper demarkation. :) x
 
I've never tried using the longest guard first as I was taught to start with the shortest. however I understand what you mean and I might give this a try next time I cut my dads hair. it's just a simple short style so I'll see if I find this easier!

would this work if the client wanted their hair left just scissor cut on the top? would you just clipper with the 3 up the sides?
 
aye your doing the exact same as you usually do, exept the clippering part is backwards haha. its just a neater way of doing it in my opinion x
 
It's when you come to blend a 0 into a 2!! That's the really test, if u can blend that everything else is simple!!
 
If your clippers aren't cutting properly check the voltage screw on the side, you turn the clippers on, turn the screw (clockwise I think) until the LOUD noise then turn it back until it runs quietly. There is an electromagnet inside which pulls the blade across then releases (all very quickly) if the voltage is slightly down (which randomly happens) the magnet won't pull the blade across enough and it will start pulling the hair instead of cutting - especially on longer hair.
hope this makes sense?
 
im seein alot o folk who work up from bottom going 1 then up more with a two etc etc. . . i do the opposite, i clipper up s high as i feel i will be clippering with my longer number first, ie if the client wants an overall 3, but has a messy neckline, id clipper right up the back and sides with a three, then go back in with a 2 and then a 1 right round the hair line, i work much more cleanly this way and never get clipper demarkation. :) x

Lol I've found someone else that does it like me lol! I also always use texturisers and blend out the line before I change grade x
 
The main problem I have seen is people take the clippers up then sort of scoop them out towards the body when you reach the top of the back Or on the sides, if you scoop you create work for yourself, I go straight the way up the head keep the clippers in a straight line and it does the hard work for me,
 
It's when you come to blend a 0 into a 2!! That's the really test, if u can blend that everything else is simple!!

Oh god is it ever :p
 

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