What's good peeps, I get a lot of pm's about cutting hair and the correct tools to use. I have put a little something together for you guys with some websites that you can find clippers at lower prices than the beauty supply store. Ok so here we go

I am mainly going to focus on African American hair well because that's what the majority of us are. First thing that you should know is how unique Afican American hair is. Due to the fact that we are a mix of differnet races that makes our hair very unique! Our hair varies from person to person when it comes to the texture! Our hair follices are curved giving the hair "spring like action" that makes our hair curl.... This is the main reason why we don't have a hard time getting waves as a person with straight hair would.

Guards...
Here is the standard
#1 1/16
#2 1/8
#3 1/4
#4 3/8
#5 1/2
#6 3/4

Rarely will you ever have use the 6 guard unless you are doing an afro cut.
Clippers...
Personally i would reccomend a clipper that has an adjustable fade arm such as the andis masters or like the whal senior clippers. Me personally I use the andis master clippers. To achieve the 1.5 cut wtg attach the #1 gurard and adjust the clippers wide open. Meaning the fade arm is on the last notch. That last notch is what gives you the .5. So if you wanted to get a 2.5 wtg attch the #2 gurad and open them to the last notch.
For the number one cut just attach the #1 guard and have the fade arm in the closed postion. Same process if you wanted a #2 wtg just attach the #2 guard with the clippers in the closed position.
Cutting time!
Make sure that you wash your hair the day before you get it cut.Especially if you have waves the apply a light amount of moistrizer and brush it in and rag it up!
now before you cut you want to comb your hair throughly! While you are combing your hair you are feeling it out for your swirl and irregularities in growth.
Now if you are cutting wtg you want to cut with the grain in the direction that your hair grows!this is the only way that you will achieve the most even cut you possibly can cutting wtg!
When you get to that swirl you want to only use the corner (last 3 teeth of the clipper) and cut in the direction that it grows. If you want to be careful attach the next guard size up and cut with the grain! never use the full blade when cutting the swirl becasue you WILL leave a gap in your head or your clients head!
The Line up

take your time beacuse this is the most important part of the cut. You want to stay on the natural hair line ONLY cutting the loose hairs around the line! UWith the trimmer ease up to the line carefully shape that line up. For the front line you want to start in the middle of the line then work your way to the corner either right or left. Then go back to the middle and go to the other corner. Make sure that you are brushing the hairline so that you get all the loose hairs for the "sharp" line up!
For the sides you want to use your finger as a pivoit point to get arond the curve> I use my index finger to pivot my trimmer. I place the index finger on the forehead and use it as a pivot point to get the curve part of the line sharp as possible.
For the back you want to get and handheld mirror. Follow that line down in it's natural direction! behind the ear is tricky. You can use the trimmer to push your ear down and get that area or you can use your pinky to push the ear down and line it up.
When you are cutting wtg you ahve to remember that that there is the possibility that the cut might not be uniform. Meaning compelety even you want to train your eyes to watch the grain and make sure you are cutting n the direction it grows.

Cutting against the grain

cutting atg is virturally error proof. atg is just the opposite of wtg. Atg is the way that I like to cut beaccause it lasts longer and is totally even. the One thing that you want to remember is that when you are cutting atg is to cut all the way to the swirl. In the oppiste direction that the hair grows! of for the same lenght of a 1.5 wtg you want to attach a #2 gurad with the clippers adjusted half way between open and closed and go atg. Atg lifts the hair so that it prevents it from curling up. The end result is a more uniform cut! When you cut atg brush the hair back down. tTo finish up the cut yu want to attach a smaller guard and adjust the clippers wide open and finish wtg to lay it back down



WTG example;