This thread helped me a lot when I first started cutting my own hair....

MATERIALS
comb (fine toothed)
brush (optional)
straight razor/cheap bic razor (optional)
shaving cream(optional)
alcohol, seabreeze, astringent... something along those lines
hand mirror
guards
clippers
trimmers

Guards ::
I, personally, use the red Speed-O guards. I got too many clippers to keep up with all of the guards so I like these cause they're universal. I'm a barber so I have every guard that they made except for the 1/32. The reason behind that, depending on how you have your clippers adjusted, the clippers may actually eat the 1/32 guard. Plus the teeth on it are very fragile. I normally end up going thru it in a months time. So I use the 1/16 as my #1, 3/16 as my #2, etc.

Anytime that you put a guard on and the clippers are in the closed position (lever pushed all the way forward [see the pic below]), the clippers are set to cut specifically to the size of the guard. Example, if you put a #2 on, your hair will be 3/16. When you push the level all the way back and open the halfblade, you add 1/2 on to whatever setting. Example, if you push the lever all the way back, your #2 is now a #2.5.
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Clippers ::
There are a so many different clippers that you can buy, and still come out with a cut that looks good. I stay away from cheap Wal-Mart clippers. I believe: You buy Wal-Mart clippers, you have a Wal-Mart cut. The Improved Master Clipper by Andis will cut your hair the most even. I also recommend the Designer by Wahl or the Wahl Seniors. I suggest that you do one of two things:
a) buy your clippers online at http://www.atlantabarbersupply.com or at http://www.bowmanbeauty.com

with both of these merchants, you can get free shipping if you purchase $50 or more.

b) go to sally's beauty supply and buy your clippers.

Sally's has high prices. The best thing for you to do will be to get a catolog from Bowman and take it to Sally's. They will match the prices that are in the book as long as the prices are up to date.

When you buy then, you need to adjust them. Loosen the top blade with a screwdriver and push the lever all the way forward as if you were closing the clippers. Line up the top blade as close and as EVENLY as you can with the bottom blade, maybe even leaving about 1/32 of an inch and then tighten the screws. Next, plug your clippers in and with a flathead screwdriver, adjust the power screw to make sure that it runs as powerful as it can without keeping a loud buzzing noise.
**Be sure to clean and oil your clippers on the regular. Buy a can of Clippercide or Andis Cool Care. Both of these have lubricant in them so you don't have to oil your clippers as frequently. I would recommend that you oil your clippers after about every 5 cuts.

Trimmers ::
There are a couple good pairs of trimmers out there. I recommend the Andis T-Outliner or the Andis Styliner II. I've heard things about the Wahl Detailer's but have never tried them. To tell you the truth, any trimmers can get you a nice line depending on how you adjust them, but Andis has a reputation for being the absolute best, so that's what I stick with.

Adjust trimmers the same way that you adjust clippers, except align the top blade even with the bottom made. **MAKE SURE THAT THE BOTTOM BLADE DOES NOT EXTEND PAST THE TOP BLADE** or you will slice yourself to no end. It will take a couple of times to get it right. Once you have adjusted the trimmers, test them on your forearm... they should bite A LITTLE BIT. If they scratch and bite too much, loosen the screws and try again. Until you get really familiar with this process, it's going to take you a bunch of times to get this right.


CUTTING[/b]
**Before you cut your hair, wash and condition your hair. DO NOT PUT ANY PRODUCTS IN YOUR HAIR. After you towel dry, brush your hair until it's completely dry.

Lay out all of your materials. Plug in your clippers and trimmers and sit them to the side. Take out the guards that you are going to use and definately make sure that your mirror is on hand.

Begin combing your hair from the crown and comb it out. While combing, pay attention to the direction that your hair grows. Turn around to the back, comb in one hand, mirror in the other, and comb the back. Pay particular attention to your crown and the way that it spins. Most people's crown goes clockwise.

When you finish combing, put your guard on your clippers and adjust them to where you want them to be. Start cutting in the front. COMB BEFORE YOU CUT! Whether you go with or against the grain, the process is still the same^. Slowly run your clippers over your hair and always the comb with the grain. Do this all over your head. When you cut the back, it's going to take more time. I recommend that you run the clippers thru once (mirror in hand of course), cut the clippers off, pick up the comb and comb your hair down. Look in the mirror to see what parts you need to hit again while you comb. Pay attention to your crown. Go slow, if your whole head is with the grain and you take your crown against the grain, CONGRATULATIONS!!! YOU JUST MESSED UP YOUR CUT!!! Take your time and look at what you're doing. Use the mirror. Go over the parts that you need to as many times as you need to. It may take a while but a good haircut is priceless. When you finish, make sure that you comb the hair down and it looks even. **THE MIRROR DOES NOT LIE, IT WILL TELL YOU EVERYTHING. USE IT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE**

^ When you cut your hair against the grain, you may want to comb your hair against the grain first depending on how well your hair lays down. Combing the hair against the grain makes the hair stand up, that way when you take your clippers thru your hair, you wil have a more even cut. After you run the clippers thru your hair, comb the hair with the grain to lay it down.

TAPERS
When you first start cutting your own hair, I highly recommend that you don't try tapering yet. With that said, for those that want to know how to do it anyway, here goes::

RULE OF THUMB
A closed halfblade with the grain = an open halfblade against the grain
Example - If you put a #2 on your clippers, close them all the way and go with the grain; it will be the same as opening the #2 all the way and going against the grain.

If you cut your hair down to a #2, you will need the #2 and the #1 to achieve a good taper. Start off by opening the halfblade all the way with no attachment and go against the grain from your sideburn until you get to the top of your ear. COMB!!! I can't stress that enough... you need to comb more while you're tapering than when you do a regular cut. Next, put on the #1 and close the clippers. Slowly blend the line out that you created with the plain half blade and then open the halfblade more and start blending upward. Repeat the process with the #2 guard until you have blended it with the rest of your hair.
**The lines that you can't take out going against the grain, try taking them out going with the grain. Sometimes you will have to use the edge of your clippers to get the blend right.

Practice makes perfect.

TRIMMING
Start toward the middle of your forehead. Find the shortest point in your hairline and start trimming there. Go across your forehead slowly, making it as even as possible. Follow what your last barber did. If you don't have anything to follow, then take a long hard look of where you want your hairline to be and make it happen. When trimming your arches, try turning the clippers sideways, so it'll kinda feel like you have a pencil and you're drawing your arches. When you trim the back, take your time and use your mirror. Until you get the hang of it, anything that you have to use the mirror to trim, I suggest that you make the motions first to get it in your head where you are going, then put the clippers to your scalp and get to it. Some people like to brush and trim their line while their brushing.

RAZOR LINES
If you are using a Bic razor, break the plastic off that surrounds the blade to expose it. Once the blade is exposed, it will work the same as a straight razor.

If you are using a straight razor, open the razor all the way until its one verticle line. Place your index, middle, and ring fingers behind the razor and put your thumb in the arch beneath. Take the end of the razor and bend if up far enough for you to rest your pinky finger on the other arch. Get comfortable.

Take a small amount of shaving cream and apply it around your hair line. The point is to smooth the hair down.

***TAKE YOUR TIME***

Clean up your hairline using slow strokes. Look at where you're going before you go there. If you stretch your skin, you can get closer and the line will last maybe a day longer. Re-wet the shaving cream if it gets too dry that you can't manuver with your razor.

FINISHING UP
If you don't have a neck duster, I suggest that you put some baby powder on a dry towel and beat/brush the loose hairs off of you. Put some alcohol/seabreeze on a square of tissue a wipe your hairline down thoroughly. You may even wanna go back and repeat the process. Clean up and you're done.

INFO BY MrChangeClothes