cutting hair
I appreciate this may seem a dumb question, but how easy is it to use a pair of clippers on your own hair without doing something that would cause injury or embarrassment to ones self?

I'm guessing it's easy but lack the self confidence to do it to myself.

Any tips would be well received!

Ta :)
( SeasonTicketless is too often the statue, and rarely the pigeon., Wed 1 Oct 2008, 13:19, 19 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

Easy
Mr VP shaves his head using clippers but quite often has me on standby to get any fluffy bits he has missed.
If you have 2 mirrors so you can see the back of your head, it should be fine!
(Lucy Van Pelt embracing ginlovers, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 13:21, Reply)

STEP AWAY FROM THE CLIPPERS!
A climbing mate of mine turned up to the wall some time ago with a beany hat on - quite common for climbers to wear these, but he looked a bit sheepish.
His girlfriend had gone out and he decided to trim his hair - he normally keeps it quite short about a no.4. He took his hat off to show me....he was now bald.

Another man of my acquaintance whose name begins with P decided he would just trim his hair a little.

Ex-Mossad? More like ex-Wormwood Scrubs!


Go to a barbers - the old fashioned ones are still really cheap but they won't ask you if you need anything for the weekend.
( chickenlady b3ta's very own Elizabeth Taylor, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 13:27, Reply)

Just watch
Death Sentence, with Kevin Bacon.

He shaves his head to look "badass".
Ends up looking like he's had cancer.
( Cawl, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 13:39, Reply)

It's a bit too easy
to miss bits on the back of your head. Which is why I always get asked to check for 'fluffy bits' once the other half's gone over his napper with the clippers.
(TheWeeWitch hasn't been here much recently .., Wed 1 Oct 2008, 13:42, Reply)

Pah

Go to a stylist. You get your hair cleaned and head massaged by a tarted up teenager before being handled and fussed over by a tarted up girl in her 20s.

I do have girly hair though :(
( djtrialprice, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 13:43, Reply)

as per LvP
2 mirrors and a towel, its a piece of piss.

you might need a second opinion on "tuft control" though, a friend of mine does his and usually looks like he has been attacked rather than actually cut his hair!
(Halfy By light alone, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 13:45, Reply)

yup
back of the head is hardest but with a bit of practice you'll get the hang of it. I was a volunteer baldy for many's the coif-free year.
(bazmorningstar efil4nat3b, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 14:04, Reply)

I hate to admit it
but I agree with djtrial price. Last time I went the hairdressers I got a free beer and the girl who was washing my hair tits popped out.


Best.Day.Ever.
(Holy Cremola Foam Batman will be back on, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 14:05, Reply)

It's a piece of piss...

I used to do it all the time.

Ironically it took longer than if it were done by somebody else though, because I was relying on noise...I would go over and over my head with the clippers until the noise was regulated - i.e no more hair was being cut.

Job Done
( Pooflake braces for an onslaught..., Wed 1 Oct 2008, 14:31, Reply)

@pooflake
Do you only have one arm?

I just used the other one to feel and if it felt smooth then I assumed it was done.

Could be I had a pikey ponytail though.
(bazmorningstar efil4nat3b, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 14:34, Reply)

As per the people who said it's easy.
It's easy.

Two mirrors and either the use of uniform sound or your free hand, if you're lucky enough to own a pair of them, will let you know when you're done.
( Moey, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 15:19, Reply)

I wouldn't even try it.
I have enough trouble with my beard and I can see that in the mirror without contorting myself.

That, and a constant-length-all-over cut makes me look like (more of) a tit. Or a mugger.
(ThomsonsPier consumes, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 15:30, Reply)

Wuss
Use a razor, what's wrong with you? ;)
( warmfuzzies Isn't here, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 15:38, Reply)

Piss Easy
If you are using clippers just make sure the guard (if you are using one) is firmly in place.

Just take your time about it.

I do echo all the peoples who are on about tufts ... also round your ears is a pain

You do tend to get what you pay for with clippers I had a £10 pair from Argos that felt like they were just chewing the hair off I have now got a swanky pair that are ergonomic and have a head that swivels and they rock
(Barry Chuckle has gone out in the thong to feed the pigeons, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 15:52, Reply)

pretty easy ...
I have always shaved my head since being about 16, ranging from a number 2 to shiny, shiny bald.

Personally I dont rely on mirrors its way too confusing. With a bit of practise you can judge the "done" bits from the "not done bits" by feel and even the noise of the clippers.
And (probably too late for you) but buy the most expensive clippers you can afford, prefably with ceramic blades, sharper and more hygenic.
good luck
(smells-like-victory-v's, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 16:22, Reply)

Easy Peasy
Handheld shaving mirror, with a magnifying side as well as a normal one, combined with wall mirror for doing the difficult bits, you can do the rest by feel or ask the audience.

Clippers? Remington = cack. Nicky Clarke = cack. Babyliss fur Blerks = Winner by a country mile (ceramic blades and all that).

First time though, start with a longer setting like a 4, so if you fuck up, a professional can tidy you up with a No 2.

And Kevin Bacon did look like a complete tit in Death Sentence, having said that the movie was dreadful anyway.
(osok Rebel without a clue, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 16:44, Reply)

Yay!
Thanks everyone for the advice. I'm looking at this as a long term investment so I don't have to pay out to have my hair done by someone else all of the time. It also means I can stop asking my ex to do it for me, and therefore stop worrying that she's shaving rude words in the back of my head :)

And on reflection I am glad I didn't go out and buy the cheapest set from Argos like I was going to at lunch :)

Cheers all!
( SeasonTicketless is too often the statue, and rarely the pigeon., Wed 1 Oct 2008, 17:24, Reply)

My mum
used to do mine for me, back in the days when I was half a skinhead. This was at school, incidentally, and I had to keep the shaved bits hidden away under the long bits on top. It wasn't too noticeable as I usually had it done on a number 4. Until the fateful day my mum forgot to put an attachment on the clippers.

Clippers: ZZZZZzzzttttzzzz
Mum: Wups!
Me: Whut? What have you done?
Mum: Don't worry, I'll do the other side the same so it doesn't look funny.
Me: WHUT?

Then I left school and became hard, moving on to Wilko's finest disposable twin-blades...
( warmfuzzies Isn't here, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 18:05, Reply)

Lolz
I've just been giggling at pics - I'm thinking I should post a series "my hair through the ages, or Follicular Trauma"...

I would venture that this might be something everyone should do so we can all have a laugh.
( warmfuzzies Isn't here, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 18:16, Reply)