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Who cuts their own hair? ...
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cmeisenzahl
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Aug 10, 2011, 02:24 PM
 
I've been having the barber cut my hair for the last 18 months super short, only 1 or at most 2 clipper settings. And now I'm wondering if I shouldn't just buy a set of clippers and do it myself. Anyone here do that?

The fear of course is that I'll leave myself looking like Moe Howard or Larry Fine. ;-)
     
LegendaryPinkOx
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Aug 10, 2011, 02:46 PM
 
I've done it a couple times. What I've done is used a webcam to provide a full view of the back of my head, because mirrors have their limitations. It requires patience, precision and keen motor skills, but if you trust yourself enough and are really that cheap, it's doable.

I started cutting my own hair after relocating to the UAE and having a few hit or miss experiences with barbers who haven't a good grasp of the english language. You might as well try it at least once, and see if your comfortable with it.

Best of luck!
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BLAZE_MkIV
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Aug 10, 2011, 03:11 PM
 
I use a hair trimmer without any of the spacers because I'm to lazy to shave my head daily, though I pretty much have no hair. I'd feel silly paying someone to do that. No motor skills required when its all the same length.
     
chabig
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Aug 10, 2011, 03:14 PM
 
I did that for a few years. It's really easy with the comb on the clipper, and saves a lot of money.
     
ShortcutToMoncton
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Aug 10, 2011, 03:17 PM
 
I go to an expensive and hot stylist mostly because I'm a high roller

Also lets a hot woman who's not my wife massage my head....giggity?
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turtle777
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Aug 10, 2011, 03:28 PM
 
Originally Posted by cmeisenzahl View Post
I've been having the barber cut my hair for the last 18 months super short, only 1 or at most 2 clipper settings. And now I'm wondering if I shouldn't just buy a set of clippers and do it myself. Anyone here do that?
Yep, doing that for many years. Same as BLAZE_MkIV, trimmer without spacers.

Once or twice a week (I'm lazy, that's why I don't do it more often).

-t
     
osiris
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Aug 10, 2011, 03:31 PM
 
I haven't had a haircut in decades. Wild and free, baby.
I do, however, shave my face daily and trim sideburns.
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mattyb
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Aug 10, 2011, 03:41 PM
 
Clipper with No2 (9mm) for the goatee, No3 (12mm) for the head and sometimes sideburns. Been over 20 years that I've done it myself although I did goto a barber to look less holigan-like before a job interview once. Wife does the neck.
     
Rumor
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Aug 10, 2011, 04:04 PM
 
Been doing my own for almost a decade. When balding, there really is no reason to pay someone.
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bstone
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Aug 10, 2011, 04:20 PM
 
I got a full head chop (beard trim, hair cut) for $15 today at the local barber. Totally worth it.
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Aug 10, 2011, 04:40 PM
 

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Laminar
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Aug 10, 2011, 04:45 PM
 
My sister does mine for free.
     
WhaMe
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Aug 10, 2011, 05:46 PM
 
I've been cutting my own hair for over 10 years. In that time I've paid to have it cut on two occasions and regretted it both times.
     
Paco500
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Aug 10, 2011, 05:53 PM
 
Shave it with clippers myself. All one length, so pretty damn easy.
     
Atheist
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Aug 10, 2011, 06:29 PM
 
I started going bald in my 20's (few men in my family have hair on their head). I just accepted the fact and started shaving my head. Been doing it myself for over 20 years. As Rumor said, no sense paying someone.
     
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Aug 10, 2011, 07:15 PM
 
A #1 all over every few weeks. Hey, it's not how much you make, it's how much you keep.
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Cold Warrior
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Aug 10, 2011, 08:41 PM
 
3 mm guard every few weeks. Been doing it myself for years. If I had any hair style, I'd probably need a professional, but shaving it short is great for easy maintenance and feels good in my part of the world.
     
OldManMac
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Aug 10, 2011, 09:04 PM
 
Haven't been to a barber in at least 20 years. Usually do my own, with a #1 or #2 trimmer, altho the last 5 or so years I shave my head completely for most of the year, keeping the mustache, which I've had since 1966, and some variation of a beard, goatee, or vandyk.
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imitchellg5
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Aug 10, 2011, 09:35 PM
 
Don't do it yourself. When I lived in Alaska, my dad used to cut his own hair, and never successfully. Have someone else cut it, whether it be your mother, sister, or significant other.
     
ghporter
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Aug 11, 2011, 06:30 AM
 
The last time I cut my own hair, I wound up going to bed without dessert. The last time I had an ultra-short cut was in basic training; I didn't like the look at all.

I go to a local chain stylist shop and see one of a few regular stylists. They do a scissor cut that keeps me from looking like Moe or Bozo, and I'm comfortable with the look and feel of the cuts I get. Plus my wife says they do a good job (I'm incapable of making a reasoned judgment about whether or not I look as "professional" as I feel I need to look.). It would be more convenient and less expensive to be able to run a clipper over my head every few days, but that just won't work for me.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
subego
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Aug 11, 2011, 11:34 AM
 
I usually do it myself (clippers, no guard), but sometimes it's nice to pay the $15 so I don't have to go through the effort or cleanup. Effort in this case mainly being the parts around your ears, and the back where you can't see it.
     
Railroader
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Aug 11, 2011, 01:52 PM
 
After living in this area for four years I have finally found a reliable barber I like. About 50% of the time I have had to pull ou the clippers and touch up bad haircuts, and a few times I have to put on the #2 and just hose it all down and start from scratch.

Where I used to live there was a great salon that required all of their girls to go through barber school as well and I never got a bad haircut there. I went there from '81 to '97.

I cut my son's hair, because he refuses to go to a barber.
     
FireWire
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Aug 11, 2011, 04:23 PM
 
Seeing the talent I have after doing a haircut to a wig for a party, I'll stick to professionals
     
Shaddim
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Aug 11, 2011, 11:22 PM
 
Well, I broke down and got a nice up-scale rug to cover my bald spot, so the people at the hair place handle the trimming, gluing, coloring, and weaving now. It's stupid how much it breaks down to in a year, but it looks better than it has since I was a teenager.
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andi*pandi
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Aug 12, 2011, 11:49 PM
 
I trim my bangs but anything more complex it's to the hairdresser. I think it's been over a year since I've been.

I also trim my kids hair.
     
gradient
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Aug 13, 2011, 02:23 PM
 
Yep, clippers ala solo for me, too. I've only been to a barber twice in my life.
     
Railroader
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Aug 13, 2011, 05:33 PM
 
Another benefit for me in going to the barber is getting my eye brows trimmed. I am getting that age where I would look like Michael Dukakis if I don't get the caterpillars on my forehead trimmed with every haircut. When they are nice and short I look 5-7 years younger. I'm not going to even try and do those myself.
     
ghporter
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Aug 14, 2011, 08:46 AM
 
Michael Dukakis had decent eyebrows compared to the way mine grow if left unchecked. I got burned about 25 years ago, and among other things, my eyebrows went from "typical" to "qualifies as a 1950s Russian diplomat." I can trim my own eyebrows, using the same clippers I use to keep my beard trimmed, but when I get my hair cut, the stylist usually asks if she can trim the brows, and I let her. Having someone else take care of this gives me better, more consistent and symmetrical results, and it's a bit of pampering I can really use.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
hart
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Aug 16, 2011, 01:45 PM
 
I do mine but it's below shoulder length so I just pull it all together and cut it at one length. I cut my three kids' hair as well. I got a book on hair cutting around 1978 and never looked back. I hate salons.
     
Jawbone54
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Aug 16, 2011, 02:23 PM
 
I've cut my own hair every time but once in the past 18 months or so. The one time I didn't was a massive mistake -- she brought my back hairline up by nearly an entire inch. Looked ridiculous.

I also take a #2 guard and trim my eyebrows and sideburns down about once a month.
     
ShortcutToMoncton
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Aug 17, 2011, 01:46 PM
 
Crikey, I thought you guys were a bunch of cheap bastards avoiding a $30 haircut. And then I find out it's because you'd have to end up spending $80 upkeep in waxing your perfectly groomed eyebrows, so you just do that shit yourself.

You overpampered man-pussies.
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Jawbone54
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Aug 17, 2011, 01:52 PM
 
Oh, make no mistake about it. Saving $30 is definitely part of it.
     
subego
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Aug 17, 2011, 02:02 PM
 
Originally Posted by ghporter View Post
my eyebrows went from "typical" to "qualifies as a 1950s Russian diplomat."
I used to call these types of hairs "Yeltsins". Of course, I pick the one guy who didn't have crazy eyebrows.

Now, burst blood wessels in his nose... that he had.
     
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Aug 17, 2011, 02:02 PM
 
Doing it when I want, how I want, and not waiting or having to interact with people? Priceless.
     
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Aug 17, 2011, 02:28 PM
 
Quit trying to derail this thread into a discussion about masturbation.

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The Final Dakar
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Aug 17, 2011, 02:35 PM
 
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Aug 17, 2011, 02:42 PM
 
I thought this was a thread about rabbits.
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subego
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Aug 17, 2011, 03:38 PM
 
Originally Posted by ShortcutToMoncton View Post
Crikey, I thought you guys were a bunch of cheap bastards avoiding a $30 haircut. And then I find out it's because you'd have to end up spending $80 upkeep in waxing your perfectly groomed eyebrows, so you just do that shit yourself.

You overpampered man-pussies.
Speaking of which, I'm about two imperial units away from waxing everything between my neck and legs.
     
BLAZE_MkIV
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Aug 17, 2011, 04:11 PM
 
Originally Posted by ShortcutToMoncton View Post
Crikey, I thought you guys were a bunch of cheap bastards avoiding a $30 haircut.
It takes less time to run the trimmer over my head than it would to wait in line at a barber at stylist, never mind having to schedule it and drive there. Plus I can do it any morning were I look in the mirror and see it's getting long. Don't forget it would be $30 a week or biweekly.
     
BLAZE_MkIV
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Aug 17, 2011, 04:12 PM
 
Originally Posted by subego View Post
Speaking of which, I'm about two imperial units away from waxing everything between my neck and legs.
I'd considered the laser hair removal for the neck and under my chin.
     
subego
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Aug 17, 2011, 04:25 PM
 
Shaving that with a razor wouldn't bother me if I didn't consistently hack my neck up.

The rest is more an issue of acreage. Getting rid of all that is no small undertaking.
     
   
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