I’m going to cut ds’ hair

[Ginevra]

I was intending to have my hair dresser friend cut it from her home, but I was waiting until my daughter’s quarantine was finished in case I was unknowingly carrying the virus. But now we’re under SAH order, so I’m not comfortable breaking that for a hair cut. 

So. His hair is extremely long in the front and it can’t wait for weeks and weeks to be addressed. I have cut hair before but it was when the boys were young and it just didn’t matter much. Also, I usually clippered it entirely, so scissor work was not necessary. However, I have cut my own or dd’s bangs thousands of times, so I figure I should be able to manage scissoring the top and front of his hair. 

Anyone else doing this? Any hair dressers want to give me tips? Anyone know a good YouTube that might help? Here are two pictures I took when he got his hair cut, which I annotated without realizing it would ever be notes *for me* to use! 

 

[fairfarmhand]

Good luck. All I can say is my dh is beginning to look like John the Baptist! And he will not let me near his head.

[PeterPan]

I would trim around his ears and nape and then hand him a bottle of gel. If you can order clippers online, might be easier. Try these. They're small and will go around the ears well.

                                             Wahl Professional Peanut Cordless Clipper/Trimmer #8663, White - Great On-the-Go Trimmer for Barbers and Stylists - Powerful Rotary Motor                                     

Edited April 2, 2020 by PeterPan

[ktgrok]

Honestly, we all may have to have less favored looks for a while. If you mess up, he gets a buzz cut. It will grow out by the time he goes anywhere anyone is going to see him. 

that's what I'm telling myself, anyway, lol. I got a cut a few weeks ago, before it got bad, and felt bad even then risking it, but it will last me a while. (went first thing when they opened, didn't touch anything with my hands, only 4 people there including stylists). But given we have at least another month of stay at home orders, I have a feeling I'll be buzzing my own before this is over. Or ordering some thinning shears off Amazon and having DH watch youtube tutorials. 

Thankfully DS is easy, just a buzz cut will be fine, and my DDs have longer hair so no real need for anything, and DH shaves his head already. 

[PeterPan]

The clippers I linked are powerful enough to tidy up the actual hair too if you need to. I wouldn't run them a *long* time without rest because they'll get hot. I have them in corded and ds' hairdresser uses them in cordless. It's not hard to use a very fine tooth comb and pull out the hair and see the line they used for shaving. If you use that line, pulling out the hair, and running the clippers, you'll maintain the shape better. Yes, you can find videos on it. 

I'm just saying I *wouldn't* because it will probably look fine, grown out, so long as the nape and ears are tidy. The top of the head was scissored, and you can buy a pair of scissors for hair on amazon. Don't use regular scissors whatever you do. But seriously, gel it for a while. Does it grow fast? He could probably grow it 2 months and not have it look too bad if he uses gel. Just keep the ears and nape tidy. 

Here, about 12:41 in this you'll see the barber using clippers to trim the back, a lot like your ds' hair. It's a really great video anyway just to watch. I don't think our kids are getting to this point.  

 

[Guest]

@PeterPan, I have hair scissors, stylists combs and hair cutting clippers by Oster from years back. My dh also has a cordless beard trimmer I can use for details on neck and around ears. 

[Jaybee]

I'm with you on this, only for dh. In fact, both scissors and clippers are on their way. I've been wanting to try it for awhile anyway, and this seems like a good time, since there is time for repair if I totally botch it. Older ds says he won't allow me to touch his, lol, but it is getting so bad that I think if I do a good job on dh, he may change his mind before it is all over. My biggest predicament is younger ds. His hair is very thick, very straight, and not forgiving in case of a bad cut. Professionals often do not get his right, so he may just have to look like a mess. I hope the clippers I ordered will work well. The ones (two choices, better quality) that I was wanting to get were both back-ordered until mid-late April, and we need to take care of this problem.

[Miss Tick]

I've done DH and DS's hair for years. Full disclosure, I have no professional training, just a lot of practice. Here is what I do:

1. Clipper on largest or second largest guard. Remember Geordie's eyething on that old Star Trek Next Gen? I clipper that line around their head, then I clipper up from the nape and fade it out just above that line. Take the guard off and use the clipper to neaten the line across his neck, usually with angles at the sides.

2. Go down two clipper sizes to do the sideburns - looks like you can skip this step

3. Spray wet the top of the head and comb it through a bit. comb a bit along the front over his eyes like bangs and trim that to the length you want. SUPER IMPORTANT - before doing anything else with his hair, go back along this line you just cut and with the point of the scissors cut little 1/4 inch angles into that line. This is how you avoid the bowl look.

4. With the comb pick up a pinch of hair from the forehead heading toward the back of his head. Use the length of the hair you cut in #3 as a guide to trim the rest of the pinch. Move over a bit and do it again until you've done all the way across his forehead.

5. I do the same thing along the sides and around the back to ease the transition from where the clipper stopped onto the top of his head.

6. Finish the top middle part of the head same as you did the hair across his forehead in step 4.

7. Use the scissors to trim shorter around the ears.

Every once in a while I spend time doing the jagged cutting a little deeper all over the top of their head to thin out the hair a bit.

With a few more weeks of social distancing ahead of us this is the perfect time to try it! My FIL always said the difference between a bad haircut and a good one was usually 3 days.

[RootAnn]

I've been cutting DH's hair since my eldest was born over 18 years ago. My biggest tip is cut less than you need to because you can't glue it back on. The other one is not to be in a hurry.

My DD's friends learned how to cut hair by giving free cuts to dorm mates. I don't recommend using the video link for tips (unless you are taking notes on what not to do), but it will give you an idea how long it takes when you are just learning & cutting just a bit at a time. [Removed link]

Lots of tutorials on YouTube.

Edited April 2, 2020 by RootAnn
Removed link

I buzzer my 3rd child because he threw such a temper tantrum when he was little.  He likes his short.  I am not ready for that with my youngest-I take him for a cut-but if I don’t cut it soon he is going to need a ponytail holder.  I have been meaning to post asking for links to a good video on hair cutting.

[Spy Car]

4 hours ago, Quill said:

I was intending to have my hair dresser friend cut it from her home, but I was waiting until my daughter’s quarantine was finished in case I was unknowingly carrying the virus. But now we’re under SAH order, so I’m not comfortable breaking that for a hair cut. 

So. His hair is extremely long in the front and it can’t wait for weeks and weeks to be addressed. I have cut hair before but it was when the boys were young and it just didn’t matter much. Also, I usually clippered it entirely, so scissor work was not necessary. However, I have cut my own or dd’s bangs thousands of times, so I figure I should be able to manage scissoring the top and front of his hair. 

Anyone else doing this? Any hair dressers want to give me tips? Anyone know a good YouTube that might help? Here are two pictures I took when he got his hair cut, which I annotated without realizing it would ever be notes *for me* to use! 

 

 

Handsome boy.

I actually started cutting my own hair years ago when our beloved family hair cutter got super-busy after landing a job at a very fancy salon in Santa Monica. She was still willing to cut my son's hair which she has done since he was a toddler (and potentially mine as well) by appointment ay a close by salon. But I knew it is somewhat of an imposition on her.

Anyway, one day during a period when she was crushed with work and when I was very wooly and the weather was HOT, I was driven to madness. Although I'm old and approaching geezer-hood, I still have an extremely full head of hair. Family trait. Very thick and loosely curly.  Anyway, that much "insulation" with temps in the 100s was too much.

So I picked up some hair scissors and started whacking away. Could have been a total disaster. I did not care frankly. 

But I settled into it. And found the key for me was to use the fingers of my left hand to "measure" and hold the hair while I snipped with the right. Pretty easy.

Granted, my hair type is easy, but after a few touch-ups it looked as good as any hair cut I've gotten in salons.

Son's hair is trickier. Was always baby-fine, but now thickening up to be more like mine in his teen years. He just asked yesterday if I could go some clean up. Wife might kill me. 

Anyway, for your son's style, try (in the back first) pulling his hair through your fingers and snipping off any that pokes through. That will get it even.

In areas where you want it a little longer use the same technique, just "lift" the fingers a set amount above the skull and snip. If you cut "tight" the back will just be a little bit longer that the photos you posted.

Try to avoid cutting the skin on your fingers (loose knuckle skin especially).

Bill 

 

 

[mumto2]

I did my son’s hair for years.  I was sort of a free style hairdresser and scissored it all.  Using my left hand to hold and measure.  It’s been a relief to send him to someone who is actually trained because it is really stressful for me to do it.  But yes I am going to have to.  Really sharp scissors is the key, I have professional ones sitting in England ....unfortunately I am not there.  I should probably see what I can find online.   I still do dh’s, no big deal,  he is a 2 all over with clippers.

 

[Jaybee]

Piggy-backing, but thanks, everybody! This is helpful to me as well.