DIY haircut using pet clippers - how hard can it be?

[Mabouya]

How to Give Yourself a Buzz Cut | The Art of Manliness

I have some clippers I used to use for Abby, my dearly-departed long-hair cat, which I think still work. Assuming I'm willing to live with very, very short hair (which is what I request when I go to a pro anyway) how horrible can it get? Has anyone out there tried this?

As best I can tell, all barber shops around here are closed. I'm not in dire need of a haircut just yet, but if this continues for more than 2 weeks or so (and I think it will) I will need one big-time.

(image below is about what I have - battery-powered clippers and several different length combs)

[COVRTDESIGN]

About a day away from using my beard trimmer to buzz the head.

[kpomtb]

Having had a beard of some length or another since the 80s, I have a hair trimmer designed (ok marketed) for humans. Put the Zero guard on and let her rip when they closed all hair joints the day before my last appt. Results were as expected...short...all over. But not too hard to accomplish.

[kpomtb]

Buzzed.jpg

Was happy to confirm the old noggin is generally round....although looks a bit rounder from the front than the side now that I look at this pic.

[Mabouya]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]Was happy to confirm the old noggin is generally round....although looks a bit rounder from the front than the side now that I look at this pic.

I'll go short, but not quite that short...

[thollandpe]

You always stop for the Mohawk photo op first, right?

I will use the Mohawk for at least one video conference.

[j44ke]

First: Find a bowl that fits your head...

[charliedid]

Do you have kids?

[deano]

I made my wife cut my hair a week ago. We watched a couple of youtube videos (got fancy, actually, this is what I get at the barber shop: - we modded it to just do finger length around the back and sides vs. his fancy comb technique).

It started off great. She maintains that a baby was crying and that's why she just cut the back and sides and punted on the top. I was able to blend it the rest of the way and do my side burns just how I like. In truth, it turned out nicely. It was a lot worse for her than it was for me. I saw anther dude in the neighborhood getting a porch haircut when I was on a bike ride the next day. I called out "Hey, dude, I got a coronavirus haircut, too!"

But yeah, like if as @charliedid asks you do have kids, practice on them.

[Mabouya]

Do you have kids?

Me?

Nope. Nor a significant other to do it either.

But I do have a beard and have been trimming that for ages, so I'm not totally helpless when it comes to using electric clippers.

[Too Tall]

I've got some awesome WAHL old school clippers I use for clipping our Standard Poodle. I've got all sorts of blades and guards and I'm about ```` that close to doing the same. One length all over.

It's almost bikini season ;)

[htwoopup]

It’s a slippery slope to the lather and blade on the dome.

Very slippery.

[johnmdesigner]

Careful what you wish for.

[zachateseverything]

I doubt there's a functional difference between pet clippers and people clippers. Maybe just in the number and values of the guides they give you in the kit.

Anyway, I've been cutting my own hair for about a decade now. If you're cool with a uniform length buzz cut it's easy. If you're trying to do any kind of a taper, fade, or style you're going to have a rough time.

[thollandpe]

Do you have kids?

But yeah, like if as @charliedid asks you do have kids, practice on them.

@zambenini I was thinking that @charliedid meant that you should let the kids practice on you! Talk about a quarantine memory, "Remember that time we made Dad's hair look so awful?"

I doubt there's a functional difference between pet clippers and people clippers.

My Wahl pet clippers have a lever that adjusts the depth of engagement between the fixed blade and the vibrating blade. I can't for the life of me figure out what that does. Maybe coarse hair vs. fine?

[Mabouya]

[MENTION=6739]Maybe coarse hair vs. fine?

Neanderthal vs Cro-Magnon

[zachateseverything]

My Wahl pet clippers have a lever that adjusts the depth of engagement between the fixed blade and the vibrating blade. I can't for the life of me figure out what that does. Maybe coarse hair vs. fine?

My Wahl human clippers have the same lever. It's for trying to do a taper. good luck trying to use it on your own head.

[charliedid]

I was thinking let them do it but both are fine!

I clipped my dome for 10 years. It gets easier

[charliedid]

I think you'll do just great. And even better the 50th time you do it.

[sk_tle]

You always stop for the Mohawk photo op first, right?

I will use the Mohawk for at least one video conference.

I have the mohawk since last sunday. I doubt I would have ever done it if I wasn't in a strict lockdown. So far 2 video conf and an online spanish class. It made it a bit slower to start the meeting as everyone tries to insert his own joke but people should get used to it quickly.