Barbers can relate to the fact that there is no single way to cut hair. There are different techniques that can be used to achieve different hairstyles. There are easy beginner’s techniques and there are also complex techniques for more experienced barbers. Furthermore, there are a variety of haircutting tools that can be used for these different haircutting techniques.
Here are the most commonly used haircutting techniques used by professional barbers:
Blunt Haircutting Technique
This technique is also known as the club cutting technique. This is used for cutting the top of the hair or the sides. It is called “blunt” technique because you basically cut the same length in a blunt straight line.
To do this technique, you hold out the hair from the head and cut off from the tip. The hair is cut with a zero degree angle. This allows the hair to fall into a straight line once cut. The blunt haircutting technique can be used on all types of hair. A small scissor with strong tips is perfect for the blunt technique.
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Scissor Over Comb Haircutting Technique
The name of this haircutting technique tells exactly about what the technique involves. The use of the comb can help you in lifting the portion of the hair that you need to cut, guide you in cutting, and also let you cut closer to the head as possible without having your fingers in the way. The scissor over comb haircutting technique is usually utilized when cutting the portion near the ears or the nape.
This technique creates a softer hairstyle and works well on damp hair. Once you have removed the top portion of the hair that needs to be cut, you can use this technique in shaping the bottom portion of the hair. It is best to stand to the side of the client to get a view of the full head. The comb should be on the less dominant hand while the scissor should be on the dominant hand. The blade of the scissor should be parallel to the comb when cutting over it. Most of the time, the scissor doesn’t have to touch the comb unless the hair to be cut is too short.
For this haircutting technique, a scissor with long blades is perfect to use. See our wide range of haircutting scissors and barber combs.
Thinning Technique
When thinning the hair, you can use either a scissor or a razor. This haircutting technique allows you to soften the hairstyle appearance by reducing the hair volume. It creates a perfect blend and subtle textured appearance on the hairstyle.
For this technique, you use a thinning scissor. There are various types of thinning scissors and they are used to achieve different styles. For texturising and blending, the most common thinning scissors used are the ones with 20 to 30 teeth. If you want to reduce the thickness of the hair, the thinning scissors to use are the ones with 6 to 12 and 30 to 40 teeth. For the finishing touches on the hairstyle, barbers use 14 to 20 teeth thinning scissors.
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Texturising Technique
This haircutting technique allows barbers to cut hair into different lengths and thereby creating different hairstyles. The result of this technique is a textured look.
A texturising scissor is used for this technique. This kind of scissor is different to a thinning scissor as it has wider teeth and more space in between. This design allows you to cut thicker portions of the hair compared to a thinning scissor. Although texturising and thinning are different haircutting techniques, they can be used to complement one another. Doing so will thin the heavy portion of the hair while adding texture to the mid and bottom sections of the hair.
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Blade on Skin Haircutting Technique
This haircutting technique is used for the finishing touches of a haircut. It is used for outlining and finishing particularly on faded or tapered haircuts. It is done using either a scissor or a clipper. It is utilized mostly on the temple, forehead area, and the back of the neck. It can also be used to outline the area around the ears.
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Fading Technique
This technique tapers the hair. Usually, a shorter cut is done on the base of the neck and the length is gradually increased going to the top of the head. This creates the tapered result.
From the word “fade”, the hair looks like it’s fading because of the gradual decrease of the hair’s length. The fading can be done in three ways: from the top of the head down to the base of the neck, from the base of the neck to the top of the head, and from the middle of the head out.
A clipper with an adjustable lever is perfect for this technique. There is a proper way to hold the clipper to be able to perform the fading technique right. When you hold the clipper, your thumb should be on the top while the two fingers should offer support from the back. This way you can easily move the clipper in a C-shaped motion.
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