Any suggestion for barber tools?

[qqzj]

I am having enough to pay $25 + $10 tips for my son's hair cut. It does not even look good to me. So I am wondering whether anyone can recommend something to begin with? I imagine I will need a couple of good scissors, a couple of combs, and a good few good videos from YouTube? Thankfully, my son is quite cooperative. If I give him $5 each time, he is willing to let me try until I get my skill perfected Then I can move on to my wife and daughter's hair cuts. Those are the real money savers. The hair cut price for female is just atrocious. I feel that I can easily get a couple of Snap On tool sets after a year of hair cuts. Any advice will be great!

We do have a Wahl clipper tool box from Costco during covid years. I guess I can use it to smooth out the bottom part?

 

[2Fast]

Flow Bee?

 

[captain14]

. I feel that I can easily get a couple of Snap On tool sets after a year of hair cuts. Any advice will be great!

Don’t tell them you’re buying tools with the savings…

You won’t win that discussion.

 

[1982fxr]

I use a $30 Wahl on myself and nobody notices its self done. A 4 and a 2 last time I think.

I do better than the budget places we're doing before I bought this thing. Saves time and money.

 

[cratz]

If you are committing to cutting your hair at home, buy a professional clipper. I got about 2 years from the typical “home haircut kit” before they were shot. After wasting money on the second pair i bought an Oster with a metal drivetrain and replaceable brushes. These clippers will outlast me.

FWIW, I haven’t paid for a haircut since June 2000.

 

[cgrutt]

I prefer Andis clippers still Made in USA as far as I know.

 

[ecotec]

Cutting your wife’s hair to save money… why isn’t this in the cheapskate thread?

I would love to see the results of this…

 

[Meursault74]

don't forget the bowl

 

[Blueshound_GJ]

Flow Bee?

Good enough for Clooney!

 

[WisJim]

I quit going to barbers around 1970. My wife cuts my hair and bought a new pair of quality scissors which we still use, plus a comb and hand operated trimmers from a thrift store for a couple of dollars. I trim her hair occasionally too.

 

[fsae0607]

I have the Wahl Professional clipper set. Been going strong for over five years. Keep the blades well-oiled.

My wife learned to cut my hair during COVID. Haven't been to the barber since 2020!

 

[nadogail]

I am having enough to pay $25 + $10 tips for my son's hair cut. It does not even look good to me. So I am wondering whether anyone can recommend something to begin with? I imagine I will need a couple of good scissors, a couple of combs, and a good few good videos from YouTube? Thankfully, my son is quite cooperative. If I give him $5 each time, he is willing to let me try until I get my skill perfected Then I can move on to my wife and daughter's hair cuts. Those are the real money savers. The hair cut price for female is just atrocious. I feel that I can easily get a couple of Snap On tool sets after a year of hair cuts. Any advice will be great!

We do have a Wahl clipper tool box from Costco during covid years. I guess I can use it to smooth out the bottom part?

Your son must be very young; mine would not be seen in a botched haircut for any amount of money I was able to save by cutting his hair.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Scissors are for crafts and clipping coupons. Barbers (and other professionals) use shears.

 

[vavet]

I have the wahl clippers with the vac attachment so it doesn’t make a mess. I cut my hair and my son’s hair.
cutting my wife’s hair is not even on my radar.

 

[snickers muncher]

My wife has been cutting my hair with a ~$20 wahl clipper kit for several years. It was still made in USA then, but I don't know about know. A pair of scissors from Amazon was around 15 bucks and are still going strong. I did have to sharpen the blades on the clipper after a few years, but that only took a few minutes with some sandpaper on a glass plate and some WD40.

 

[Bubba Fett]

Just do what I do, and don't cut it very often. I get about 5-to-8 inches cut off about once a year or so. It's still long even then.

 

[finn]

First time I ever went to the barber was six months after I graduated from college.

Now it’s $8.99 with a coupon in Arizona during the winter, and $8.00 at my regular barber in Michigan. Plus tip, of course.

I have no desire to ever have a home made haircut ever again after 23 years of them.

 

[MushCreek]

I bought a cheap ($25) Wahl set during covid, and have been cutting my own hair ever since. I don't want to go back to driving 20 minutes, waiting 20-30 minutes, paying $30, and driving back home another 20 minutes. I'm saving time AND money. I'm an old fart; I don't care what my hair looks like as long as it's not in my way. I've thought about simply shaving my head, but I can't get my wife on board with that.

 

[honcho]

Since I'm now hair-challenged, I merely subject myself to the students at the local beauty school for $6. As long as they don't damage my ears, I can't complain. I do have a vidal sassoon clipper set that was sadly last used to cut my late daughter-in-law's remaining hair during chemotherapy.

 

[bwringer]

I spend as much time as humanly possible with my head in a motorcycle helmet, so for many years I've basically just had clippers with a #2 guard (1/4") run over my head and face periodically. Sometimes by a professional, usually by my wife.

It mostly requires no more skill than mowing the grass, although there's some detail work at the back edges and around the ears that requires a steady hand.


Anyway, we've worn out a few pairs of cheapo buzzbox clippers and probably need to upgrade.

Anyone got some specific brands and model numbers to recommend? I see a few vague mentions of "pro" or "gear drive" clippers up there, but I'm not finding many useful results.


And the idea of any woman letting a Youtube certified expert go anywhere near her hair... LOL nope. Even the most macho, buzz cut women I've known wouldn't do that.

 

[belvedere]

I am having enough to pay $25 + $10 tips for my son's hair cut. It does not even look good to me.

I just gotta ask...why are you tipping $10 on a hair cut that does not look good?

 

[housewolf]

I am having enough to pay $25 + $10 tips for my son's hair cut. It does not even look good to me. So I am wondering whether anyone can recommend something to begin with? I imagine I will need a couple of good scissors, a couple of combs, and a good few good videos from YouTube? Thankfully, my son is quite cooperative. If I give him $5 each time, he is willing to let me try until I get my skill perfected Then I can move on to my wife and daughter's hair cuts. Those are the real money savers. The hair cut price for female is just atrocious. I feel that I can easily get a couple of Snap On tool sets after a year of hair cuts. Any advice will be great!

We do have a Wahl clipper tool box from Costco during covid years. I guess I can use it to smooth out the bottom part?

I do it backwards
My son cuts my hair. He has the Wahl extreme kit. He has a handful of other “customers” too. He’s very good at it and enjoys it. He works 14 on 14 off (oilfield), his first day back is usually spent cutting hair

 

[kngelv]

If you are going to cut your son's hair then get Oster 76 clippers and metal blades. I have been cutting my own hair for almost twenty years. I have cut both my son's hair on occasion. Cutting your wife and daughter's hair? You are a braver man than I. Cutting women's hair to their satisfaction is way too risky for me.

James

 

[qqzj]

I just gotta ask...why are you tipping $10 on a hair cut that does not look good?

It is the pressure from traditions. I tip 15% to 20% when I am in restaurants, no matter I like the food or not.

 

[qqzj]

If you are going to cut your son's hair then get Oster 76 clippers and metal blades. I have been cutting my own hair for almost twenty years. I have cut both my son's hair on occasion. Cutting your wife and daughter's hair? You are a braver man than I. Cutting women's hair to their satisfaction is way too risky for me.

James

I think I can start by cutting a little bit a time. So I won't mess up big time. In case I mess up, they can still go a real barber.

 

[thr3squared]

Another vote for good clippers - like any tool, if you're committed "buy once, cry once". I bought my Oster 111 clippers (metal blades) freshman year of highschool....that was 1997, when my folks didn't like me spending money on easy buzz cuts all the time. I shave my head now, but still use it for my beard

And I recommend Andis T-Liners for edging (also great for beards too)

 

[bwringer]

Thanks for the specific recommendations!

 

[BigLeagueSmoes]

I have a Wahl T blade trimmer with #1/2, 1, 1 1/2 guards
Also have a Wahl Super Taper with a full set of guards from #1-8
Also have a nice pair of vintage barber shears and a comb

Can do just about any men's haircut with these tools and enough practice!

 

[oldmachinenut]

I cut my own hair with the Wahl balding clippers once a week. I use the bare clippers, no guides so essentially bald. I did the razor a few times, too much time for no noticeable difference. They work very well and do a good job.

 

[minke]

Step 1: I cut my own hair with a Wahl from Costco.

Step 2: My wife fixes it. She says that when I do it it looks like a mule did it by biting my head.

 

[Aaron_W]

If you are committing to cutting your hair at home, buy a professional clipper. I got about 2 years from the typical “home haircut kit” before they were shot. After wasting money on the second pair i bought an Oster with a metal drivetrain and replaceable brushes. These clippers will outlast me.

FWIW, I haven’t paid for a haircut since June 2000.

My wife has been cutting the kids hair pretty much from the beginning. Eventually she started cutting mine too. I was resistant at first, because she has no formal training, but eventually it occured to me that I only have to impress her. If she thinks I have a bad hair cut that is on her. She actually does a pretty good job, much better than the cheap places, plus its free and I don't get in trouble for feeling up the barber.

She has an Oster clipper which has to be 15-20 years old still running like new. Much better quality than the $30-40 clippers from Walmart.

During Covid she got real popular at work when word got out that she could cut hair. She probably could have made some pretty good side money, but the boss let her do it on the clock on slow nights, so she didn't charge anything.

 

[Kuma601]

Same tiresome experience and going in every 3 weeks was more of a chore because the stylist would make me feel like it was a therapy session as she relayed her life problems. The last one she really let it all out by complaining and the resulting cut was pretty bad. I decided that was the last I was going to endure. As crappy a cut as it was I tipped her a $10 where my usual was $3. Bought a Panasonic cordless clipper and have since been giving myself a #1 the past 27 years.

Growing up dad kept his Navy cut so he would often joke with me about getting a buzz cut. He was happy that I began cutting my own as we looked alike. As a side note, my wife now comments that I look just like dad, I miss him.

 

[bwringer]

Step 1: I cut my own hair with a Wahl from Costco.

Step 2: My wife fixes it. She says that when I do it it looks like a mule did it by biting my head.

Gotta love a woman who can throw down a good mule simile.

 

[Crowbarman55]

Barbers go through about as much training as medical students.
I just shave my head with a straight razor and I use a brio pro $110.00 for fading my beard.

 

[RedneckWelder]

Do not cut the women’s hair. Unless you want to die by their hands.

if your son is good with a buzz cut if it goes wrong otherwise then experimenting with his cut is acceptable. Personally I’ve always buzzed mine with no guard myself. My wife does it for me now because it’s faster and no chance of misses.

 

[Zewnten]

At this point I'm putting my money on OP being a troll. No one who has been married for more than a mintue would ever think to cut the wife's hair as a money saving option. The divorce would cost much more than a liftime of going to a salon (also since the OP doesn't know that men go to barbers, women to salons seems to further support his contributions are for entertainment.)

 

[minke]

Step 1: I cut my own hair with a Wahl from Costco.

Step 2: My wife fixes it. She says that when I do it it looks like a mule did it by biting my head.

Gotta love a woman who can throw down a good mule simile.

I was very well behaved. I didn't quote my favorite Ogden Nash poem which I will subject you to now:

“In the world of mules
There are no rules.”​

 

[willy3486]

First of on the tools to use if you plan to do this. Get a good set of clippers. I worked in a factory making them, one of the clippers suggested. The cheaper ones to be adjusted to get to work was hit with a hammer. Go for the better priced ones. But don't expect to be as good as someone who has been trained, similar to someone who thinks mechanics are ripoffs who buys a harbor freight set of tools to fix their own cars.

I probably know more about this than most here. I am not a barber but my wife is a master beautician or as far as you can get. To give you an idea she has taught it and she was also one of the Wella girls back in the 80s. She toured with Priscilla Presley when Priscillia was a Wella spokesperson and my wife did her hair on stage. I have been to the conventions with her and supported her in this. But I am no way an expert but familiar with this field.

With that said as far as the profession it is lower pay than you think. Most have to rent a booth from a shop owner and that takes up a lot of what they make. They also have to train for about two years many times and learn a lot on chemistry. To give you an idea of how little you make after costs my wife quit and went to work in a factory on a line with insurance to make more money, thats where we met. We also built a shop in our house we built so she could do it. she got tired and went to work as a assistant in a school to make more. She also had to have the shop inspected or it would be closed down. I could go on and on but most of the beauticians out there are like a lot of mechanics here, wondering why so many think they are rich when they are barely scraping by.

I see a lot of post from mechanics complaining about how the general public thinks they are too high when the costs of being a mechanic is causing them to barely get by. The same is true with most barber,beauticians. So keep this in mind when you think you are being "ripped off". Before I got married I had a buddy whose mom was a beautician. She barely made enough to live on. They are not ripping you off as most are having as hard if not harder time than most people as they have no benefits or perks like many do.