Tip number three on my list of the things you can do RIGHT NOW to be a better haircutter is to understand the texture of your tools.  The same line or the same shape cut with a scissors, a razor or a clipper is NOT the same. It looks different.  It falls different. It feels different.

To understand the texture of your tools combined with assessing the texture of your clients hair will let you open the drawer and reach for the right tool from the start.  A client brings a picture of a cut or a look they are seeking.  It is one thing to know if they have the hair to make it happen, quite another to know which tool will allow you to create the texture, movement and shape on their hair that will result in the finished look you hope to deliver.

Scissors create weight in shapes.  Scissors allow for the accumulation of density in a design.  Razors live at the extreme opposite end of the texture spectrum.  Razors create activation, movement and texture.  Razors remove weight.  If you have never tried it you should cut the same cut on the same client with different tools to truly see and appreciate these differences.

Clippers offer an entirely different look and feel altogether.  Clippers can cut strong shapes but with soft edges and blended texture.  In many ways they offer a melding of the best of scissors and razors.

Knowing which cutting tool is the right one for every cutting situation will make a huge difference in your haircuts immediately.

Happy haircutting

Ivan

 

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, Click here.