Stereotypes are not a good thing. You know the “survivalist” or “mountain man” look that you see on television –long beard, unkempt hair, and generally rough clothing. While outdoor work and lack of supplies can lead to this condition, I believe it is possible to weather the hard times with good hygiene and style.
When I was young, haircuts were usually done at home. Occasionally, I would go with my father to a barbershop, but that did not happen very often. Mostly, haircuts were done with a pair of scissors, and my father did a very good job with it. When I moved away from home, I did not have a lot of money and I discovered that a haircut at a barbershop cost nearly three times my hourly janitor’s wage as a poor college student. For a while, I would wait until returning home to get a free haircut from my father. However, waiting for three or sometimes four months for a haircut led to a scruffy appearance, and my attempts at trimming it with scissors alone were not very good. When I got married, I tried convincing my then-wife to learn hair cutting skills. She was unmotivated, and that attempt failed. I figured out quickly that I had to find another solution.
Surprisingly, learning to cut my own hair did not involve hideous aesthetic disasters. I did not even look at YouTube. I got a couple ideas in the Walmart personal care and beauty section, and I was able to find solid choices of equipment even in a small town. I started with a basic electric clipper – the cheapest I could get at the time was $7, and even with inflation you can still grab one for around $12. I picked up a couple of mirrors – one for the wall, and another to hold in my hand. It does not take much, and you can still grab both of those for $10 or less, and even cheaper if you are able to use something really tiny. With those basic tools, I began cutting! Even the first one turned out relatively decent – and it was not an all-over buzz cut either. Short on the sides, a bit longer and more fluffy on the top.
Emboldened by a couple of successes, I lured others within my reach into practice sessions with the promise of free haircuts! Buzz cuts on my male friends were easy. You can do a lot with a basic set of guards. After working on the wife, I learned how to do layer cuts on female hair, as well as using off-the-shelf dye products. Ah, the joys of the college years! Not only was dye in fashion, I learned to work with neon colors in shades of red, blue, and even green. A regular parade of the wife’s classmates and friends came through the door, and left with new styles. From long hair to really short hair, I gained experience quickly. While I worked for a state agency and did private security work, I clipped my hair quite short, and even shaved my scalp completely at one point. Today, my repertoire is much simpler. I take care of my own hair, as well as doing some relatively conservative barber work for friends and family.
Why should you learn how to be your own barber? First, it saves money. The last barbershop haircut I had was over 15 years ago, and even then, it was $15.00. Due to inflation, I am sure it is more now. But using that number and assuming six haircuts per year, over 15 years I have saved nearly $1,400 by cutting my own hair. And that does not count the money that friends and family have saved. Second, doing it myself means I am independent. I can take care of my hair when I need it or want it, without waiting on others. Third – I believe it is a cleaner operation. You are not exposed to the same hair-cutting equipment as the general public, so there’s zero risk of transferring fleas or lice eggs or mites. Granted, that is a very low risk, but it still exists. And if you do it right before a shower, you are not stuck driving home with itchy hair clippings on your clothes It seems that no matter how tight the barber wraps the towel around your neck, you will have some clippings going down your back! Fourth, doing it at home is sustainable. The tools and supplies are easily acquired, and they store almost indefinitely. Put a few pairs of scissors, some razors, and a couple of sets of electric clippers in a storage unit and relax!
For basic men’s haircuts, you do not need more than $30 worth of clipping tools. Go to a basic store such as Walmart, and get an electric clipper kit. There are several different grades. Get the basic one if you’re just starting out, and you can get a more expensive one later when you know what you’re doing and what luxury features you would like. Most of them come with cords, but you can also get some with rechargeable batteries. The batteries are usually internal, and I have not yet found one that can take user-replaceable batteries. I’m sure it exists somewhere, and if you’d really like to be able to charge your clipper with solar power, it might be worth the search.
Whatever kit you choose should include various plastic guards. I like to have guards in every size from 1/8” to 1 ¼”, and two angled guards to use around the ears. Clipper brand does not seem to matter, although they wear out after about 3 to 4 years of hard use. For long-term storage, once you find a type of clipper that you like, you can buy several. You can save money by buying clippers for the future without the plastic guards, as the guards last forever. Guards are brand-specific, however, and do not easily transfer from one kind of clipper to another. Make sure that you get things that match.
Often, the brand you choose will have a cheap set with just the clipper and a couple of items, and more expensive sets with tons of guards and accessories. Once you figure out what you like, you can get the more expensive set, and multiple cheap ones to keep the clippers going. If you buy a couple of different types to compare, make sure that you look at the cutting head and evaluate how many parts are made of metal vs. how many are made of plastic. More metal parts means higher quality. I have seen a couple that had nothing metal beyond the blades – even the linkages that went from motor to blades were thin pieces of plastic. Well, that is what $10 buys. But even the cheap unit will pay for itself in just a haircut or two, so it is worth it to get started.
Beyond a clipper kit, you will need a couple of good pairs of scissors. Cheap scissors work well enough, and some clipper kits include scissors and a plastic comb. The included scissors tend to be small and have blunt tips, so they are not the best for tight work and no good if you have fingers much larger than a child’s. I prefer higher quality scissors, and Fiskars brand has worked well. You can usually find them in the office supplies section. Do not cut anything besides hair with your hair-cutting scissors, as sticky reside from tape or other materials can ruin them. Make sure that your scissors have a sharp point in case you need to do some detail work, especially around the ears.
A nice pair of mustache scissors is helpful for taming loose strands of facial hair, but it also works well for getting those pesky one or two single strands of hair that you missed with the clippers and big scissors. Layering shears are optional, but are good for thinning thick areas, and are essential for some female cuts. I have also found that they are a great tool for fixing clipper mistakes. If you cut a bit too deep or irregularly, your hair can end up with a “mowed” or “moth-eaten” look.
Layering shears have gaps in the blade, so they do not cut a straight line. By snipping just a bit and delicately moving your hand outward along the strands of hair, you will feather any sharp-looking edges and undo most clipper errors. You can use this technique with or without a comb. You will need a plastic comb for general use, and you might want a metal comb for dealing with stubborn tangles. If you feel like spending a bit more for quality combs and scissors, Sally Beauty Supply is a great store for just about anything you need that Walmart and lower-end stores do not carry. They also have a huge selection of dye products for feminine looks, and plenty of natural-tone dyes for gentlemen who want to cover over some unwanted gray.
Barbering goes beyond just haircuts – there is the art of shaving as well. Most men have developed their own preferences over time, and some prefer premium products. Razors come in different forms, from the old-fashioned “cut throat” straight razor to the modern plastic cartridge type. My favorite for ease of use, safety, and cost-effectiveness is the 1950s-style double safety razor. I use Astra brand blades, available on Amazon. At this time, a 100-pack is $6. That is a year’s supply of sharp razor blades for the price of 6 plastic-handled disposable razors. And, the tiny amount of metal trash you make is really compact and easy to get rid of. Stainless steel razor handles vary in quality. Mine cost $6, but there are some you may like better.
You can use shaving cream or shaving soap, but for a simple and cheap choice, you can use your regular bar soap. Make the lather with a bit of water and a boar bristle brush. You can do this right on the side of a soap bar, but I prefer to use soap chips. When you can’t hold onto the remains of a soap bar anymore, the last little bits don’t need to be wasted if you put them into a small cup or bowl. Waste not, want not, as my mother would say. And yes, these tools and techniques will also serve for female needs.
A final word of advice: If you mess up, any hair will grow back! It is an old joke in my family, passed down at least from my father’s childhood. But it is true. Hair on the head of a healthy adult grows between half and three quarters of an inch monthly. As each hair grows at a slightly different rate, any errors in a short cut disappear in a week or two. So, fear not! You’ve got nothing to lose, and quite a bit of money to save.