Questions about hair clippers

[Lee]

I think this counts enough as FTM gear.  Anyways, I'm debating getting clippers and just doing my own hair, but I know nothing about them.  Are they pretty simple to use and get everything looking good?  Also it seems like there's a huge price range.  Do the cheap ones work well? 

[Cindy]

From what I have seen they are good for head shaves. For guys who don't care. They are difficult to make anything that looks good if used by your self.

For FtM may I be a little cautious ( ) head shaves on any one with feminine facial features really display the feminine features.

If you are six foot with muscles do what you want.  If you aren't you may not blend in.

Cindy

[noxdraconis]

I do not know if the set I have is cheap or not since it has been sitting in the closet since I was an infant, but I think they work great. 

It does require some flexibility and a decent pair of mirrors (one wall mounted and large, the other either hand-held or mounted so that you can see the back of your head)  to give yourself a decent looking cut that has varying lengths.   I have been giving myself a good  "short back and sides" cut with the pair I have since high school, but the first few times were difficult.  Operating the thing (switching the guards and turning it on) is easy, but trying to keep the neckline even and the like is rather difficult. 

[Luc]

I have a $20 Conair clipper set from Wal-Mart--- it came with all the attachments, even a DVD for learning how to use it--- but after using it for about 10 haircuts, the blade is too dull to do a decent job anymore. Now I just use my beard trimmer, which is a $40 set by Wahl (also from Wal-Mart, the poor man's mecca). The Wahl trimmer seems to stay sharp far longer, just doesn't have the longer attachments like the Conair (the longest you can leave your hair is 3/8 of an inch). However, I've heard Wahl is a pretty good company in general; you might look for one of their hair clippers. I'd steer clear of Conair, though, unless you have the money to spring for a professional quality clipper set.

As per how easy it is, I always keep my hair much shorter on the sides and back than on top, and that can be tricky. If you plan to cut it all the same length, it's easy, but as Cindy mentioned, you can end up accentuating your feminine features by shaving/buzzing your hair. My recommendation is make sure to leave it longer on top than on sides and back, and have someone touch it up for you when you're done, to make sure everything is even.

I've been cutting my own hair for about 3 years now, and no one's ever told me it looks bad... that must account for something, right?

[Nygeel]

I had one really good set of clippers and one really bad set. Conair is the bad set. The clippers weren't powerful enough to cut my hair, and the guard kept touching the moving bits so they would stop.

I would suggest paying a bit more and getting wahl clippers. They're $30-$40 and work great.

[anibioman]

it is very hard to cut your own hair with clippers unless you are making it all one length which i dont suggest as it will revile a more feminine head shape. it is really easy to cut someone elses hair with clippers. also cheap ones tend to pull your hair instead of cut it. also it is imposible to edge your own hair which is needed when you cut hair short with clipppers. overall i dont suggest it and this is coming from someone who has tried and currently cuts his own hair with SCISSORS.

[Cowboi]

I think we need to stop generalizing and saying it's so hard to cut your hair yourself. It may be for some people, but there are many of us out there who do it all the time and end up with amazing results. I've cut my own hair for over 10 years with clippers. I am so good at it that I also cut almost all of my guy friend's hair as well as some of my lesbian friends who use buzz cut styles. I have had everything from a high and tight (current) to a mohawk to shaggy spikey hair. I have always done it myself, I get compliments, I get requests to give haircuts, I get women and men admiring my look all the time. Never fails.

So if YOU can't do it, stop acting like NO ONE can. Some of us are just talented at it lol.

And I know a ton of people who aren't super talented who end up with very nice cuts just as good as you'd get somewhere like Great Clips. You can also buy the clippers and get a roommate, family member, girlfriend, boyfriend, etc, to help you out. I had one ex who is the only person who is allowed to cut my hair besides myself. He really wanted to learn and he was good at it, so sometimes when we want to try something more difficult we work together. Plus he can do stuff like the back of my neck which is in fact harder just because of views and angles.

There are tons of youtube tutorials on different ways to do home haircuts yourself for men for many hairstyles and lengths as well. Some of them are crap but several are very good and helpful.

Expensive clippers will always beat the crap out of cheap ones. Expect to need a new pair in about a couple of years if you get cheapo ones. They aren't worth replacing blades and crap like that in either just because they're so cheap to begin with for the amount of time they last lol. You will unavoidably have an issue with one at some point, rather it's pulling hair, not cutting everything, guards not fitting right (loosing guards that are essential to you lol). It's worth buying a cheap pair and seeing how you do at it. If it all works out for you then look at saving for a nice pair

[Lee]

I may give it a shot.  I had a gift certificate for a salon, so I went there to get it cut.  It ended up as a very pixie-looking style instead of a men's cut.  Maybe I can square it up some with a clippers.