DIY hair trimmers. No more barbers!

rubadub

I have been cutting my own hair with a barber style razor for the last 17 years or so. I got pretty good at it and can do it in no time now. A few mates have razors but cannot manage it themselves, it is tricky at the back at first.

In the last few years I see more razors intended to be used yourself, and have come down in price.

Hit me when my father said he paid €30 for a haircut recently, and he has feck all hair left!

http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/4426051/c_1/1%7Ccat_10392416%7CMen%27s+grooming%7C10392483/Trail/searchtext%3ETRIMMER.htm

http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/4426594/c_1/1%7Ccat_10392416%7CMen%27s+grooming%7C10392483/Trail/searchtext%3ETRIMMER.htm

These days short haircuts are perfectly acceptable, which was not really the case when I started.

There might be better deals elsewhere.

KTRIC

That last one looks the dogs. I just bought a ceramic beard trimmer myself not 20 minutes ago, thought about a hair trimmer but decided to take the chickens way out and let the pro's do it.

loyatemu

rubadub wrote: »

Hit me when my father said he paid €30 for a haircut recently, and he has feck all hair left!

Polish barbers (various in town) will generally do a dry cut for less than a tenner - one of the places on Talbot St. does it for €5 on Mondays and Tuesdays.

As someone who possesses significantly more scalp than hair, I like to get the cheapest cut possible. I have tried doing it myself but as you say, the back is the tricky bit.

JoeA3

I have that second one, got it about a year ago and gave up on it not long after! I didn't think it was particularly good to be honest.
I've since resorted to a trusty Mach3 Turbo :pac:

As for doing the back of the head yourself, all you need is a second mirror!

unklerosco

I've been cutting my own hair for around 4 years now... My advice is to go with a std plug in trimmer...

http://www.argos.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?storeId=30001&langId=-1&q=HAIR+CLIPPER&pp=20&r_1=1|Brands|Wahl|1

I've had this one for a good while now n its by far the best I've used... Always do a much better job than the barbers do.

As for the polish barbers in town, the GFs dad uses them all the time n says its great... Suppose its handy if ur in n around the city

Gran Hermano

I use a mach 3 daily on mine for the last few years, at this stage I could do it blindfolded. Before that I used various hair trimmers and kept it at a blade one or two. Even buying blades or a new trimmer every year it beats barbershop prices.

Keep an eye out in Boots and Argos as they often reduce them by as much as 30~50% at times.

Quackles

This is the one I use on hubby, son, father and brothers I should start charging, I'd make a fortune. Recently bought a new one for 25 squid across the border, very happy with it.

I got one from Argos about 10 years ago and its still going strong (except for the rechargeable battery which died quite soon). For the back I just use my hand to grasp for any hair and then run the clippers over it.

There are so many clippers to choose from these days though. The only problem with my one is the blades need to be oiled and Remington don't send out the little bottles anymore.

Tony Broke

Wahl are the best, those fancy philishaves have no power.

banchang

loyatemu wrote: »

As someone who possesses significantly more scalp than hair, I like to get the cheapest cut possible. I have tried doing it myself but as you say, the back is the tricky bit.

I'm not saying I'm going bald, it just takes me longer & longer to wash my face

rubadub

loyatemu wrote: »

I have tried doing it myself but as you say, the back is the tricky bit.

JoeA3 wrote: »

As for doing the back of the head yourself, all you need is a second mirror!

I can shave it without looking, then just use the mirror to check it is OK at the end. I sort of put my finger before the blade to feel where the hair is. If you are doing the same blade all over you can't really go wrong, unless the blade falls off.

unklerosco wrote: »

Always do a much better job than the barbers do.

Same here, and faster too. I used to do mates since barbers were always shaving their locks up really high, even after specifically asking not to, dunno what that is with barbers, it is what made me avoid them in the first place. It was like they might mess up one side, and do the other to make them look even, then mess that up till there was nothing left!

Tony Broke wrote: »

Wahl are the best

Mine is a Wahl too, I noticed it is what most barbers were using at the time.

sorry to drag up an oldish thread but does anyone who uses their own trimmers know how to put a line or lines across the head when cutting it short? I think they're called tram lines. How do you do this with the trimmers?

I'd imagine you just run it sideways, at a slight angle (using just the edge of it) across your head?


If you want a fashionable or stylish haircut, probably best to stick with the barber.




I use this by the way:


http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/4426051/Trail/searchtext%3EHAIR+CLIPPER.htm


Kicks all kinds of ass. Have it about 2 years now. Head on it swivels to help you get the hard to reach parts. has a battery or can be used by the mains. Never had a problem with it.

Esel

Deleted User wrote: »

The only problem with my one is the blades need to be oiled and Remington don't send out the little bottles anymore.

You can buy a bottle of Wahl oil in a good hairdresser suppliers and refill your little bottle from that.

godtabh

esel wrote: »

You can buy a bottle of Wahl oil in a good hairdresser suppliers and refill your little bottle from that.

I did it for 4 years in college. You can pick up cheap oil in a place opposite Arnotts

IrishHomer

kearnsr wrote: »

I did it for 4 years in college. You can pick up cheap oil in a place opposite Arnotts

I am using one for over ten years and i just use normal Johnsons baby oil on the razor works same wthout being ripped off on oils

godtabh

IrishHomer wrote: »

I am using one for over ten years and i just use normal Johnsons baby oil on the razor works same wthout being ripped off on oils

its like €7.50 a bottle

IrishHomer

kearnsr wrote: »

its like €7.50 a bottle

Get a small bottle or rob some from the other half

Mmmm_Lemony

unklerosco wrote: »

I've been cutting my own hair for around 4 years now... My advice is to go with a std plug in trimmer...

http://www.argos.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?storeId=30001&langId=-1&q=HAIR+CLIPPER&pp=20&r_1=1|Brands|Wahl|1

I've had this one for a good while now n its by far the best I've used... Always do a much better job than the barbers do.

As for the polish barbers in town, the GFs dad uses them all the time n says its great... Suppose its handy if ur in n around the city

Couldn't agree more!!! Battery dying mid shave, having to go around looking like you have alapechia (not sure on the spelling) on a monday because the barbers are closed is not good!

Gran Hermano wrote: »

I use a mach 3 daily on mine for the last few years, at this stage I could do it blindfolded. Before that I used various hair trimmers and kept it at a blade one or two. Even buying blades or a new trimmer every year it beats barbershop prices.

Keep an eye out in Boots and Argos as they often reduce them by as much as 30~50% at times.

How do you avoid the sore, sensitive scalp feeling? I tried mach 3 shave before, and my head felt like it was on fire!

Shaving my head now for about 2/3 years and would definitely recommend it, obviosuly requires a good shaped head. Probably saved about 4/500 quid.

rubadub

Deleted User wrote: »

sorry to drag up an oldish thread but does anyone who uses their own trimmers know how to put a line or lines across the head when cutting it short? I think they're called tram lines. How do you do this with the trimmers?

For work like this, or trimming your neck or around the ears most will flip the shaver over and push it in against the head.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=shaving+tramlines&aq=f

bobbbb

ive been doing my own hair for about 15 years now with these trimmers. Ive spent €40 between 2 trimmers over that time. I upgraded to a cordless one
Doing the back is easier than you think too.

Thats probably around 200 haircuts so far for €40.

At a tenner a cut ive saved nearly €2000

Dyr

rubadub wrote: »

I have been cutting my own hair with a barber style razor for the last 17 years or so. I got pretty good at it and can do it in no time now. A few mates have razors but cannot manage it themselves, it is tricky at the back at first.

In the last few years I see more razors intended to be used yourself, and have come down in price.

Hit me when my father said he paid €30 for a haircut recently, and he has feck all hair left!

http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/4426051/c_1/1%7Ccat_10392416%7CMen%27s+grooming%7C10392483/Trail/searchtext%3ETRIMMER.htm

http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/4426594/c_1/1%7Ccat_10392416%7CMen%27s+grooming%7C10392483/Trail/searchtext%3ETRIMMER.htm

These days short haircuts are perfectly acceptable, which was not really the case when I started.

There might be better deals elsewhere.

I bought the phillips directional one about 2 or 3 years ago in Argos and it was way cheaper back then I think i got a two for one deal on it.

prodigal_son

I cut my own hair

I use these Babyliss ones.

They are ceramic, they cut the hair quicker and are kinder to the scalp, and if you use them regular, they will never need to be oiled.

Id highly recommend them over normal metal blade trimmers.

Podman

I use a plug-in hair clippers. bought it years ago (the cheapest at the time).

After you use it, clean and oil it, it still works like new. Wahl oil is good.

If I'd seen a Wahl clippers in Argos at the time I would have invested.

I mostly use it for a beard trim every few weeks, sometimes I do my head when I don't feel like paying for a barber.

KAGY

Cheap one in Lidl from Thursday
http://www.lidl.ie/ie/home.nsf/pages/c.o.20090319.p.MensShaver

GeeNorm

prodigal_son wrote: »

I cut my own hair

I use these Babyliss ones.

They are ceramic, they cut the hair quicker and are kinder to the scalp, and if you use them regular, they will never need to be oiled.

Id highly recommend them over normal metal blade trimmers.

Couldn't agree more. I have a thick head of hair and have been cutting my own hair (and the odd mates etc) for about 15 years. Used to go through about one every two years (wahl etc) before they blunted. Ceramic just seem to keep going (no fiddly oil either).

Ceramic cut is also far smoother. If you're simply doing an (all-over) buzz cut, it shouldn't matter but if you are blending etc, smooth cut is important.