1. Hair Cutting
Reference Points are used to establish design guidelines and create the same haircut over and over again

2. Reference Points Highest point of head
Easily located by placing comb on top of head; comb will rest on highest point
Place comb flat on sides and back of head
Corners are located where the combs meet

3. Reference Points cont.
The bone that protrudes at the base of the head
To locate place comb vertically against head; where comb leaves the head you will find the occipital bone
Place comb vertically against head where comb leaves head is the parietal ridge

4. Areas of the Head
Mark where the surface changes
These points are used to establish design lines
Finds a balance within design so both sides are even
Develops ability to create same hair cut over again
TOP- locate parietal ridge. You can find hair that grows on the top
Part hair at parietal ridge go all around
Front – divide hair from parietal ridge to back of ear

5. Areas of the Head
Sides –all hair from back of ear forward and below parietal ridge
Bang Area- Fringe –triangular section; begins at apex ends at 4 corners
Crown- area behind apex and above parietal ridge
Back – from apex to back of ear; hair falls naturally behind the ear
Nape –part of the neck;
Consists of hair below occipital bone

6. Sections of the Head

7. Lines and Angles Line- thin continuous mark used as a guide
Angle- space between the two lines of surfaces that intersect at a given point
Horizontal- add weight to hairstyle
Low elevation hair cuts
Diagonal- located between horizontal and vertical: blending
Vertical- up and down opposite horizontal
Remove weight to graduate hair cuts

8. Beveling AKA Stacking: technique using diagonal lines to
create angles by cutting
ends of hair with slight
increase or decrease in
length

9. Real Life Examples

10. Elevation: Haircutting Angles
Elevation is lifting to an angle or degree from head when cutting
Control during cutting
Put hair in uniform sections
Each sec. divides into small subsections called partings

11. More elevation = more graduation
Blunt haircut:
no elevation
0-degrees
Example: Bob or one-length haircut
More elevation = more graduation
Means Layers
90’:
Below 90’
building weight
Above 90’
remove weight
Most common 45’ and 90’

12. Elevations as Cutting Angles
Builds weight
Remove weight

13. Cutting Line
Vertical cut line
Angle at which fingers are held when cutting hair to create shape
Aka cutting position, finger angle
Horizontal, vertical, or diagonal
Horizontal

14. Layered shape: 90’ w. vertical cutting line
45’ graduations with a diagonal cutting line

15. Guidelines Section of hair that determines the length
Perimeter- outer line or interior, inner line or internal line of the cut
Stationary guideline does not move; all sections combed back to meet it: blunt or over-direction
Traveling guideline moves as the hair cut progresses: layers or graduation

16. Overdirection Combing hair away from its natural fall position
Used in graduated and layered haircuts
Creates a length increase in haircut

17. Client Consultation Face shape Profile Hairline Growth pattern
Density and texture
Wave pattern
Where do you want hair to fall: chin or shoulder length
Remember weight and volume draw attention to a certain area
Remember: hair shrinks about ½ inch more if curly

18. Density and Texture; consider during consultation

19. Haircutting Tools Shears or Scissors: steel Texture shears Razors
Used to cut blunt or straight lines in the hair
Can also: slide-cut, point-cut, or other texturizing techniques
Texture shears
Mainly used to remove bulk
Sometimes called thinning shears, tapering shears, or notching shears
Razors
Straight or feather blades
Used to achieve a softer effect
Can be used with or without guards
Clippers
Mainly used for short haircuts, short tapers, fades, and flat tops
Can be used with or without a guard
Trimmers
Smaller versions of clippers
Also known as edgers
Mainly used to remove unwanted hair at the neckline and around the ears
Create crisp outlines

20. Tools cont’d Sectioning Clips Wide tooth Comb Barber Comb Styling Comb
Either plastic or metal
Jaw/butterfly or duckbill
Wide tooth Comb
Mainly used to detangle the hair
Rarely used when performing a haircut
Barber Comb
Mainly used for close tapers on the nape and sides with clipper over comb
Narrow end allows shears to get very close to head
Styling Comb
Called “all-purpose” comb or cutting comb
Used for most haircutting procedures
Can be 6 to 8 inches long and has fine teeth at one end and wider teeth at the other

21. Forged Shears
Made by working metal to a finished shape by hammering or pressing
Metal is heated to temps between 2,100 F and 2,300 F
Metal is then cooled in water and repeated until process is complete
Creates a more durable shear than casting
Easier to repair if dropped or bent

22. Cast Steel Molten steel is poured into a mold
Metal cools and takes the shape of the mold
Disadvantage: is that sometimes tiny air bubbles develop in molding process
If dropped, can cause shears to shatter
If bent, cannot be bent back without risk of breaking
Very Brittle
Positive: Less expensive

23. Hard as Steel Steel is manufactured in 3 main countries
USA
Japan
Germany
Must have a Rockwell hardness of at least:
56 or 57 (Ideal)
63 is too hard and could break if dropped!
The harder the steel, the sharper it will stay!

24. to lower your shoulder & elbow and straighten your wrist
Forged or Cast Steel
Best Handle: 3 types
Opposing grip -forces thumb under ring finger: creates stress
Offset grip –moves thumb forward; rest below and ring finger and middle finger
Full offset or crane grip most anatomically correct; pos. thumb under index
Forged higher quality
Must be 440- A steel at least
Steel gets harder as you go up
440-C better than 440-A
edges last longer
Swivel thumb allows you
to lower your shoulder & elbow and straighten your wrist

25. Parts of a Shear
Finger Tang
Bumper

26. Holding the Shear Holding the Shears
Place thumb in bottom or moving blade
Place ring finger in the still or top blade
Rest index and middle
finger on the shank
Practice opening and
closing the bottom blade
Adjust tension
Lubricate w/oil extends life
Immerse in epa registered disinfectant

27. Fitting the Shears: Should be good fit; custom finger fitting systems

28. Ask Yourself: Are these shears a good fit for me?
*Are they comfortable?
*Do they feel too lose or too big?
Remember: You need to be comfortable with your own shears!!

29. Palming the Shear Remove thumb to cut
Shear is held in ring finger and palm
Allowing the dominant hand to hold the comb to prepare next section to be cut
To cut transfer comb back to thumb and index finger of non dominant hand

30. Blade Edges Convex Beveled Edge Very sharp edge Smooth and quiet
Glides through hair easily
Best overall edge for hairstylists
Great for all kinds of cutting techniques
Beveled Edge
Dull edge style
Not smooth, can be noisy
Normally on lower-quality shears
Not recommended for the professional
Not recommended for prof. salon use

31. The Edges
Convex Edge
Beveled Edge

32. Shear Maintenance Daily cleaning and Lubrication
Use soft towel saturated with scissor oil
Wipe inside of blades
Maintains the life of the shear
Daily Tension Adjustment
Make sure your tension isn’t too loose or too tight
Use your adjustment knob
Weekly cleaning
Open shears to 90 degrees and loosen tension knob
Remove all hair and debris with paper towel
Oil the space between the blades
Disinfecting
Must disinfect after each client
Sharpening
As needed

33. Types of Texture Shears
Chunking shear (5-9 Teeth)
Great for taking out big sections
The wider the space between the teeth, the more the hair removed
Texturizing shear (14-19 Teeth)
Adds increased blending
Thinning shear (26-30 Teeth)
Most universally used, consistent reduction of bulk
Closer together the teeth, the more blended the cut
Blending shear (38-50 Teeth)
Great for scissor-over the comb cutting

34. The more teeth, the less dramatic results =
Thinning Shear
Chunking Shear
Texturizing Shear
If you are new to the cutting, use either a 28 tooth or 40 tooth shear!
The more teeth, the less dramatic results =
Safe!!
Blending Shear

35. ?????????????????????????
Describe the blade that does the actual cutting
Describe how to clean a pair of shears
When do you palm your shear?
What does the term dominant hand refer to?
Why is important for a shear to fit properly

36. Razor Versatile tool used for entire haircut, detailing or texturizing
Two methods for holding razor (demo)
Straight handle
L shape
Razor must be palmed when combing

37. All Purpose Comb Both wide and fine teeth are used in haircutting
Wide teeth- combing and parting
Fine teeth- comb section before cutting; provide more tension; useful around ears, hairline and for curly hair

38. Tension
Amount of pressure applied when combing and holding a subsection
Pulling or stretching subsection
Ranges –minimum to maximum
Control tension w/fingers when holding subsection
Consistent tension is important for even results
Maximum on straight hair
Minimum - curl or wavy hair; shrinks ½ -2 inches; also with hair that has strong growth patterns around ears and hairlines

39. Posture: Body Position
Position the Client
Sitting up straight
Legs Uncrossed
Move the chair
Turning (swivel)
Raising/lowering
Center you weight
When standing
Keep your knees slightly bent but not locked
Don’t bend at the waist, bend one knee!
When sitting
Keep both feet on the floor
Work in Front of your section
Stand or sit directly in front of the are you are cutting

40. Safety in Haircutting

41. Hand/Cutting Positions
Cutting over your fingers
On top of your knuckles
Used most often when cutting uniform or increased layers
Cutting below the fingers
When cutting a blunt haircut or a heavier graduated haircut
Cutting below your fingers or above your knuckles
Cutting palm to palm

42. The 4 Basic Cuts are the foundation for all haircuts
Basic Haircuts
The 4 Basic Cuts are the foundation for all haircuts
Blunt
Wedge
Layered
Long Layered

43. Basic Haircuts Blunt- One length haircut, ends hang together
Creates a weight line or “visual line”
Zero-degree elevation cut or No Elevation Cut
Stationary Guide
Cutting line can be horizontal, vertical, rounded, or diagonal
Excellent for finer and thinner hair

44. Basic Haircuts Graduated- Layered- Graduated shape or wedge
Results from using tension, low to medium elevation, or over-direction
Most common elevation 45 degrees
Ends of the hair appear to be “stacked”
Layered-
Graduated effect achieved by cutting with elevation or over-direction
Generally have less weight than graduated haircuts
Ends appear farther apart
Can be created with a stationary or traveling guide

45. Basic Haircuts Long layered- Cut at 180 degrees
Gives more volume to hairstyles
Can be combined with other haircuts
Shorter layers at the top, with increasingly longer layers at the bottom

46. Tips in Haircutting Always take consistent and clean partings
Watch your “danger zones”
Always use consistent tension
Pay Attention to head position

47. Tips Continued Maintain an even amount of moisture in the hair
Always work with your guideline
Always cross-check the haircut
Use the mirror to see your elevation
Check both sides

48. The Blunt Haircut Head should be upright and straight
Hold the sections either with fingers or using the comb
If hair is past the shoulders, use minimal tension
For very long hair, have the client stand while you sit on a cutting stool

49. Basic Blunt
Haircut
zero
degree elevation

50. Other Blunt Haircuts The classic A-line Bob Blunt cut with bangs
Diagonal cutting line
Blunt cut with bangs
Horizontal cutting lines
On longer hair use very little tension
Blunt cut on curly hair
The hair will naturally “graduate” itself when dry
Classic blunt-cut pageboy or “bowl”
Perimeter is curved, using a combination of horizontal and curved lines

51. A-Line Bob
Diagonal
Cutting
Line

52. Blunt Cut with Blunt Bangs
HORIZONTAL
HORIZONTAL

53. Blunt Curly
Hair Naturally
Graduates when
Dry
Horizontal

54. Pageboy or “Bowl”
Curved lines

55. Graduated Haircuts
Stacked
45 Degrees
Wedge
Low Elevation

56. Tips for Graduated Haircuts
Typically a center part
Can use side part or bangs
Stationary Guideline and Traveling
Weight lines can look diagonal or rounded
Use of overdirection

58. Layered Haircut Cut the hair with elevation 90 degrees and above
Have less weight than graduated haircuts
Ends of hair appear farther apart
Use traveling interior guide,
But may use stationary guide or both

59. Hair appears soft and rounded
Layered Haircuts
Hair appears soft and rounded
Vertical sections fall softly
No corners
No build-up weight

60. Types of Layered Cuts Cutting the hair much shorter, 1” or less
Will create “Pixie” or “Caesar”

61. Men’s Haircuts
If you keep your fingers straight and vertical and DO NOT follow the head form you will create a square shape

62. Shag Cutting uniform layers on top
Elevating sides and back straight up 180o
Blend to top lengths

63. Tips Cut the interior first (layers)
For short hair, best results are on medium to thick density
Thin hair will show scalp if cut too short
Coarse hair sticks out if cut shorter than 3 inches
Want to leave thickness at the bottom?
Keep top sections longer
If hair is past shoulders, use slide cutting to connect top to the back

64. Long Layered Cut Hair is overdirected Held at 180 degrees
Length is left long!!
This is great for clients who want movement but also want to keep their long hair

65. Cutting Curly Hair Curly hair behaves in it’s own way!
Behaves differently after it is dried
You will get very different results with curly vs. straight even when using same angles and degrees
Curly blunt cuts will appear graduated when dry

66. Tips for Cutting Curly Hair
Use the graphic organizer to chart tips when cutting curly hair with your partner!

67. Fringe Detail The word “fringe” comes from England
Much of our hair history comes from here
Hair that lies between the 2 front corners
Outer corners of the eye
Need to know the client’s distribution\
Every client is different
Only cut the hair that falls in the fringe area!

68. Let’s Look at Types of Bangs!
Layered Bang
Use a stationary guide
Elevate hair at 90 degrees straight up
Short bang
Makes a strong statement
Combined with a shorter layered haircut
Low elevation
Line can be curved

69. Long Bang Wispy Bang Very long Cut with slide-cutting
Creates wispy effect
Wispy Bang
Only a few pieces
Don’t cut all the hair in bang area
Small portion
Might even use a razor

70. Just remember….. The bang can be blended or not
If you are working with a blunt haircut and the bangs are blunt….
Don’t blend
If working with layered or graduated haircut……
May want to blend with sides and/or the top

71. Razor Cutting

72. Any haircut can be done with razor
Can cut horizontal, vertical, and diagonal
The guide is above the fingers
Scissor cutting is generally below the fingers
Two Methods for cutting
Razor is parallel
Razor is held at 45 degree angle
Use only 1.3 of the blade to make small strokes
If you don’t hold the hair at an angle, you will
begin to “push” the hair and lose control
When cutting a section
Move from top to bottom, or side to side

73. Razor Cutting Tips Always make sure the hair is in good condition
Don’t use on curly hair, coarse wiry hair, or over-processed, damaged hair
Always use a guard
Always use a new blade
A dull blade will put stress on the hair and is uncomfortable to the client
Keep hair wet
Can make the hair frizz
Painful to the client
Always work the razor at an angle
Never push through the hair

74. Texturizing with the Razor
Removing Weight
Use the razor to thin out the ends of the hair
Tapers the ends of the section
Can be used on any area of the haircut
Free-hand slicing
Used throughout the section or at the ends
Should be done on wet hair
Holding razor vertical = less hair removed
Hold razor horizontal = more hair removed

75. Free-Hand Slicing with Razor
Produces a softer perimeter when used on ends of hair
Or creates separation throughout the shape

76. Razor Over Comb Using razor over comb: Removes or soften weight lines
Causes hair to lie closer to scalp
Great in the nape area
Used mainly on shorter haircuts
Comb is placed in the hair teeth down
Razor follows the comb

77. Razor Rotation

78. Scissor Techniques
Slide Cutting
Cutting or thinning the hair by gliding the fingers and shears along the edge of hair
Removes Length
Blends Shorter Lengths to Longer Lengths
Texturizing
** Perfect for layering long hair and keeping weight around the perimeter
Two Methods
Hold the subsection with tension beyond the cutting line
Place shears on top of knuckles and both hands slide simultaneously out the length to the ends

79. Scissor Techniques Scissor-Over-Comb
A barbering technique that crossed over into cosmetology
Used to create very short tapers
Allows you to cut from extremely short lengths to long lengths
Best to use on dry hair
The comb acts as your guide

80. Scissor-Over-Comb How to Hold the hair in place with the comb
Use the tip of the shears to remove length
Comb and shear move up the head together
One blade stays still and remains parallel to the “spine” of the comb
Cut with an even rhythm
Stopping causes visible “steps” in the hair or a weight line

81. Steps for Scissor-Over-Comb

82. Tips Work with small areas (no wider than the blade)
Always start at the hairline and work upward to the length
Cross-check by working on the area diagonally
Use a barber comb to cut very close in areas such as:
Sideburns and hairlines

83. Texturizing with Shears
Remove excess bulk without removing length
Can also add effect within the haircut
Can be used to:
add volume
remove volume
make hair “move”
blend one are into another

84. Point Cutting
Performed on the ends of the hair using tips, or points, of the shears
Can be done on wet or dry hair
Hold the hair 1 to 2 inches from the ends
Turn your wrist so the tips of the scissors are pointing into the ends
A more vertical angle removes less hair
The more diagonal the shears, the more hair is removed

85. Notching Another version of point cutting
More aggressive and creates “chunkier” effect
Done towards the ends
Hold section 3 inches from the ends
Cut the hair 2 inches from the ends
On very thick hair, repeat motion every 1/8 inch
On medium to fine hair, place notches farther apart

86. Free-Hand Notching Still use the tips of the shears
Don’t slide the shears through the hair
Randomly snip out hair
Usually used on the interior rather than ends
Works well on curly hair
Don’t want to add too many layers but want to release the curl and remove density

87. Other Techniques Slithering Slicing Carving Also known as effilating
Thins hair to graduated lengths
Slicing
Removes bulk and adds movement through the hair
Use the portion of the blades near the pivot
Use wet or dry hair
When working on surface of the hair, it’s best to work on dry hair
Carving
Best on short hair
Creates visual separation in the hair
The more horizontal your scissors, the more hair you remove

88. Thinning To remove bulk Removes weight without removing length
Can be done vertically or horizontally

89. Clippers and Trimmers Battery operated or electric tool
Uses 2 moving blades held in place by a metal plate with teeth
Mainly used for short haircuts
Can create tapers
Sit very close to the head, get longer toward the top

90. Clippers Clippers Guard Attachments Can be used with or without guards
Come in different shapes and sizes
Guard Attachments
Allow you to cut all hair evenly to that exact length
Sizes range from 1/8” to 1” wide
Can be used in different combos

91. Basic Care for Clippers
Clean clippers and trimmers after each use with a clipper brush
Apply one drop of clipper oil to the top of the blades while the clipper is running
Disinfect the detachable blade and heel after each use
Disinfect each guard as well

92. Basic Clipper Techniques
Clipper-over-comb
Allows you to cut the hair very close to the scalp
Can create a flat top or square shape
Use in same manner as scissor-over-comb
Except clippers move across the comb
The angle that you hold comb = how much hair you cut

93. Clipper Cuts with Attachments
Will Leave 1 -2”
Quick and easy way to create short haircuts
Allows you to create many different shapes
Can switch guards as you move around and up the head
Leaves 1/8” to 1”
Will Leave 1/8”

94. Clipper Cuts

95. Tips for Clipper Cutting
Always work against the natural growth patterns, especially in the nape
Always work with small sections
The area should be no wider than 3 inches
Remember: the angle of the comb determines the length of the hair left
If the comb is parallel, you will cut the hair to the same length as you move up the head
If the comb is angled, you will begin to increase the length up the head

96. Using the Trimmers Used around the ears: Used around the neckline:
Use just the outer edge
Arc the edger up and around the ear
When working behind the ear, use the comb to hold the hair in place, continue arcing comb
Used around the neckline:
Clean up hair on the neck that grows below design line
Helps to create more defined lines around the perimeter

97. Trimming Facial Hair Clippers and trimmers can be used
When removing length, use the comb to control the hair
Can use length guard attachments
May want to keep a pair of shears just for facial hair
Facial hair is coarse and can dull the blades
Always remember to ask the client if he would like you to remove any excess hair
Ears!!

98. Sectioning Quadrants Part straight from bang section to nape
Part from ear to ear
across top of head
Make sure partings
are even and neat

99. O Degree Elevation Use wide-tooth part of
Comb to section ½” horizontal partings
Cut the hair straight
across
Hold at 0° at all time
until section is complete

100. Sides of Haircut Use back sections as a guide Make ½” horizontal
partings
Hold hair at 0°
Complete haircut holding at this angle

102. The Slide Cutting Technique is used to remove the bulk of the hair without losing the line of the cut..