Crew cut at home?

December 27, 2006 11:35 AM

Need help finding a good set of electric buzzers to give myself a crew cut.

I have been cutting my own hair for the past few years to save time/money. I used to have an excellent set of clippers that broke recently (can no longer find it for sale), and have been disappointed with the set I bought to replace it. Now I am using a model from Vidal Sassoon which works OK, but with one major problem. The clippers work great with all the attachments, but if I use it without any attachments (just the clippers themselves), the clippers pull on my hair quite painfully and don't really do a great job of actually cutting my hair. This didn't happen with my old set. I would really like to be able to cut my hair slightly shorter than the smallest attachment would allow.

Have any of you had any luck with any particular brand of clippers? I would prefer not to spend more than $40-50. What specifications should I look for to make sure it will be powerful enough to cut without attachments? My hair is curly if that matters (think Jew-fro). Any way to get them second-hand from a barber?

posted by SBMike to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (11 answers total)

I have a set of Wahl clippers from Sally Beauty Supply that have lasted for 3-4 years.
posted by yerfatma at 12:05 PM on December 27, 2006

Go to a beauty supply store and buy what you can afford. I've had a clipper with attachments I paid $75 for 8 or 9 years ago, and they still run like new, no pain or catching. I use them once a month or so, and I use only the bare clipper with no attachments.

Also get a bottle of clipper oil. It's less than $5. Clean the clippers real good with a little brush after each use, and oil the blades.
posted by Katravax at 12:11 PM on December 27, 2006

Seconding Wahl. I've been cutting my own hair with this thing for ten years now. I believe it cost about forty dollars (back in 1996). Model name is "The Designer." I use it less frequently than Katravax.
posted by zoinks at 12:31 PM on December 27, 2006

This might sound weird, but I use the Wahl animal grooming clippers.

They don't come with very many attachments, but if you want to go short they will cut through anything. I used to have the same problem with pulling then I got these to cut through my thick hair.

They were cheap too- ~$30? These are similar
posted by eleongonzales at 12:43 PM on December 27, 2006

I've had good luck with an Oster T-Blade Finisher, though it's more for the shaved head look than a crew-cut.
posted by greatgefilte at 1:03 PM on December 27, 2006

Wahl. I've been using mine for almost 15 years
posted by prjo at 1:54 PM on December 27, 2006

I recently bought a Vidal Sassoon trimmer after my Conair crapped out. I found that when I wasn't getting a proper trim on my neck I had the blade lever out. When I pulled it back in I got a nice trim again.

As for hair pulling, you should oil the blades. If you already did, never mind.
posted by O9scar at 2:12 PM on December 27, 2006

I've been using my $12 Wahl clippers for more than 10 years. They've been used hundreds of times. Just brush off the blades with an old toothbrush after every use, give em a good shake with the blade turned on, and oil the blade frequently.
posted by cyclopticgaze at 4:07 PM on December 27, 2006

I'm pleased with the Wahl I bought at Target after reading this answer.
posted by klarck at 5:03 PM on December 27, 2006

Another vote for Wahl. My Mum still cuts my Dad's hair with a pair of Wahl clippers that are older than I am (37). Just take cyclopticgaze's advice on maintenance and your clippers will outlast your hair.
posted by sennoma at 7:46 PM on December 27, 2006

My dad, who's a pro barber, bought me a set of Wahl dog clippers that have served me well for the last decade or so. He says that they work just as well as the non-dog variety, and would use them on his customers if he thought they wouldn't notice.
posted by sluggo at 3:53 PM on December 31, 2006 [1 favorite]