Haircutting & Shaving

A higher-numbered guard leaves hair longer; no guard cuts closest to the skin.

Clipper-over-comb and scissor-over-comb lift hair on a comb to blend and graduate length.

Elevation is the angle hair is lifted before cutting; higher elevation creates more layering.

Establish a guideline first, then match all sections to it for an even cut.

Tapering gradually shortens hair so it blends with no harsh weight line.

A fade blends from skin or very short at the neckline up to longer hair on top.

Trimmers (edgers/outliners) are used for precise edges, outlining, and around the ears.

Cross-check the cut in the opposite direction to confirm evenness before finishing.

Apply a hot towel to soften the beard and open the pores before shaving.

Apply warm lather to further soften hair and lubricate the skin.

Hold the skin taut throughout each stroke to prevent nicks and cuts.

Make the first pass with the grain; only re-lather and go across or against the grain after.

Hold the razor at roughly a 30-to-45-degree angle to the skin.

Wipe lather and hair from the blade on a tissue between strokes.

Hone a razor on a stone to grind a new edge when it becomes dull.

Strop the razor spine-first, edge trailing, to align and finish the edge just before shaving.

Section the hair to work systematically and keep length and tension consistent.

The oval face shape is the reference; other cuts create the illusion of an oval.

For a round face, add height on top and keep the sides close to lengthen the look.

Use point cutting and texturizing to remove bulk and soften blunt perimeter lines.