Haircutting For Dummies. Jeryl E. Spear

2-2 covers various combs that are useful for prepping and cutting.

      

Before purchasing a single comb used for haircuts, collect every comb you have in your house, car, and purse and take them with you when you go on your tool shopping trip. Compare what you have versus what you need. If you’re lucky, you may not have to buy any new combs at all.

TABLE 2-2 Combs to Cut By

Type of Comb	What It’s Used For
Styling (cutting) comb	Most common type of comb for haircutting; excellent tool for teasing, smoothing, and finishing hairstyles
Barber comb	Has tapered teeth; used for clipper cuts
Tail comb (optional)	Used for sectioning when separating the hair; has a plastic tail (thin handle) that comes to a point
Pintail comb (optional)	Same as a tail comb, except it has a thin, metal tail

The best quality combs are carbon composite combs — also called carbon fiber combs — that feel like hard rubber. They’re flexible, smooth, heat-resistant, and aren’t prone to broken teeth. In comparison, hard plastic combs — the cheapest category of combs — are inflexible, often feel rough, and have brittle teeth. To save your tender-headed family and friends from haircutting angst, only use top-notch carbon composite combs.

      

I don’t recommend using a pintail comb when you first start cutting hair, because the metal tail is quite sharp and could damage an eye or an ear if someone fidgets or turns unexpectedly. I also never recommend using a pin tail comb when sectioning young children’s hair because they’re masters at doing surprise pirouettes, despite never having had a single ballet lesson.

Feeling Secure

      Nearly all cuts require hair to be separated and secured in sections. This allows you to keep track of your haircut and to never accidentally (oops!) cut the wrong strands. (Check out Chapter 6 for different sectioning patterns.)

      Choosing the right fastener for each section allows you to secure each section while balancing the weight of the clip with the weight of the hair. If you are using a heavy jaw clamp to pin up a section of fine or thin hair, for example, chances are it’ll collapse right in the middle of your haircut. Check out Table 2-3 for a list of fastener types and uses.

TABLE 2-3 Clips and Their Jobs

Clip Style	What It Does
Double-prong clippie	Small clips used to secure thin sections of hair and for roller sets
Duckbill clip	Strong, long clips used to secure medium-to-thick sections of hair
Jaw clamp	Also called an alligator clamp; used to hold heavy sections of hair

Practicing with Doll Heads

      Many stylists use mannequins to practice haircuts and styles before they give their clients one of their latest and greatest looks. While you may not see mannequin heads in the area where all the magic happens, they are most likely nearby.

      Doll heads are available in different hair lengths and can be made from human hair, animal hair, and synthetic fibers. They’re also available in feminine and masculine head shapes and all hair types (covered in Chapter 4). Although you can buy a mannequin head for less than $25, if you can afford to pay more for a higher quality head, I recommend that you upgrade.

      To assess the quality of different mannequins, here are some desirable features that you should look for before purchasing your first mannequin head:

       Hair that’s attached in the same directions as it grows on the human head, as opposed to a 90-degree direction (see Chapter 5) or straight back. This factor is particularly important for bobs, lobs, and bangs.

       Human hair mannequins must be labeled “100% human hair” or it’s highly likely they’re made with human hair and a mix of animal hair, synthetic fibers, or both. The use of different materials can adversely affect how the “hair” behaves, and you may not be able to use a curling iron to practice hairstyling.

       Purchase the longest hair you can possibly afford, which will allow you to double or even triple the number of haircuts you can cut on a single mannequin head.

Never use your good haircutting scissors to cut a mannequin head. Synthetic fibers will dull and damage your blades, and even 100-percent human hair can be processed to the point that it will do the same thing. This same advice goes for wigs, hairpieces, and hair extensions.

      You can set a mannequin head on your lap, but it’s only doable for styling the top of the head. For your purposes, I recommend that you purchase a device that will keep your mannequin head in place while allowing you to swivel the head as you work on different areas of the hair.

       Table clamps can be secured on tables or bars and even the back of some chairs. They work best for shorter hair. Table clamps are also handy when you’re working on a haircut on and off throughout the day or even week. You can work on your tripod and then use the table clamp to keep it out of the way.

       Wig or mannequin tripods work well for short to very long hair. I personally love using mannequin tripods because you can raise and lower the height of the device to ensure you’re always comfortable and have the proper view of the hair while perfecting your next masterpiece.

Chapter 3

      Beauty Show and Tell

      IN THIS CHAPTER

      

Getting to know the hair and the person in your chair

      

Facing the seven facial shapes

      

Mastering the art of hair show-and-tell

      

Where to find picture-perfect haircuts and styles

      A great haircut is the result