Hair Clippers in Roseville, MI

What the numbers leave

Each guard number is roughly an eighth of an inch, so a one leaves about an eighth, a two about a quarter, a four about half an inch, and an eight about an inch. A zero or no guard cuts to the blade itself. Half sizes exist between the lower numbers, and they matter, because the visible jump between a one and a two is larger than the numbers suggest.

The idea behind a fade

A fade is a gradual change from short at the bottom to longer at the top, with no visible line between the steps. It is built by cutting each band with a progressively longer guard and then blending the joins. The lower the fade starts and the tighter the steps, the more skill it takes to keep it smooth.

Blending the joins

The join between two guard lengths is where a fade succeeds or fails. Blending is done by moving the clipper in an arc, flicking the machine away from the head as it travels upward, so the cut tapers rather than stopping abruptly. Half-size guards, or a lever adjusted between positions, soften the transition further.

Keeping guards usable

Guards wear and their teeth chip, and a chipped guard leaves lines. Check them against each other occasionally, replace damaged ones rather than working around them, and keep spares of the numbers you use most. Guards from one brand rarely fit another brand's clipper, so buy replacements to match the machine.

Our Roseville store

Our Roseville store is at 28800 Gratiot Ave, at Gratiot and 12 Mile, and it has the latest Sunday closing of our four stores, at 7:30 PM. It's the closest Kelly Beauty for Roseville, Fraser, Clinton Township, Mount Clemens and anyone coming down Gratiot or I-94 from northern Macomb County. Monday through Saturday it's open until 8:45 PM.