Post #212

Cutting your own hair

28th January 2004, mid-afternoon | Comments (74)

Dunstan, cutting his own hair

Ignoring my just-woke-up blotchy face and need-a-shave chin, please enjoy my first efforts at cutting my own hair.

Some parts didn’t go exactly to plan, for instance I found that it is: a) terribly easy to cut your own knuckle off by mistake; b) a lot harder to cut the hair on the right-hand side of your head than the left; and that c) blindly trimming the back of your head taxes the brain-to-hand relationship as never before.

However, taking a broad view on the whole affair I think I can declare it a success: I escaped with only two minor wounds (which hardly bled at all once I bandaged them) and finished with much less hair on my head than when I started.

Job’s a good’n.

Jump up to the start of the post ↑

Comments (74)

Jump down to the comment form ↓

  1. Cheah Chu Yeow:

    Nice. Amazing how the hair cut seemed to have improved your complexion as well.

    Posted 23 minutes after the fact
    Inspired: ↓ Dunstan
  2. Dunstan:

    Well the first and last photos were taken about two and a half hours apart - cutting your own hair takes _ages_.

    Well, it took me ages anyway :o)

    (Actually I find that a hair cut does improve my skin. I don't know why, but I always feel better after a hair cut.)

    Posted 31 minutes after the fact
    Inspired by: ↑ Cheah Chu Yeow
  3. Huphtur:

    here's my hair cutting test result:
    http://www.huphtur.nl/kaal/

    Posted 49 minutes after the fact
    Inspired: ↓ Dunstan, ↓ Chris Vincent, ↓ Adam Bramwell
  4. Dunstan:

    Ah, very nice, Huphtur. You went a bit shorter than me I see. I just shoved my fingers in my hair and cut around them.

    Nice wry smile :o)

    Posted 1 hour, 12 minutes after the fact
    Inspired by: ↑ Huphtur
    Inspired: ↓ Sian
  5. Pedro:

    What was the problem in the first place with putting yourself in professional hands?

    Posted 1 hour, 40 minutes after the fact
    Inspired: ↓ Dunstan
  6. Joe Clark:

    OMG! Standards-compliant Weblogger d00d is *cute*!

    Posted 2 hours, 3 minutes after the fact
    Inspired: ↓ Dunstan, ↓ Margaret, ↓ Adam Bramwell
  7. Dunstan:

    No reason Pedro, other than the fact that I've always wanted to give it a go. Plus the Internet was broken when I got up to check my email this morning, so with some spare time on my hands I thought I'd cut my hair off.

    It's an obvious course or action, surely? ;o)

    Posted 2 hours, 30 minutes after the fact
    Inspired by: ↑ Pedro
  8. Dunstan:

    Hee, thank you Mr Clark ;o)

    Posted 2 hours, 32 minutes after the fact
    Inspired by: ↑ Joe Clark
  9. Alanna:

    What Joe Clark said, though when one becomes entrenched in web standards, one starts thinking all web standard d00ds are cute.

    I wonder if the self hair-cutting thing is just a male practice, since I don't know any females that have ever given it a try... closest I've come to the matter is having my mother give my hair a trim.

    Posted 2 hours, 46 minutes after the fact
    Inspired: ↓ Dunstan, ↓ Margaret, ↓ [li:s], ↓ Patricia, ↓ Argie
  10. Dunstan:

    I think it's more likely to be a male thing, I would imagine girls would be slightly more worried about the outcome. Personally I don't mind how it turns out as it'll grow back pretty quickly.

    p.s. Alanna, I like the typography on your site, very nice.

    Posted 3 hours, 10 minutes after the fact
    Inspired by: ↑ Alanna
    Inspired: ↓ Argie
  11. Scott Johnson:

    I've been wanting to give this a try myself but haven't gotten up the nerves to do it yet. Sure, I could do a very short cut easily, but since I prefer my hair to be more like the "Dunstan before" image, I'm afraid I'd butcher it.

    And Dunstan, I liked that first shot better on you, too, btw. Your cut was nice as well, but I think that the shaggy look suits you better. (just my opinion of course)

    Posted 3 hours, 27 minutes after the fact
    Inspired: ↓ Chris Vincent, ↓ Dunstan, ↓ Adam Bramwell
  12. DarkBlue:

    "the Internet was broken"

    How does that work then? ;-)

    Posted 4 hours, 6 minutes after the fact
    Inspired: ↓ Marten
  13. Jon Hicks:

    I agree with (C). I've done it myself with buzzy clippers. Feels like sheep-shearing, except your the sheep as well. I seem to remember the back of head had a very post-modern feel to it.

    Posted 4 hours, 35 minutes after the fact
    Inspired: ↓ Sarah
  14. Chris Vincent:

    Huphtur, that's awesome! I was laughing audibly when I saw that page. :D

    Nice hair, Dunstan. I agree with Scott that the before hair is cooler, but the after hair is nice too. Especially considering that it was done by you. I don't think I'd trust my hands to do my hair.

    Posted 5 hours after the fact
    Inspired by: ↑ Huphtur, ↑ Scott Johnson
    Inspired: ↓ Dunstan
  15. David House:

    I should point out that this is the only recent photo (apart from one where you've been covered by diving gear) we've seen of you! (har har, your secret is out :P)

    Posted 5 hours, 5 minutes after the fact
  16. Marten:

    Broken internet? Hire The Boss, he can fix it:

    http://www.comics.com/comics...

    Posted 5 hours, 43 minutes after the fact
    Inspired by: ↑ DarkBlue
  17. Nedward:

    Am I the only one who thinks the old hair was better? Oh well... you must have a steady hand.

    Posted 6 hours, 42 minutes after the fact
    Inspired: ↓ Scott Johnson, ↓ Dunstan, ↓ Adam Bramwell
  18. Scott Johnson:

    No, you're not alone. Chris and I both agree.

    And I think we all agree that Dunstan is brave and has a steady hand.

    Posted 7 hours, 15 minutes after the fact
    Inspired by: ↑ Nedward
    Inspired: ↓ Adam Bramwell
  19. Dunstan:

    Yeah, I know, longer, scruffier hair looks cooler. But for some reason the length of my hair is directly related to how energetic I feel.

    Long hair makes me feel mopey.
    Short hair makes me feel active.
    Shaved hair makes me feel like a Marine and I start doing exercises night and day.

    I'm someone that needs to feel physically fit and capable of jumping over walls at any given moment. I can't seem to do that with a big mop of hair.

    Plus, you know, I live in the country, I haven't seen anyone I fancy for... months... so 'cool' is not top of my list right now.

    What a terrible thing to be able to say :op

    Posted 7 hours, 17 minutes after the fact
    Inspired by: ↑ Scott Johnson, ↑ Chris Vincent, ↑ Nedward
    Inspired: ↓ Chris Vincent, ↓ Darice
  20. Margaret:

    I'm going to have to agree with the other posters about Dunstan's cuteness. Also- I didn't think standards-compliant web d00ds were supposed to have muscles. Clearly I haven't been paying enough attention to the press up counter on your sidebar.

    Posted 8 hours, 39 minutes after the fact
    Inspired by: ↑ Joe Clark, ↑ Alanna
    Inspired: ↓ Andrew, ↓ Adam Bramwell
  21. Andrew:

    A face! A face! With a mop no more. 'Fraid I'd side with the original cut crew, though point taken about priorities and all.

    And they do exist, you know, if you look out for them... "standards-compliant web d00ds" with muscles, that is.

    PS: I could email you, but it's easier just to note here that I've finally got round to looking at that project you enquired about - though I fear it may be too late; sorry...

    Posted 9 hours, 20 minutes after the fact
    Inspired by: ↑ Margaret
  22. Chris Vincent:

    True, all good points. I go between short and long hair as well, and it does seem to be linked to my energy. Kind of strange, really.

    Posted 10 hours, 36 minutes after the fact
    Inspired by: ↑ Dunstan
  23. Adam Bramwell:

    Dunstan, posting mugshots and muscleshots is but a thinly veiled attempt at generating some web standards d00d cred, no? You ought to be ashamed (and your mother would be proud ;-)

    I am worried given the v-shape of your back muscles that you have no buttocks. If so it certainly explains how you can do so many push-ups..

    Huphtur cutting your hair seemed to make your eyes larger!

    And WRT I prefer the before shot of scruffy Dunstan (Scrunstan), perhaps with some properly applied product you will be all you can be:

    http://www.tigihaircare.com/...

    Posted 14 hours, 55 minutes after the fact
    Inspired by: ↑ Huphtur, ↑ Joe Clark, ↑ Scott Johnson, ↑ Nedward, ↑ Scott Johnson, ↑ Margaret
  24. Joel:

    Funny post. Yeah, when you just can't brave a cold afternoon cutting your own hair is not so hard, and after all going to the barber is a bit like going to the dentist. Hard to do the back successfully though, and so to avoid cries of "mullet" from pretty girls one must make it out to good Turkish barber every so often who sharpens his razor like barbering is a dayjob and his real vocation is carving kebabs.

    Incidentally, shouldn't you have a snowbound version of your top scene or is it really green fields where you are?

    Posted 20 hours, 4 minutes after the fact
  25. [m]:

    Aaargh! Run for your lives, it's the standards-compliant web d00d monster from the abyss!

    Run! He's nekkid!!1

    Posted 21 hours, 40 minutes after the fact
  26. Kevin:

    I totally agree with the "cut hair feel active thang". You should but some clippers from Argus, I've been addicted for like three years to having really short hair. Everyone thinks you look so pruned without any effort, before a meeting just shave all over your head with your clippers and hey presto super good looking proffessional guy.

    Posted 22 hours, 25 minutes after the fact
  27. Richard Rutter:

    Dunstan goes from West Country geek to gay icon in one post :-)

    Posted 1 day, 1 hour after the fact
  28. David Barrett:

    Is the next article going to be titled "How to levitate a camera behind yourself"?

    Posted 1 day, 3 hours after the fact
  29. Kara:

    Yo! nice shot

    Posted 1 day, 3 hours after the fact
  30. Darice:

    You should stick with your short hair. Somehow a fit guy with short hair is more cool than a fit guy with long hair. Or maybe a different hair cut for every season of the year :-p

    Posted 1 day, 9 hours after the fact
    Inspired by: ↑ Dunstan
  31. Matt:

    I wish for you the pleasure of doing this to your own kids someday.
    The satisfaction of a self-administered haircut is fine indeed, but nothing beats grabbing the clippers and turning your scruffy-haired son into a buzz-cut, anachronistic little extra from an astronaut movie.

    Posted 1 day, 9 hours after the fact
  32. [li:s]:

    I've cut my own hair a couple of times... does that make me half a man, or a girl without a sense of style?

    Posted 1 day, 19 hours after the fact
    Inspired by: ↑ Alanna
  33. Taylor:

    I have no reservations about paying a professional to cut my hair.

    Assembly without reading directions? No prob. Self haircut? Def not.

    But you did manage quite well ;)

    Posted 1 day, 21 hours after the fact
  34. Patricia:

    First, I like both the long and short. You carry them both well.

    Second, I'm apparently one of those rare girls that cuts her own hair. Or did anyway when it was much longer. I've got crazy curly hair so the risk of messing it up was minimal. I don't know if I'd try it if I had straight hair though. Lopsided cuts would have been more visible. :D

    Posted 1 day, 22 hours after the fact
    Inspired by: ↑ Alanna
  35. Sergio:

    Oh, oh! a web standards posse! can I be on it?

    I cut my own hair recently too, but I didn't go for the skilled thing. Just trimmed it all the way with a machine. As it turns out, the back of the head is a natural thermostat, and this is something one shouldn't do in winter. Oh, well.

    It's cold.

    Pictures:
    http://www.mafufo.com/galler...

    What's the closest big city to where you live Dunstan? Do you go there much? I can't imagine not having a multiplex nearby. I'd go nuts. But as long as I had Internet I guess I could brave it...

    Posted 2 days after the fact
  36. Sian:

    Next installment ...

    Dunstan waxes his bikini line!

    Posted 2 days, 7 hours after the fact
  37. Kitta:

    You always know that you've cut your own hair successfully when you haven't cut your ear off.

    Posted 2 days, 23 hours after the fact
  38. Sian:

    More naked Dunstan photos ... Ooooo did I say that outloud!

    Posted 3 days, 7 hours after the fact
    Inspired by: ↑ Dunstan
  39. Bobo:

    Cutting your own hair is much, much easier with electric clippers. Easier to make big mistakes, too, but that's how you learn.

    Posted 3 days, 15 hours after the fact
  40. Sarah:

    took me AGES to work out what Jon was using to cut his hair... What the heck is a Buzzy Dipper???!!! :o)
    Dunstan, you is a regular triangle shaped guy. Sorry? What was that about a haircut???

    Posted 6 days, 3 hours after the fact
    Inspired by: ↑ Jon Hicks
    Inspired: ↓ Dunstan, ↓ Jon Hicks, ↓ Sian
  41. Dunstan:

    Sarah: "What the heck is a Buzzy Dipper???!!!"

    It says 'Clipper' but the font makes the 'cl' look like a 'd' :op

    There _should_ be something called a 'Buzzy Dipper' though...

    Posted 6 days, 3 hours after the fact
    Inspired by: ↑ Sarah
    Inspired: ↓ Jon Hicks, ↓ Sian, ↓ Sarah
  42. Jon Hicks:

    Thats Trebuchet for you!

    Buzzy Clipper - Electric hair clippers
    Buzzy Dipper - Probably a sex toy, and therefore ineffectual in hair cutting (but boy does your scalp feel good...)

    Posted 6 days, 4 hours after the fact
    Inspired by: ↑ Sarah, ↑ Dunstan
    Inspired: ↓ Sian, ↓ Sarah
  43. Sian:

    Don't get Sarah started! I have enough trouble keeping her under control during the hours of 8.30am and 5pm

    Posted 1 week after the fact
    Inspired by: ↑ Sarah, ↑ Dunstan, ↑ Jon Hicks
  44. Sarah:

    Hmmm... note to self... "be more obvious with ya damn irony"...

    off to trawl the Ann Summers site for a Buzzy Dipper.

    #blush#

    Posted 1 week after the fact
    Inspired by: ↑ Dunstan, ↑ Jon Hicks
    Inspired: ↓ Dunstan
  45. Dunstan:

    Sorry Sarah!

    To quote Steve Martin: "Oh, ho, ho, irony! We haven't had any irony here since about, uh, '83, when I was the only practitioner of it. And I stopped because I was getting tired of being stared at."

    Posted 1 week after the fact
    Inspired by: ↑ Sarah
  46. Tom Dellaringa:

    As usual, Dunstan cracks me up in the morning.

    Listen D, I've been cutting my own crop for some 5-6 years now. Forget the scissors bit mate. Grab yourself some clippers, and just mow baby!

    #2 all around, then finish off with a #1 on the sides and back. Viola. Saves me a good $14 (US) each time. No cuts, no mess - hard to mess up.

    And there's something fun about your head feeling like a cue ball...

    Tom

    Posted 1 week, 1 day after the fact
    Inspired: ↓ Dunstan
  47. Dunstan:

    Tom - my hair really doesn't do well under clippers, it sticks out at funny angles, and if I go that short then it's just a fuzzy mess - I really need the scissors-touch to give me any chance of not looking like a hedgehog :o)

    Posted 1 week, 1 day after the fact
    Inspired by: ↑ Tom Dellaringa
  48. Travis Cripps:

    Hi. I recently did the "cut my own hair thing," too. Well, only in the back...

    I didn't have a 2nd mirror handy, so I used the underside of a CD to see as I stood with my back to the real mirror. It worked pretty well, though hand-eye coordination is definitely iffy when things are viewed 2 reflections removed from reality. =-)

    Posted 1 week, 4 days after the fact
  49. Todd:

    Is it me or does the last picture of you look exactly like Nick Stahl (T3, Bully, Carnivale)? Check it out:

    http://www.imdb.com/gallery/...

    Good job on the cut by the way!

    Posted 3 weeks, 1 day after the fact
    Inspired: ↓ Dunstan
  50. Dunstan:

    I don't think you're too far off there, Todd :op

    Posted 3 weeks, 1 day after the fact
    Inspired by: ↑ Todd
  51. Flisha:

    Good job cutting your own hair. And to the girl that said she never heard of girls doing the same, well I cut my hair all the time. I have only been to a stylist about once in the last three or four years.

    Posted 2 months after the fact
  52. Robin:

    I started cutting my own hair about a year ago, and it took absolutely forever the first time. Now I can do it in about 20 minutes. I wasn't even thinking of the idea, until I decided to buy a trimmer to tidy up with. It came as a kit, and had scissors, a video, and different combs and stuff. It worked really well, I definately recommend it! It saves me lots of time and money now. Oh, good job D! Turned out extra spiffy!

    Posted 2 months, 3 weeks after the fact
  53. Gwen:

    I just stumbled upon your blog while looking for a new haircut. I thought I'd tell you how good looking you are while I was here. "You are very handsome!"

    That is all.

    <3 Gwen.

    Posted 8 months after the fact
  54. Asdf:

    Looks like you didn't cut anything, but just brushed your hair flat.

    Posted 8 months, 2 weeks after the fact
  55. Argie:

    It's definitely not just a male thing. I've been cutting my own hair for over 10 years! I can't even imagine going back to paying someone to do it, especially since they never did it right...

    Posted 11 months, 3 weeks after the fact
    Inspired by: ↑ Alanna, ↑ Dunstan
  56. Veelzabub:

    Argie's right, I've been cutting my own hair for going on 10 years as well and I've found it turns out better. I know where the funky cowlicks are and even if I mess it up, I don't get as angry. Besides I am much more careful when it comes to sharp scissors and my own ears...

    Posted 1 year after the fact
  57. David:

    I cut my hair with my friend's vaccuum hair cutter. I tell you, it was a total nightmare! Everyone started rolling their eyes up and down my head and kept on saying "nice hair".

    You look cooler with the longer hair.

    Posted 1 year after the fact
  58. Darthamator:

    I googled -cutting your own hair- and one of the top few led me here, which is interesting and helpful as I was considering cutting my own hair. Since I'm here...I like the longer hair, but that's not even too long, it looks about right.

    Posted 1 year, 1 month after the fact
  59. Bob:

    I also cut my own hair - about every other time. I let a real barber correct my little mistakes every couple of months. The $10+ dollars of mad money I save usually go for lottery tickets. Cheers.

    Posted 1 year, 3 months after the fact
  60. Ashely:

    Hey. I cut my own hair. It went too short and i thought of shaving it off completely. Boy all my friends liked it and are asking me the Name of the person who cut it. Well now i understood the short hair is more cool!

    Posted 1 year, 5 months after the fact
  61. Aicha:

    I am another woman who's been cutting her hair since age 12 (now 35). I've never gone to a salon (well, maybe when my mother dragged me in by my ear @ age 9, but I don't count that! I've cut it at all lengths, from boy-short to hip-long. Sorry, shear-cuttin'-flamers! this one's puttin' that cash to better use! (By the way, i am a licensed barber in 5 states). Famous Question: How do you cut the back? Well, I used to look at a hand-held in the bathroom mirror, now I just do it by feel. Toodles!

    Posted 1 year, 5 months after the fact
  62. The Bard:

    omg thats awesome...i too have cut my own hair

    and id be the only one to say that the short hair is way cooler???

    Posted 1 year, 6 months after the fact
  63. Roberteric:

    I was first introduced to self-haircutting 41 years ago at the age
    of 39 in Las Vegas I haven't been to a barber since. It takes about 35 minutes
    including shower.
    After moving to England many years ago
    I carried on the practice. My wife has
    never been inclined to assist in my endevours. But I do a really good job
    without help and feel my life has been
    a success, if only in this direction.

    Posted 1 year, 10 months after the fact
  64. Bill:

    Dunstan is cute and fit, so I vote for his energy giving short haircut. I've been cutting my hair with clippers for about 3 years now,and it keeps getting faster and easier.I use the #4 comb on top and the #3 on the sides.I only use scissors in front (where I like it a little longer)and in back.Gel covers most mistakes!

    Posted 1 year, 11 months after the fact
  65. Melissa:

    I'm a female and I've cut my own hair. If I ever get way to bored I inevitably end up cutting my hair. It's always come out cute though. I've cut some of my guy friends hair too, but that was a lot different. They just use a buzzer and I would never let one of those things near my head, lol.

    Posted 1 year, 11 months after the fact
  66. Sexy Kelly:

    Hey u,lookin good! stumbled across ur website n ur really fit.if u wanna get in touch maybe we could go out? the balls in ur court.
    love kelly

    Posted 1 year, 12 months after the fact
  67. Leon:

    I started cutting my own hair about a year ago and haven't been to the barber since. I've always hated the whole process of going to the barber, and having strangers play around with my hair, not to mention I can save $12, cha-ching!

    If I ever decide I need a more complex haircut than #4 on top and #2 on the sides and back (maybe for my wedding day) I'll go to the barber but until then I'm all set.

    My only regret is that I didn't start cutting it myself sooner. I recommend it to everyone.

    Posted 2 years after the fact
  68. DavidShag:

    I usually cut my own hair. I have NEVER got a better haircut at one of the mall places - the last time was so bady, children pointed and adults lined the streets to watch me pass. wet it first. Keep the scissors pointed toward the crown of your head, use your fingers to distance the scissors from your head. I usually go over it again the next day and get the outstanding 'misses'. I am past the age where I could actually look good anyway, and i don't reall care how it looks (or don't think so, until I weaken and let the mallpeople at it again.)

    Posted 2 years after the fact
  69. Ecuabron

    funny blog man, i dont have pictures ive been cuttin my own hair like 12 years ago! now i am 26, but im not brave enough to use scissors I use a hair clipper. >><<

    Posted 2 years after the fact
  70. Pamrose:

    I'm female.
    I cut my own hair.
    I'm making it up as I go.
    I enjoy it.
    I need the money.
    I color it too, if I wanna.
    Think I should start a blog about it?

    Posted 2 years, 1 month after the fact
  71. Franky Joe Bob:

    Cutting your own hair is an art-form in itself... for the only person to please is thee; but to have a nasty do job will be the sight to all. Be forewarned... even the best of us have to start from somewhere. If a mistake be takith of you.. don't give up.. let it grow back and try a different way. Let it be known that time will let you show the do that will do more than you can imagine... Give up to the professional and give into your inner artist...

    Posted 2 years, 1 month after the fact
  72. John:

    I just cust my own hair and it couldn't look any dumber. Maybe I can fix it somehow... Hopefully I won't make it any worse!

    Posted 2 years, 2 months after the fact
  73. Shelly:

    Hi -- I'm a girl and I chop my hair off all the time!

    heh.. I just get a bit bored and be like ok hair cut time. i believe if you want something done right do it yourself. I do the bangs regarly and sometimes be like ok two or three inches.. i vary between between shoulder and chin. And after shoudlers a few inches...

    Posted 2 years, 2 months after the fact
  74. DJ Louie Lou:

    I cut my own hair but I don't trim the side with siccors, I just use clippers. I Fade my own hair but I highly recommend doing the sides with clippers. The top you can use scissors but scissors are way hard. I've never tried that before.

    Posted 2 years, 3 months after the fact

Jump up to the start of the post ↑

Add your comment

I'm sorry, but comments can no longer be posted to this blog.