Did You Know What Hair Clipper Guard Lengths Mean?
Understanding hair cut numbers and hair clipper guard sizes have always been a tough task for men. Whether you are getting a haircut at a barbershop or cutting your own hair at home using your clipper set, it is very important to understand hair cutting guard sizes.
Clipper guard sizes correspond to different hair lengths. Those who want to get a good haircut need to know what the meaning of different clipper guard sizes is when it comes to specific style.
For starters, everything can be a little confusing.
So, to make things easier for you, we have done our research and come up with a guide that includes information about hair clipper guard lengths and hair clipper guide comb sizes etc. If you are considering a haircut, check out our guide of clipper guard lengths to get your favorite cuts and style.
Jump To
- Hair Guard Purpose
- Multiple Clipper Guard Sizes
- Clipper Guard Comb Sizes – Brand Comparison
- How Does a Clipper Guard Work?
- FAQs
What Is The Purpose Of Different Hair Guard Lengths?
Clipper guards are also called attachment combs or guide combs. These are simply tools that help you to measure the length of hair that you are trimming. They are designed in such a manner that they fit onto a clipper’s blades so that it helps the user to cut exact lengths of hair with ease.
Without these hair clipper guard lengths, some hairstyles would be tough to pull off.
There are different clipper guard sizes. Some guards are longer while some shorter. When it comes to measurement, hair cutting guard sizes are determined in inches or millimetres.
Different clippers are categorised in numbers instead of their actual sizes. Usually it is between 0 and 12.
The number 1, 2, and 3 clipper guards are the most common.
Hair Clipper Guard Sizes
Let us look at some of the guard sizes and what they mean.
1. Size Number 0 or 0.5
Number 0 or ½ cut is the shortest haircut possible. There is no attachment for these hair clipper guide comb sizes. For this size, you actually don’t need to attach a guard to the clipper. In this haircut, the length of your hair will be 1.5 mm or 1/16 long. It uses clipper blades for giving you a clean, neat and close cut. It almost looks like a shaved look.
2. Size Number 1 and 1.5
Number 1 haircut is often 1/8 of an inch or 3mm long, while 1.5 is 3/16 or 4.8 mm. This size is a bit longer than the number 0. These guards are ideal for buzz cuts, or to do a fade using different numbers.
3. Size Number 2
When it comes to fade, the hair clipper guard sizes number 2 are always the first choice. This is the most popular as it cuts the hair close but without shaving or exposing the bare scalp. Number 2 gives you ¼ of an inch or 6mm in hair length. It is perfect to sport for any occasion – be it casual or official. This haircut is not too long or too short. It will let your hair look short and fuller.
Number 2 is ideal for men with thinning hair and those with thick hair.
4. Size Number 3
For fades, number 3 is great. In most barbershops, number 3 is used as the longest guard size. If you are looking for a stunning fade or buzz cut, guard combs 1, 2 or 3 are your best bet. Number 3 will leave you with a 10 mm or 3/8-inch-long hair. It is usually a decent look or often fuller. For short, faded sides, this number is the longest clipper size that most hairstylists use. This number can be used for a longer buzz cut style.
5. Size Number 4
Size Number 4 is perfect for those who want a medium length men’s hairstyle. It measures ½ inch or 13 mm long. It is the medium length for standard hair clipper guard sizes. If you want a brush or crew cut, then use guard #4 which includes on the sides a skin fade and longer hair on top. It works best for both thin and thick hair.
6. Size Number 5
If you are into taper style, then you should go for #5. Number 5 measures 5/8 inch or 16 mm and is used for tapering your hair. This number is perfect for layering when used with other hair clipper guide comb sizes.
7. Size Number 6
Like number 5, #6 is ideal for tapering. It measures ¾ inches or 19 mm length. #6 haircut is quite long and often needs trimming unlike fades and buzz cuts.
8. Size Number 7
Hair clipper guard lengths #7 gives around 7/8 inch or 22 mm long cut. This cut is used for a bushy crew cut for men with thick hair. For trimming the back and sides of your head, use different clipper guard sizes that are lower.
9. Size Number 8
Hair clipper guard sizes number 8 are for 1 inch or 25mm long styling. It represents the longest clipper size in the U.S. This cut is not commonly used to give a fade, it is a laidback way to trim the hair on top of your head while using a #1, 2 or 3 on the sides.
This cut keeps your hair even, neat, and manageable. It is usually perfect for those who want to keep your nice, long and taper fade.
10. Size Number 10 and 12
If you are using an Andis/Remington/Oster hair cutting guard sizes, then you will not get number 10 or 12 clipper sizes as their sizes do not go as far as number 8.
However, Oster and Wahl users can make a number 10 haircut as these sizes are available in these brands.
The a number 10 measures 1.25 inches or 32 mm long; while the number 12 is at 1.5 inches or 38 mm.
Do Different Clipper Guard Sizes Differ in Each Brand?
Most of the hair cutting guards come with different comb sizes. We have given the sizes of the most popular brands. Here are hair clipper guide comb sizes for different hair clipper brands:
Wahl (mm) | Oster (mm) | Andis (mm) | |
Number 0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
Number 0.5 | – | – | 2.4 |
Number 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Number 1-1/2 | – | – | 4.5 |
Number 2 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
Number 3 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
Number 4 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
Number 5 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
Number 6 | 19 | 19 | 19 |
Number 7 | 22 | 22 | 22 |
Number 8 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
Number 10 | 32 | 32 | – |
How Do Hair Clipper Guard Lengths Work?
Clipper guards and haircut numbers refer to the clips that attach to electric hair trimmers. Each guard’s number is engraved into the guard itself. Mostly all hair clippers come along with a set of 8 guard sizes representing the hair length that will be left after trimming.
The larger the number, the longer the haircut. Most of the brands use like Andis, Wahl, Oster and others use increments of 1/8 of an inch of length. The length of the haircut increases as the number increases.
Let’s elucidate – if someone is asking for a number 2 haircut, then they are asking to use a #2 guard size to be attached to the clipper and leave ¼ inch of hair.
Similarly, when it comes to number 1 haircut, it corresponds to 1/8 inch length. You can ask for Number 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7, or 8 haircuts. Number 0 refers to a shaved look where there is no need to attach a guard.
FAQs About Hair Clipper Guard Sizes
Q. How do I know my clipper size?
A. The exact size of the clipper is mostly mentioned on the attachment comb.
Your size of the clipper you should use depends upon the kind of haircut you want. If you want a shaved look, you should go for number 0. Likewise if you choose number 8, then it will give you a light trim; most of your hair will be left untouched.
Q. What is the longest guard on hair clippers?
A. Higher hair clipper guard lengths give minimal haircuts. The number 8 is usually the longest of all clipper lengths in haircut numbers. This number is ideal for those looking for trimming the long hair on top of their head. When it comes to the sides of your head, you should go for other sizes 1-4 depending upon your preference.
Q. What length is a #10 clipper blade?
A. If you use a number 10 blade, then it will leave about 1/6 length of your hair. They are ideal for summer haircuts.
Q. What size hair guard should I use?
A. Each haircut number refers to a specific size. Each size corresponds to the length of hair left after the haircut.
When you use a number 1 or 2 guard, you get a short hair length. With the increase in size numbers, the length of the haircut left over also increases.
Q. What size guards cut less hair?
A. Hair cutting guard sizes go from 0 to 8, depending on the brand. The lower the number, the shorter the final haircut will look. Number 7, 8, 10 cut the least length of hair.
Q. Which guard leaves the most hair?
A. The largest guard size is number 10. Size 10 leaves the hair one and one quarter inches long. However, not all sets of clippers include guard size up to number 10. Some have sizes only up to number 8. If you go for number 8, then the hair that is cut is one inch long after cutting.
A few brands like Wahl have guard size 12 as well which translates to 1.5 inches of hair length.
Q. What does a number 3 haircut look like?
A. Number 3 gives you a longer buzz cut style if used on top of your hair. It will cut down your hair to 3/8 of an inch. Size 3 is the last guard size used for faded sides. Anything above it, won’t give you the look.
Q. How long is number 4 haircut, number 2 haircut in mm?
A. Hair clipper guard lengths number 4 measures ½ inches or 13 mm long. On the other hand The number 2 guard size is used for even shorter cuts leaving behind only ¼ inch or 6 mm of hair.
Q. Which is the correct number for fohawk style from different clipper guard sizes?
A. The best clipper number for a faux hawk look is number 8. It leaves back 25 mm/1 inch length for the top portion of your hair. As for styling the sides and getting a neater look, you would need smaller hair cutting guard sizes.