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Ultimate Guide to Hair Clipper Guard Sizes 
 

Home > Haircutting > How to > Haircuts 101

If you’re new to self-haircutting or have decided to try a new hairstyle, choosing the right clipper guards for your haircut can be a bit confusing. Do you start with #1 or #2, and which guard will give you the right length on top? Not to worry! Consider this your ultimate guide to selecting the right hair clipper guard sizes for your next haircut.  

How Hair Clipper Guards Work 

Clipper guards are accessories that come with your hair clipper. They attach to the clipper blade and are designed to evenly cut hair to the length listed on the guard. For instance, if you use a #8 guard, listed at 1 inch, then you will cut hair that is longer than 1 inch down to that length.  

Hair Clipper Guard Size Chart 

Most hair clippers include a series of attachment guards with numbers on them. The higher the number, the longer the hair.  

Here are the standard guard numbers and sizes:  

Guard Comb Number Size in Inches
#1/2 1/16"
#1 1/8"
#2 1/4"
#3 3/8"
#4 1/2"
#5 5/8"
#6 3/4"
#7 7/8"
#8 1"

Your Guide to Haircut Numbers 

Clipper guards will dictate the length of your haircut. What haircut can you expect from each clipper guard number?  

  • #1/2 haircut: This is as short as you can go, outside of bald. Think Skin Fade.  
  • #1 haircut: A Short Buzz Cut. Just enough hair to keep it interesting.   
  • #2 haircut: A Traditional Buzz Cut.  
  • #3 haircut: Still a Buzz Cut, but on the longer side. You can also fade up to this length, starting with #1/2 at the bottom and working your way up to a #3.  
  • #4 haircut: You’re officially in Crew cut or Brush Cut territory. For a tapered look, start with a lower number guard toward the bottom and work up to a #4. 
  • #5 haircut: Enough length to style it with some product.  
  • #6 haircut: Just enough length to part the top or pull the bangs up a bit.  
  • #8 haircut: This is as long as it gets with a hair clipper. Consider this length for the top of the head while going shorter on the sides and back.   

Haircut Lengths to Try 

It’s much easier to understand what clipper guard lengths look like by viewing actual haircuts. Here are some different hairstyles and the guard sizes for each. You can also check out the tutorials on how to achieve these looks.  

Fade Cut  

Call-outs:  
#1/2 on lower side and back 
#2 on upper side  

Brush Cut  

Call-outs:  
#1/2 on front side 
#1 rest of side and back  
#7 on top  

Textured Cut  

Call-outs:  
#3 on lower sides  
#5 on upper sides 
#8 on top  

Side Part  

Call-outs:  
#4 on sides 
#8 on top  

Buzz Cut  

Call-outs:  
#2 on sides and top  

Tousled Cut  

Call-outs:  
#3 for lower sides  
#5 for upper sides 

Hair Clipper Guards: Your Questions.  

What is a Taper Lever and How Does it Work?

If you are fading or blending your hair, learning how to use your clipper’s taper lever will be useful. The taper lever is a thin handle on the side of the clipper that allows you to adjust the closeness of your cut between guard lengths. Move the lever down for a longer cut and up for a closer cut. Watch how to use a taper lever.

How do you Blend Using the Upward Rocking Motion?

When using multiple guards for your haircut, you can use the upward rocking motion at the top of each section. This ensures you don’t cut into the next section and create an uneven haircut. To create the rocking motion, carefully pull the clipper away from the scalp in fluid strokes as you cut upward to blend the hair from one length to the next. Check out a video of how to do the upward rocking motion.

Should you Go Against Hair Growth when Using Clipper Guards?

For consistent results, it is best to cut against the hair growth. This will ensure you are feeding all hairs through the teeth of the clipper guard. Going in the direction of the hair growth may result in missing some hairs or not cutting uniformly to the desired length.