I used this model to cut my hair and it works very well. This model has the longest hair setting at 25 mm - taper guard no.8 from what I could find online. None of the other models or brands have a setting that is this long. What this means that you can actually get a proper haircut and not a very short crop or crew cut using this trimmer even if you are not an expert. The 25mm guard ensures that whatever you do, your hair will not end up becoming shorter than this while using this particular guard. After that you can use the smaller length guards to shorten your hair on the sides and back.
It is for this reason alone that I bought this trimmer. I had previously used a Phillips beard trimmer and compared to that the Wahl is absolutely amazing. It cuts hair very easily without effort or clogging. The guards are a little bent in some cases and I personally think its fine. Its made of plastic and you can just push and straighten it out. The plastic is of basic quality, but it is good enough and I don't think it'll break unless you really hit it somewhere. The machine itself feels sturdy. There is vibration, but I personally did not find it too much. It just felt normal, slightly more than a beard trimmer. The Wahl trimmer has a power screw at the side to adjust the power of the machine which will reduce the noise at low power. I did not change this setting and went with the default setting.
Looks at several reviews here, I was very apprehensive. What I now realize that there are a few things one needs to do before operating the machine that will ensure optimum performance. This is a professional clipper used by barbers and hence its not as simple as beard trimmers. All it takes is watching a few YouTube videos to be able to get started and maintain this device.
1. Before you turn on the clipper make sure that the blades are aligned. In my case they were aligned and I did not make any adjustment. As far as possible don't change this unless it is clearly visible that the blades are misaligned. It is difficult to measure the small offset of 0.64mm. What is needed is for the smaller sandwiched blade in front has to be a little to the right (very little, less than an mm) of the bigger fixed blade behind it. This video will help if at all you need to align the blades.
YouTube Video:- How I align & tune Wahl clippers -
limubearproductions
2. Before you use the the clipper to cut your hair, the clipper has to be oiled. There's a five point oiling technique that is described in this video. Its very simple and do this EACH TIME before you cut your hair (assuming its a few weeks apart). The oil helps the blades to self sharpen and ensures longevity.
YouTube Video:- Prepping a Hair Clipper for First Time Use by WahlHomeProduct
3. Learn how to use the Taper lever. This helps to taper your hair from top to bottom. You don't have to use all the techniques he talks about, just know how to set the taper lever.
YouTube Video:- How to use the LEVER to FADE | BARBER TUTORIAL for Beginners by David Falla
4. Learn to use the Taper guards and in particular the Ear Taper. The ear taper guard helps to cut hair around the ears very easily.
YouTube Video:- Understanding Wahl Guards by Ace Barber
YouTube Video:- Wahl Color Pro Clippers-Review-How to Use Ear Taper Guards by geofatboy
5. Finally learn to use the other taper guards similarly and cut your hair. The user manual gives setting for different parts of your head. I wanted longer hair, so I started from the biggest setting - 25 mm guard 8 and then went down through no. 7, 6 and 5 (16mm)
YouTube Video:- Self Haircut - Long Hair | How to Cut Your Own Hair | How to Cut Long Men's Hair | Tip #25 by Tips for Clips - Haircutting
This is all you need for a simple haircut. If you want to do advanced styling, you can watch more videos. There are a ton of them online.
Ideally you need a combination of both - a hair clipper like Wahl and beard trimmer to get a nice clean haircut.
| Manufacturer | WAHL Clipper Corporation |
|---|---|
| Country of Origin | China |
| Item model number | 9243-5724 |
| Product Dimensions | 4 x 4 x 16 cm; 467 g |
| ASIN | B0C9QH2SBN |
