Cutting the Perfect Crew Cut

This is how a barber cuts a classic crew cut, step by step: the tools, the guard for each stage, and the finish. In our chair it takes 45 to 60 minutes. If you'd rather sit back and let a barber do it, book a crew cut at Rooted from $17.

What you're cutting

A crew cut has short tapered sides and back and a short top that's longest at the front hairline and shortest at the crown. For the ten variations and what to ask for, see crew cut variations.

Decide the length before you start

A classic crew cut is about an inch on top, a little longer at the front, with the sides at a 3 or 4 tapering down to a 1 at the neck. Shorter, and you're close to a buzz cut; longer on top, and it becomes an Ivy League. Pick the version first, because every guard choice below follows from it. Our haircut numbers guide shows what each guard leaves.

Tools you need

• Clippers with guards 1 to 4 (and a 6 to 8 if you're cutting the top with clippers), plus a half guard or the open lever for a fade

• A trimmer for the outline around the ears and neck

• Scissors and a comb for the top and for blending

• A second mirror to see the back, and good light

• A neck strip or towel to keep loose hair off the skin

Oil the clipper blade and check it cuts cleanly before you begin. A dull or dry blade pulls hair and leaves uneven patches.

How to cut a crew cut, step by step

1. Start with clean, dry hair

Clippers cut most evenly on dry hair, and dry hair shows you the real length. Comb everything down in the direction it grows, so you can see the hairline and any cowlicks before you cut.

2. Set the top length first

For a classic crew cut, take the top to about an inch. With scissors, lift the hair between your fingers or over the comb and cut straight across; with clippers, use a 6 to 8 guard and run it from front to back. Leave the front a little longer: that slight lift at the hairline is what makes it a crew cut rather than a buzz cut.

3. Cut the sides and back

With a 3 or 4 guard, cut upward against the growth on the sides and back, up to where the head starts to curve toward the top. Keep the clipper flat against the head, overlap your passes, and work around the head in the same order every time so no patch gets missed.

4. Taper the lower sides

Drop to a 2 for the lower third of the sides and back, then a 1 along the hairline. As you move up, tilt the clipper away from the head and flick it out, so each length fades into the next instead of leaving a line.

5. Blend the sides into the top

Where the sides meet the top, blend with the guard in between, or with the clipper over the comb, until you can't see where one length ends and the next begins. Check this line from the front, both sides and the back; it's where most crew cuts go wrong.

6. Graduate the top

Cut the top so it gets slightly shorter from the front toward the crown. Lift it in sections with the comb, front to back, taking a touch more off each section. Check from the side: the top line should look close to flat, with a small lift at the front.

7. Line up and finish

Use the trimmer to clean around the ears and the neckline. Taper the neckline for a natural grow-out, or block it square for a sharper look that needs more upkeep. Brush off loose hair, then push the front up with a little matte paste.

The crew cut fade: what changes

The top stays the same. On the sides, start at a half guard or the skin at the bottom and climb through 1, 2 and 3, blending each step before you move up. A low fade keeps the shortest lengths near the ears; a mid fade starts around the temples; a high fade carries them toward the top of the head. The higher the fade, the more contrast with the top, and the sooner it needs a touch-up.

Common mistakes, and how to avoid them

1. Going short too soon

Start one guard longer than you think you need. You can always take more off; you can't put it back.

2. Taking the short guard too high

Running a 1 or 2 too far up the sides leaves a shelf where the sides meet the top. Keep the shortest guards low and let the blend do the work.

3. Cutting the top flat all over

Without the slightly longer front and the graduation toward the crown, a crew cut reads as a buzz cut.

4. Combing the hair the wrong way

Cut each section in its natural fall. Combing hair forward or back before cutting changes where it lands and how long it looks.

5. Cutting from an awkward angle

Stand or position the mirror so you're working straight on to the section you're cutting. Reaching around the head is how one side ends up shorter.

6. Cutting wet hair with clippers

Wet hair lies flat and dries shorter than it looked. Use clippers on dry hair; scissors on damp hair only.

7. Ignoring cowlicks and the crown

Hair that grows in a swirl needs a little more length or it stands up. Leave extra length over a cowlick and at the crown.

How short should a crew cut be?

For a classic crew cut, about half an inch to an inch on top and a 2 to 4 on the sides. A shorter top looks more military; a longer top, toward two inches, turns it into an Ivy League you can part.

What to tell a barber for a crew cut

Ask for a crew cut and give two numbers: the guard for the sides (for example a 3, tapered to a 1 at the neck, or a low fade) and the length on top (about an inch, a little longer at the front). For the ten variations, see crew cut variations.

Which face shape suits a crew cut?

Almost all of them. Oval, square and long faces suit it most naturally. A round face looks best with tight sides and a little height at the front; an angular face can carry a slightly longer, softer top.

Or let a barber do it

A crew cut at Rooted is booked as a haircut, about 45 to 60 minutes, with a consultation and a clean line-up included:

• Student barber: $17

• Junior barber: $32

• Senior barber: $47 to $57

• J-Roots, master barber: $102

We're at 15 Simcoe St S in Downtown Oshawa, open Monday to Wednesday 12 to 10, Thursday to Saturday 10 to 10 and Sunday 12 to 8. Book a crew cut.