This is the second tape in Scerbo Video Production's Perfect Buzzcuts series. Five short cuts are featured on this tape, as well as demonstrating some cutting techniques. As usual, the product is nicely presented. The soundtrack of the tape contains classical music with narration by Fred Scerbo describing what is happening.
The first cut shown is the cutting of a horseshoe flattop. The horseshoe is by definition a very short cut. The finished result of this example certainly qualifies as a horseshoe, although some horseshoe flattops have the landing strip cut right down to the skin. The flattop shown on this tape is just a fraction longer than that, and as in several other cuts shown on the Scerbo tapes, the back and sides are shaved. In this segment of the tape, the subject's back and sides are already clipped right down to the skin. The top is cut evenly flat and short by using a comb as a guide. The top of the shaved back and sides are then tapered into the area where the hair starts. The ridges of the flattop are cut by using the tapering clipper attachments that come with many home clipper sets. The crown of the head is then clipped a little shorter, leaving the horseshoe shape. The tape then demonstrates a safe way to shave the back and sides of the head, using talcum powder and an electric razor.
The second cut shown is a long brush cut. The subject's hair is quite long at the start of this segment. The top is first cut with scissors. The technique for achieving an even layer cut is shown. This is an important concept in haircutting. The back and sides of the head are then cut with a #1 attachment. This is then blended in with the hair on top and the clipper and a comb are used to shorten and even the hair on top. The top is then cut slightly shorter again on top using scissiors. The subject in this segment has fine, blonde hair and it is interesting to notice how short the #1 sides and #2 crown area appear.
A tie-back undercut is shown in the third segment of the videotape. The tape shows how to make sure that the top of the shaved area is cut evenly around the head. This is a relatively simple cut. The back and sides are cut to the skin using a bare clipper blade. The long hair on top of the head is not cut and there is no tapering required between the clipped hair and the very long hair on top.
The fourth cut is a parallel fade. An even (parallel) line is cut around the head with the hair below that line clipped to the skin. The hair above that line is then faded with the longer hair on top of the head. The taper is cut with several successive passes of the clippers over the line, to evenly fade the line out.
The final cut shown on the videotape is a long ivy league. The back, sides and crown of the head are cut with a #2 clipper attachment. The bangs are left quite long and the tape describes how to blend the short top with the longer bangs.
General concepts that you will learn from this tape include the importance of gradually working the hair shorter (rather than starting off by cutting the the desired finished length) and doing final checking and tidying up. This is essential to achieving a professional looking cut.
Volume 2 of the Perfect Buzzcuts series shows different cuts and variations from the Volume 1 tape and shows some good techniques for people who want to be able to cut their family's hair.
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