Buzz Cut Lengths and Clipper Grades
A buzz cut is the simplest haircut there is and the easiest to get wrong, because the whole thing comes down to one number. Pick the wrong guard and you either look freshly enlisted or as if you forgot to finish. This page goes through every clipper grade, the types of buzz cut built on them, and when the clippers at home are good enough.
The 3 short cuts built on clipper grades
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How clipper grades work
In the UK a buzz cut is described by the number of the guard on the clippers. Each grade adds an eighth of an inch, which is about 3mm. So a grade 1 leaves 3mm of hair, a grade 2 leaves 6mm, and so on up to grade 8 at about an inch.
Grade 0 means no guard at all. The bare blade leaves somewhere between half a millimetre and a millimetre, depending on how the clippers are set. Below that you are into a foil shaver or a razor, which is a shaved head rather than a buzz.
Half grades exist too. A grade 0.5 or 1.5 sits between the whole numbers, and barbers use them to blend one length into the next.
Buzz cut grades, one by one
| Grade | Comprimento | Como é que se parece |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | No guard, about 0.5 to 1mm | Scalp clearly visible. From across a room it reads as shaved |
| 1 | 3mm | Scalp shows through, especially under bright light. The hair reads as a shadow |
| 2 | 6 mm | Covers the scalp on most dense hair. The classic short buzz |
| 3 | 9mm | Starts to look like hair rather than shadow. Colour and texture show |
| 4 | 12mm | Soft to the touch. Straight hair begins to lie down instead of standing up |
| 5 | 16mm | A short haircut with a uniform length. Waves and curls start to appear |
| 6 | 19mm | Enough length to push in one direction with a little product |
| 7 | 22mm | Hair starts to clump and show its natural direction of growth |
| 8 | 25mm | About an inch. The longest guard in a standard set, and closer to a short cut than a buzz |
Two things change how a given grade looks on you. Fair or grey hair shows more scalp than dark hair at the same length, so a grade 1 on blond hair can look like a grade 0 on black. And thin or thinning hair shows more scalp at every grade, which is worth knowing before you go short. The haircuts for balding men page covers that properly.
If you are not sure, start one grade longer than you think. You can always go shorter the same day. Going longer takes a couple of weeks.
The types of buzz cut
Most buzz cuts are one of six shapes. The difference is how the length is spread around the head.
Induction cut
The shortest of the lot, done with no guard all over. It takes its name from military induction, where recruits get one on their first day. It is the closest you can get to a shaved head with clippers alone, and it suits a strong, even head shape.
Burr cut
A grade 1 or so all over. There is still a visible shadow of hair, which softens the head shape compared with an induction cut. It is the version most men picture when they say "buzz cut", and the buzz cut page goes into it in detail.
Butch cut
Longer, at a grade 3 or 4 all over, so there is enough length to see the texture of the hair. It is the most forgiving buzz on an uneven head, and it grows out into a normal short cut without an awkward phase.
Crew cut
The top is left longer than the sides, usually longest at the front and getting shorter towards the crown, with the sides and back tapered short. It is the buzz cut for people who want something to style. The crew cut page covers the grades and the variations.
Caesar cut
O Caesar haircut is a short, even length all over with a short fringe brushed forward and cut straight across. It is usually a grade 2 or 3 on the sides with the top cut slightly longer by scissor. The forward fringe makes it a useful option for a receding hairline. Its longer cousin is the French crop.
Buzz cut with a fade
A uniform buzz on top with the sides faded down towards skin. It adds a sharp edge to a cut that otherwise has none, and the fade can start low, mid or high. The skin fade e desvanecimento reduzido pages explain the options, and the types of fade page compares them all.
At home or at the barber
A single grade all over is the one haircut most men can do themselves. A fade is not.
Doing it at home
Cut it dry and clean. Wet hair clogs the guard and lies flat, so the clippers miss it.
Run the clippers against the direction of growth, which on most heads means from the neck upwards at the back and from the front backwards on top. Go over each area more than once, from more than one angle, because the crown grows in a swirl and hides missed patches.
The hard parts are the neckline and around the ears. Take the guard off for those, use the corner of the blade, and work slowly with a hand mirror held behind you. If you can get someone else to do the back, let them.
Clean the guard and blade after each cut. A guard full of old hair cuts unevenly.
When the barber is worth it
Anything with two lengths in it. A fade, a crew cut, a Caesar with a scissor-cut fringe, or a buzz with a tapered neckline all need blending, and blending is the part that takes practice.
A sensible pattern for many men is a barber cut to set the shape, then home touch-ups with the same guard to hold it for a few more weeks. Ask the barber what grade they used before you leave.
Keeping a buzz cut sharp
Hair grows roughly a centimetre a month, so a grade 1 has gained a whole grade's worth of length in about ten days. Short buzz cuts want a touch-up every week or two. Grades 3 and above can stretch to three or four weeks.
At grade 0 and 1 your scalp is out in the weather. It burns in summer and dries out in winter, so sun cream on hot days and a little moisturiser when it feels tight are worth the habit.
If you are thinking of going longer later, the medium and long hairstyles page covers growing out. And if you want to see the buzz alongside every other cut, it sits in the men's hairstyles directory with the rest.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common buzz cut length?
A grade 2, at 6mm, is the length most men picture. It covers the scalp on dense hair while still reading as a buzz. A grade 1 is the shorter, sharper version.
How long is a number 2 buzz cut?
About 6mm, or a quarter of an inch. Each UK clipper grade adds roughly 3mm, so a 1 is 3mm, a 3 is 9mm and a 4 is 12mm.
Is a grade 0 the same as shaved?
No. A grade 0 is the clipper blade with no guard and leaves around half a millimetre to a millimetre. A shaved head is taken down to the skin with a foil shaver or a razor, and feels smooth where a grade 0 feels like stubble.
How often should you buzz your hair?
Every one to two weeks at grades 0 to 2, and every three to four weeks at grade 3 and above. The shorter the grade, the sooner new growth changes how it looks.
Will a buzz cut suit me?
The best test is your head shape, because a short buzz shows all of it. If you have a flat spot, a ridge or a scar you would rather keep quiet, start at a grade 3 or 4 and go shorter once you have seen it.
Can I grow out a buzz cut without it looking awkward?
Yes, if you keep the sides and neck tidy while the top grows. Go to a barber every four to six weeks and ask them to tidy the edges only. It moves through a crew cut and a crop on the way, and both are perfectly respectable haircuts.
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