What’s the secret for an effortless, cool-guy haircut? For Matty Conrad (@mattyconrad), aka “The World’s Most Interesting Barber,” it’s a razor. Keep reading as Matty shares his top five razor-cutting tips.

For more detailed instructions on cutting hair with a razor, check out Matty Conrad's online course where he demonstrates how to create highly commercial men’s haircuts using scissor and razor-cutting techniques, exclusively on BTC University.

1. When To Cut With A Razor vs. When To Cut With Scissors

When it comes to choosing the right tool for a haircut, Matty advises paying attention the natural texture of the client’s hair. “I find that straight hair grows out best with a razor cut,” Matty explains.

Razor-cutting on a client with fine or straight hair creates an effortless style with livable texture. For clients with a natural curl or texture, Matty advises against using a razor as it will disrupt the natural curl pattern and create a frizzy end result.

2. Dry Cutting vs. Wet Cutting With A Razor

When razor-cutting Matty suggests thoroughly wetting the client’s entire head. Wet hair is softer and easier to cut with a razor while also allowing you to create clean, precise sections throughout the service. If the client’s hair is dry, the hair can drag and pull on your blade (which will dull your blade faster) but also result in a frizzy finished look (not very James Dean).

3. Section Equals Direction

Always section the hair in the direction you want the hair to flow for the finished look. Matty breaks down sectioning like this:

• If the finished style has all of the hair flowing back, take diagonal or straight sections that move to the back of the head.
• If the finished style has all of the hair flowing forward, take straight or diagonal sections that move to the front of the face.

Always stand behind the section to allow control while razor-cutting and drag the blade through the hair in the direction you want the hair to live to encourage movement and softness.

4. Pay Attention To Pitch

When razor-cutting, pitch is both the amount and heaviness of the texture in the haircut. Approaching the cut with a steep angle of the blade will result in larger, heavier texture. If the razor is held at a shallow angle while cutting, the texture will be softer and more diffused.

Use the tip of the blade to point cut through the section to create movement and then finish the length of the section with even, consistent strokes. 

5. Determining The Draw Of The Blade Or Depth Of Pitch

Unlike cutting with shears, hold the tension of the hair underneath the fingers. This allows the weight of texture to transfer to the razor while cutting. The deeper the stroke or draw of the blade within the section will determine the amount of bulk that is removed from the hair. A small draw of the blade will give you a softer line, while a longer draw will have a lot of bulk removal and heavy texture.

Check out the finished look. Handsome.

Credit: behindthechair.com