The Lever on Your Clippers: What It Does and How to Use It

The lever on the side of most adjustable-blade clippers moves the blade slightly, changing how close it cuts. With the lever closed, which on most clippers means pushed up towards the blade, you get the shortest cut for that guard. With the lever open, pulled down, the clipper leaves the hair a little longer. The difference is small, often about a millimetre or so depending on the model, but that is exactly what makes it useful. It gives you a half size between guard numbers, which is the secret to blending one length into another without visible lines. It also helps clear trapped hair from the blade.

Many people who cut their own hair at home have never touched the lever, or have knocked it halfway without realising and wondered why both sides came out different. Here is how it works and how to use it properly.

What the lever is actually doing

A clipper blade is two blades: a fixed one that sits against your head and a moving one that slides side to side above it. The lever shifts the position of the blade assembly. Closing it brings the cutting edge further forward, closer to the tip, so it cuts nearer the scalp. Opening it moves the cutting edge back, so more hair is left behind.

Without a guard, the lever is the only thing setting the length. With a guard on, the guard does most of the work and the lever fine-tunes it.

Not all clippers have a lever. Fixed-blade clippers, many trimmers and some cordless models set their length only with guards or interchangeable blades. If yours has no lever, the rest of this is still useful for understanding what your barber is doing.

Open and closed, in practice

Setup	Result	Typical use
No guard, lever closed	Shortest the clipper can cut	Bottom of a fade, outlines, very short buzz
No guard, lever open	A touch longer, often called a “zero open”	First blend line above the closed zero
Guard on, lever closed	The guard’s stated length	Main length of a section
Guard on, lever open	Roughly halfway towards the next guard size	Softening the line between two guards

Exact differences vary by clipper and blade, so treat the “half size” as an approximation. If you want the guard numbers themselves explained, our guide to clipper guard numbers covers what each one leaves.

Using the lever to blend

Here is the basic method for a simple short back and sides with a soft transition, of the kind people try at home between appointments.

1. Cut the main length. Say a number 2 guard, lever closed, over the sides and back up to where you want the length to change.
2. Set the shorter length. Number 1 guard, lever closed, from the bottom of the hairline up to about two thirds of the way to your number 2 line.
3. Open the lever on the number 1. Run it over the line where the number 1 and number 2 meet, cutting with a flicking, outward motion so the guard leaves the head gradually.
4. Check in good light. Look for a dark band or a hard step. If it is still visible, go over just that band again with the lever open.
5. Repeat lower down. For a fade, the same principle works between no guard closed and no guard open, and between the guard-free and the number 1.

The flick is as important as the lever. Pulling the clipper straight up and off creates a line. Rocking it away from the head as you lift creates a gradient.

Other uses barbers rely on

• Clearing clogs. Flicking the lever open and closed while the clipper runs can dislodge hair packed into the blade.
• Thicker or coarser hair. Some barbers open the lever slightly on dense hair to stop the blade dragging.
• Beards. The same half-step trick helps blend a beard into the sideburns. Our article on the beard fade covers that in detail.

Common mistakes at home

• Not knowing where the lever is set. Check it before every pass. Knocking it halfway open is a classic cause of one side looking longer.
• Going lever-closed with no guard around the ears. That is very short and unforgiving. Start longer; you can always go shorter.
• Using the lever to fix everything. A badly placed line still needs the right technique, not just a half size.
• Cutting dry hair that is greasy or wet. Clippers work best on clean, dry hair.
• Ignoring blade alignment. If someone has adjusted the blade itself, closed may cut dangerously close and nick the skin. Our article on zero gap clippers explains why that matters.

Why a barber’s fade still looks different

The lever helps at home, but a professional fade involves more than half sizes. Barbers change the angle of the clipper, work in different directions to follow the growth pattern, use clipper over comb and scissors to refine the top of the blend, and adjust each side by eye to account for head shape. They also see the back of your head, which you cannot.

Every visit with us starts with an assessment. Your barber looks at your hair, how it grows and what you want, and makes recommendations before the clippers come out. If you want a crisp fade or a softer taper done properly, our barbers on Archway Road do skin fades, scissor cuts and beard work. Prices are not published yet; email us or ask for the barber menu.

Questions we get asked

Is lever up open or closed?

On most clippers with a side lever, up towards the blade is closed and shortest, down is open and longer. Check your own clipper’s instructions, as designs differ.

Can I use the lever as a separate length on its own?

Yes. Many people cut with no guard and the lever open for a very short, even buzz that is a fraction longer than fully closed.

Why do both sides look different after I cut at home?

Often the lever was in a different position on each side, or the angle of the clipper changed. Head shape also plays a part.

Can you tidy up a home cut?

Usually, yes, depending on how short it went. Get in touch and describe what happened. You can read about our Highgate barber services first if you like.

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