Nicky Clarke NCM29

My dad has been trimming, clipping and styling his own hair now for as long as I can remember. He says it saves money if he does it himself and the last hair clippers he ‘bought’ he got free from a garage years ago when I was tiny, by saving some vouchers or coupons from his petrol.

Anyway, his old hair clippers died a death a few months ago (I think they were Remmington ones). My nan has a mobile hairdresser who comes to our house every six weeks to give her a perm (nan likes to have this done at our house as she says the perm solution might stain her carpets!!). Dad got chatting to nan’s hairdresser about what she recommended as a replacement for his old hair clippers. She said she uses Nicky Clarke trimmers and she showed us the ones she uses on her clients. She said if he liked she could get him some cheap from her wholesaler. Apparently, the cost if bought in the shops is about £20 but she could get some for dad for £11.

She really ‘bigged them up’ and dad was impressed by the way she was talking about them – it sounded like she was on some sort of commission. He decided to go for it and one week later he was the proud owner of a brand new Nicky Clarke Rechargeable Hair Clipper, complete with a full set of accessories.

Dad does what he always does whenever he gets something new. He removed the set of instructions and Nicky Clarke’s “Secret of Styling Booklet”(yes, really!) and went off to the downstairs loo with them for a bit of light reading. He emerged about half an hour later, took his shirt off, moved the cat from underneath the radiator (that’s where the large mirror is placed) and set to work on ‘styling’ his hair.

We noticed they are much quieter than his old ones were. They sounded like a lawn mower – these just gave off a very gentle hum. I must admit, they did look pretty sleek. They have a nice chrome finish and they come with their own little stand to rest them on when not in use. Dad said they felt a bit heavy but as soon as he started to use them he said he was impressed the way they glided over the hair. They claim to have an ergonomic shape, which makes them easier to handle, seven attachment combs (for different styles) and steel blades. This seemed to impress dad no –end, but I’d have thought they would have all come with steel blades.

The clippers can be used in the mains or they can be charged, if you like to use them cordless. Dad just used them plugged in the first time he used them. The on / off switch is easy to use and it has an adjustable blade lever. Although dad appeared to have carefully studied all of Nicky Clarke’s ‘secret’ styles, he opted for his usual – a number two. The trouble is, when dad tries to do the back of his hair, he can never quite get it right and has to have assistance from either my mum or me. It looks good from the front, but as he can’t see the back of his head properly it’s usually quite patchy. These clippers didn’t make trimming the back of his head any easier.

I offered to finish it off for him and that’s where it all went horribly wrong. I wasn’t aware of the fact that I had pushed down the adjustable blade lever and as I pressed the clippers down firmly on his scalp and then moved them up, I created a very definite tram line. It was all too easy to take off far too much hair. To be honest, I had been so used to having to push very firmly and forcefully with his old Remmington clippers that it hadn’t occurred to me that these would take off as much hair as they did!

Dad realised straight away what had happened. I panicked and dropped them on the floor, still buzzing away and dad rushed into the kitchen shouting, “What the hell have you done!” Mum took over and she (very very carefully) managed to shave and shape the back of his head down to his neck so he ‘almost’ had no hair but still had a bit. I don’t know how she managed it but she made the tram line almost look like it had never been there.

She then shaved and shaped the rest of his head and even trimmed down his eyebrows. I was very impressed. Once dad had calmed down, he decided he did like the trimmers after all but I think I’m going to take a bit of getting used to these. I have also used them a few times on my brother’s head. He has a number one cut and they slide pretty well over his head. I only grab a bit of scalp a few times when I get distracted. They are quite heavy to use but you soon get used to that and they feel a very good quality.

The only downside to these is that when we went away a few weeks ago dad charged them before we went and they had lost all of their charge within a few days, so I think they are better used via the mains, rather then using them cordless. My brother has used the lubricating oil that came with them and I have pinched the fab little travel bag they came in but dad’s not complained.

All in all, a good product, I think. Like a lot of things, they just took a little bit of getting used to. They are sturdy and give a nice good, even cut (so long as I’m not holding them).