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ARC™ Scissors are the highest quality Japanese scissors, handcrafted by master smiths in Japan who are as passionate about making scissors as you are about cutting hair. When it comes to handcrafting scissors for professional hairstylists, ARC™ Scissors refuses to take any shortcuts—and that’s what sets ARC™ apart.

Home / Haircut Tutorials / Back Cutting 101: Everything You Need To Know About This Cutting Technique

Haircut Tutorials

  • Back Cutting 101: Everything You Need To Know About This Cutting Technique

Back Cutting 101: Everything You Need To Know About This Cutting Technique

Back Cutting 101: Everything You Need To Know About This Cutting Technique

Back Cutting 101: Everything You Need To Know About This Cutting Technique 

Give long-haired clients the beach moment they’ve been waiting for with long, soft, triangulated layers. To help get more movement in your cuts behind the chair, we had Cutting Master Donovan Mills (@donovanmillshair) break down his go-to layer cutting technique: back cutting. What IS back cutting? Don’t worry fam, we’re breaking it all down below. And if you want to see Donovan’s haircut from start to finish, click here to purchase his entire BTC University class!

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What Is Back Cutting?

Back cutting is a more visual way of creating triangular layers, Donovan explains. It really allows for a more determined line and shape since you can see exactly where and what you’re cutting into. “Also,” he adds, “it’s just really satisfying to see.” We can’t blame you, Donovan.

How To Back Cut

Create a section (don’t worry we broke down sectioning for this technique, just keep scrolling), but instead of approaching the cut from the top, use the scissors to create an angled guideline. Then, cut from the back of the shear to the front, creating a point directly in the center of the section. Since this cutting technique utilizes the entire blade, having a sharp shear that will hold it edge over time, is imperative. For this haircut Donovan used the Paragon II from ARC™ Scissors. Once the corners are cut, point cut into the triangle to soften the layer and allow it to blend with the rest of the hair.

paragon IIARC™ PARAGON II

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Section Break Down

If there is one thing we know for sure, long-haired clients want to stay that way. Having the right sectioning can help create movement while still keeping length, so keep these sectioning tips in mind:

  • Keep sections 1” wide.
  • For the back and side sections, bring the hair out at a 45-degree angle. For sections at the crown, bring them straight up at 90 degrees.
  • Keep sections straight and use tight tension, making sure no hair is overlapping.
  • To help maintain length, over direct each section to the previous section cut.

Scissors Used: Paragon II