Clipper Guard Sizes: Complete Chart for Wahl, Andis & Oster Guards (mm & inches)
Clipper guard sizes chart — what length each guard number leaves. Wahl, Andis, and Oster guard sizes compared in mm and inches. Includes premium vs standard guards, guard care tips, and a printable guard size reference.
What Are Clipper Guards?
Clipper guards (also called comb attachments, guide combs, or clipper combs) are plastic or metal attachments that snap onto clipper blades to control the length of hair left after cutting. Without a guard, the blade cuts at its native cutting length — typically 0.5-2mm depending on the blade size. With a guard attached, you can leave 3mm to 25mm+ of hair length.
Guards are numbered — #1 through #8 is the most common range — with higher numbers leaving longer hair. However, the exact length each number produces varies by brand, which is a constant source of confusion for barbers, groomers, and home users.
Clipper Guard Size Chart: All Brands Compared
| Guard # | Wahl | Andis | Oster | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #0.5 | 1.5mm (1/16") | 1.5mm (1/16") | 1.5mm (1/16") | Very short buzz, skin fade blending |
| #1 | 3mm (1/8") | 3mm (1/8") | 3mm (1/8") | Short buzz cut, military cut |
| #1.5 | 4.5mm (3/16") | 4.5mm (3/16") | 4.5mm (3/16") | Crew cut, fade transition |
| #2 | 6mm (1/4") | 6mm (1/4") | 6mm (1/4") | Standard buzz cut, most popular length |
| #3 | 10mm (3/8") | 10mm (3/8") | 10mm (3/8") | Short crop top |
| #4 | 13mm (1/2") | 13mm (1/2") | 13mm (1/2") | Medium length, business cut sides |
| #5 | 16mm (5/8") | 16mm (5/8") | 16mm (5/8") | Longer sides, full head cuts |
| #6 | 19mm (3/4") | 19mm (3/4") | 19mm (3/4") | Longer styles, thick hair texturing |
| #7 | 22mm (7/8") | 22mm (7/8") | 22mm (7/8") | Long top styling |
| #8 | 25mm (1") | 25mm (1") | 25mm (1") | Maximum standard guard length |
The Taper Lever: Half Sizes Between Guards
Most professional clippers have a taper lever on the side — a sliding switch that adjusts the blade gap. When closed (lever up), the blade cuts at its shortest setting. When open (lever down), it extends the cut by approximately half a guard size (1-1.5mm). This means with a #1 guard and the lever open, you get a cut between #1 and #1.5 length. Professional barbers use the lever constantly during fades to create seamless transitions between guard sizes.
Pro tip: Always start with the lever closed (shortest) and open gradually. The lever setting affects the cut length on top of whatever guard is attached — so a #2 guard with lever open effectively becomes a #2.5.
No Guard (#0): When and How to Use It
Using a clipper with no guard attached gives you the blade's native cutting length — typically 0.5-1.5mm depending on the blade and lever position. This is used for skin fades (blending to skin), neckline cleanup, and around-the-ear detailing. Without a guard, the blade can nick skin if not handled properly — angle the clipper at 45 degrees and use flicking motions rather than pressing flat against the head.
Wahl Clipper Guards: Standard vs Premium
Wahl offers two guard lines. Standard guards (black plastic) ship with most Wahl clippers: 8 sizes (#1-#8), basic tab-lock attachment. Wahl Premium Guards (color-coded) have sturdier construction with a secure-lock tab, metal clip reinforcement, and color-coded for quick identification: #0.5 turquoise, #1 red, #1.5 orange, #2 yellow, #3 green, #4 blue, #5 purple, #6 burgundy, #7 black, #8 white.
For professional barbers doing 15+ cuts per day, premium guards are worth the upgrade. They stay in position better and the color coding speeds up guard changes during fades.
Andis Clipper Guards
Andis guards use a slightly different mounting tab than Wahl. Andis offers a 9-piece magnetic guard set for their Master and Fade Master clippers, where magnets hold the guard to the blade — the most secure attachment system available. Standard Andis guards come in the same #1-#8 range with identical cutting lengths. Andis guards do not fit Wahl clippers and vice versa.
Universal Guards: Speed-O-Guide & Alternatives
Speed-O-Guide universal clipper guards are a popular alternative to brand-specific guards. They use a flexible attachment system that fits most clipper blade widths — Wahl, Andis, Oster, and others — making them useful for barbers who switch between clipper brands. Speed-O-Guide offers sizes from #000 (1/32 inch) to #3 (1 inch), with the most popular being #0A (5/16 inch), #1 (7/16 inch), and #1A (9/16 inch) — sizes that fall between standard Wahl/Andis guard increments. This makes them particularly valuable for fade work where half-size precision matters.
The tradeoff is that universal guards don't lock as securely as brand-specific guards designed for a particular clipper. For high-volume barbershop use, brand-specific guards (especially Wahl Premium or Andis Magnetic) are more reliable.
What Hairstyle Does Each Guard Create?
| Guard | Length | Hairstyle |
|---|---|---|
| No guard | 0.5-1.5mm | Skin fade base, bald taper, neckline cleanup |
| #0.5 | 1.5mm | Very short buzz, low skin fade blend zone |
| #1 | 3mm | Military buzz cut, induction cut, ultra-short all-over |
| #2 | 6mm | Standard buzz cut — most popular men's short cut |
| #3 | 10mm | Short crew cut, textured crop sides |
| #4 | 13mm | Classic business cut sides, longer crew cut |
| #5-6 | 16-19mm | Side part blend, longer layered sides |
| #7-8 | 22-25mm | Full longer cut, scissor-over-comb prep length |
Guard Care & Fade Technique Tips
- Alignment: Before every cut, check guard teeth are evenly spaced across the blade. Misaligned guards create uneven lines.
- Clean between clients: Hair buildup under the guard raises the effective cutting length. Brush out after every cut.
- Fade technique: Start with a longer guard and work down. #3 → #2 → #1 → #0.5 → no guard → blend with trimmer. Each step should overlap the previous cut zone by 1-2 inches.
- Replace cracked guards: A cracked guard flexes inconsistently. Inspect weekly.