Wahl guard numbers are not lengths. A #1 is not 1mm and a #4 is not 4mm, and that mix-up is how people end up with a cut two sizes shorter than they asked for. This chart converts every Wahl guard to millimetres and inches, explains what the 0.5 is actually for, and tells you which Wahl clippers the guards fit.
Wahl clipper guard sizes chart
| Guard | Inches | mm | Colour code | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #0.5 | 1/16″ | 1.5mm | – | First guideline on skin fades, stubble beards |
| #1 | 1/8″ | 3mm | Red | Low fades, short back and sides |
| #1.5 | 3/16″ | 4.5mm | – | Blending between a 1 and a 2 |
| #2 | 1/4″ | 6mm | Purple | Classic short sides |
| #3 | 3/8″ | 10mm | Blue | Crew cuts, mid-length sides |
| #4 | 1/2″ | 13mm | Orange | Longer sides, buzz cuts on top |
| #5 | 5/8″ | 16mm | Yellow | Short tops |
| #6 | 3/4″ | 19mm | Lavender | Tops |
| #7 | 7/8″ | 22mm | Grey | Tops, clipper-over-comb |
| #8 | 1″ | 25mm | Brown | Longest guard in the standard set |
| #10 | 1¼″ | 32mm | – | Extended lengths |
| #12 | 1½″ | 38mm | – | Extended lengths |
Rule of thumb: each whole guard number adds roughly 3mm, so a #4 is about four times a #1, not four millimetres.
The Wahl 0.5 guard, explained
The Wahl 0.5 guard cuts at 1.5mm, which is half a #1. It is the most searched-for guard we sell because it is the one most home kits leave out, and it is the guard that makes a skin fade look clean instead of stepped. Barbers use it for the first guideline above the skin, for tight stubble beards, and for softening the line where an open blade meets the #1. If you cut hair at home and your fades have a hard band at the bottom, this guard is the missing piece.
What the taper lever does
Every Wahl clipper has a lever on the side that moves the blade between its closed and open positions. Closed is shortest, open is longest, and the range in between is how barbers get the half-sizes that guards alone cannot give: a 0.5 guard with the lever open sits between a 0.5 and a #1, and so on up the chart. The new Wahl Vapor takes this further with an adjustable blade that runs from 0.5mm to 1.2mm before you add any guard at all.
Which Wahl clippers the guards fit
Standard Wahl guide combs, including the premium and colour-coded guards, fit most full-size Wahl clippers, but clippers with 5-in-1 blades need their own guides, so check the listing for fit. The full-size Wahl clippers we sell include the Magic Clip (corded and cordless), Senior 2.0 and Cordless Senior, Cordless Legend, Super Taper, Balding Clipper and the Vapor.
They do not fit Wahl trimmers. The Detailer, Beret, A-Lign and Hero use their own T-blade trimmer guides, which are a different size. They also do not fit Andis, BaBylissPRO or JRL clippers, which each use their own attachment system.
Metal clip or plastic clip?
Wahl sells two styles. The premium black guide combs have a metal clip on the back that snaps onto the blade and does not loosen with use; this is what the pro kits ship with and what barbers replace with. The colour-coded guards are all plastic, cheaper, and easier to grab in a hurry because you go by colour instead of squinting at the number. Both cut the same length.
Which pack to buy
- Missing one size: single black or colour-coded guards, sizes 0.5 to 8.
- Home kit upgrade: the colour-coded 1 to 8 set, or the 8-pack in an organiser that keeps them at the station.
- Full pro set: the premium 10-pack, which is the only pack that includes the 0.5 and the 1.5 alongside 1 to 8.
A basic fade with guards
- Open blade (lever open) around the neckline and temples to set the lowest line.
- 0.5 guard a finger above it.
- #1 a finger above that, then #1.5 or #2 to blend into the length on top.
- Flick the lever from closed to open at each transition to soften the lines, and brush the loose hair away with a fade brush between passes so you can see them.
Sharp blades matter as much as guards: a drop of Wahl blade oil before each cut and a shot of Cool Ice mid-session keep the guard cutting the length it says it will.
Where to buy Wahl guards in Adelaide
Every size above is in stock at MV Hair & Beauty, 412 Churchill Road, Kilburn, with click and collect locally and delivery Australia-wide. Standard shipping is free on orders of A$99 and over.
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