i get my hair cut when there's more than a fist-full left over after pulling it back into a ponytail. thumbs go above the ears and around to the back, everything below is shaved (no gaurd on the clippers), what's left sticking out of my fist is uncerimoniously hacked off.

but i would recommend to anyone who can get away with it and who hasn't tried before to shave it all off at least once, for a few months. it's wickedly fun.