I've read a lot on here from people saying that if you are going to cut a stock piece down to your own size, to make those adjustments to the back and sides, and the leave the hairline alone.....

But what if i want to change the shape of the hairline? can i cut the hairline back, or is there an a reason why it is a big no-no?

- See photo for example of what i mean.

Well you could cut the front if you have to but the reason people say not to is that the hairline is graduated for a natural look and if you cut a big chuck of that away you will be into the less graduated part of the hair where the density is thicker. If you plan to expose the hairline it's more natural looking to keep that graduated design but if you don't show much hairline cutting into it would be fine.

I don't think you can just cut the piece like that. If you wanted to reshape the hairline the best bet is to remove all the hairs until you get to the new outlined hairline. I know salons do this but it can be costly. Removing individual hairs is tedious. I remember reading about someone actually taking nair hair remover to the underside of a piece and having the hair come right off. So that might be a quick option. But once you get to your new hairline like hairenough said... the "new hairline" would need to be graduated with proper density and all the knots invisible etc.

Why would he need to remove individual hairs? That would take decades. Just cut to the desired shape. Then if you want some extra lace at the front you could gently pull out some hairs from the front.

Yeah he can just go ahead and cut .... but still lots of individual hairs would still have to be pulled to make for a decent front hairline IF he is showing the hairline. If you're showing the hairline.. the density has to be right.. the knots have to be bleached.

I had to reshape a piece and we cut the lace and I just remember lots of hairs having to be individually pulled to get it to look right .. otherwise it will look like a block of hair.

Yea that's the downside about cutting into the front - the block of hair. But for a make-do approach with a simple stock it's fine if you don't show much hairline.

I suggest that if you do decide to trim the front, do it with it on your head.
Secure the centre down with some tape so it stays in place.
Then you can lift the areas you want to cut away.
You'd be surprised at what a big difference even a slight amount of recession cut away will make to the over all appearance of the piece & you.
Its easy to get focused on it, so keep stepping back from the mirror and take a good look at the general view, before you carry on.
Create the recession in stages.

Instead of cutting it all right back to the line of recession you want, leave extra lace in front of it and pluck & thin that area of hairs.
This will give a much more realistic & natural illusion of receding and graduate it.
Its not a good idea to have a 'perfect line', going straight from scalp to hair.

why not just get a custom